According to the latest report, 80 percent of enterprise respondents indicated that they were adopting Microsoft Azure for public cloud usage. AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud, also known as hyperscalers, are among the leading cloud computing platform providers worldwide. Public cloud A public cloud refers to a computing service offered by a provider over the public internet whereby computing resources are made available to the customer. These resources may include storage capabilities, virtual machines, or applications. The customer only pays for resources actually consumed, such as bandwidth or CPU cycles. For organizations, this can lead to cost reduction versus having to buy and maintain on-premises hardware. Cloud computing benefits Cloud adoption is driven by several factors, including increased efficiency, quick deployment, and security. Because cloud providers offer customers to deploy their workloads from many locations globally, latency is reduced, which in turn enhances the customer experience. In addition, cloud-based services are more resilient, as the failure of a virtual machine does not necessarily mean that service availability is negatively impacted. To reap the most benefits, organizations are assessing which cloud models fit their case best and looking to pursue hybrid cloud strategies in the future, which includes the integration of both public and private clouds.

E-mail was the most commonly used cloud computing service among businesses operating in Serbia in 2023, recording an 81 percent penetration rate. Another 54 percent of the companies used office software as a cloud service.

In 2023, over 55 percent of companies in Poland bought cloud computing services over the internet, while only four percent bought computing power to run the enterprise's software (as a CC service).

According to a survey conducted in August 2023, almost 69 percent of companies in Japan used cloud services for file storage and data sharing purposes. The survey also showed that more than half of the surveyed companies used cloud services to share information within the company or for e-mails.

In 2021, Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) was used by nearly 80 percent of companies using cloud computing services in South Korea. Around five percent stated they used Platform as a Service (PaaS) cloud technology.

Cloud computing services in business

According to a nationwide survey of companies registered in South Korea, around a quarter of domestic enterprises stated they utilize cloud computing services in their work. Usage rates varied across different industries, ranging from as low as around 16 percent to more than 55 percent, depending on the business. Saving digital documents and accounting software were the leading cloud functions used by companies.

Private use of cloud services

Cloud services are a familiar product to consumers as well. Household survey responses showed a similar trend to the company survey, with data management being the leading purpose of using cloud services for the general public. Naver Cloud was the most commonly used cloud service in South Korea, with users able to store files online and automatically back up photos and videos from their smartphones via the service.

According to a survey conducted in August 2023, more than 50 percent of companies in Japan stated that they had already fully implemented cloud computing services. An additional 27.1 percent of businesses answered that they had implemented cloud services in some offices or departments.

Japan's cloud market

The domestic market size of cloud services in Japan, encompassing infrastructure as a service (IaaS) and platform as a service (PaaS), was estimated at 1.94 trillion yen in 2023. This figure is projected to nearly double by 2027. Notably, cloud services gained considerable traction in the telecommunication, finance, and insurance industries, with the vast majority of companies across these sectors adopting them. A breakdown of the utilization rate of cloud services revealed that larger companies tend to embrace cloud services more readily than their smaller counterparts.

Cloud-AI integration

As generative AI gains traction, cloud vendors are swiftly integrating it into their services, enhancing offerings for user companies. This strategic move not only boosts the appeal of cloud services but also facilitates easier adoption through managed cloud services. Leading cloud providers offer platforms for developing foundation models, while incorporating conversational AI chatbots and other AI aids into their cloud services to effectively assist users. However, a survey in Japan revealed a certain hesitancy among respondents to place too much trust in artificial intelligence, despite acknowledging its utility and potential to alleviate labor shortages.

As of 2024, over 60 percent of businesses worldwide currently used data warehouse services of public cloud providers. Additionally, 32 percent are experimenting with machine learning/AI, and 17 percent are planning to implement it along with DRaaS and Edge services.

In 2024, around 98 percent of responding companies stated that they already used cloud services (private or public cloud). This was a significant increase compared to earlier years. Cloud computing is essential to IT around the world.

By 2021, more than 22 percent of Polish enterprises were using Email as a cloud computing service. Over 18 percent were using cloud computing for office software.

The share companies using cloud services in Finland increased significantly from 2014 to 2020. As of 2020, 75 percent of Finnish companies with over 10 employees used cloud services. By comparison, the corresponding figure in 2014 was 51 percent.

This statistic displays the percentage of companies who bought cloud computing services used over the Internet in France from 2014 to 2020. It shows that this proportion increased from 12 percent in 2014 up to 27 percent in 2020.

During a 2020 survey conducted in Italy, it was found that 62.6 percent of firms supplying water, electricity and waste management services used cloud computing for their e-mails and 42.4 percent for their office software. Furthermore, 36.6 percent of the responding companies used cloud computing to store files.

The total share of enterprises using cloud computing services increased from 14.1 percent in 2020 to 16.4 percent in 2023. The large companies reached the highest share in 2023, at over 48 percent.

This statistic shows the proportion of businesses and public sector organisations that have implemented cloud computing in the United Kingdom (UK) from 2010 to 2014. Over the time period shown, the penetration of cloud services increased by 30 percent.

The share of companies that used cloud computing in Denmark from 2020 to 2022, by industry has seen a recovery after a slight drop in 2021. According to the survey, 91 percent of companies in the information and communication industry used cloud computing services in 2022.

This statistic shows the share of companies which used cloud computing in Denmark from 2017 to 2020, by industry. According to the survey, 89 percent of companies in the information and communication industry used cloud computing services in 2020.

In 2020, around 20 percent of businesses in Singapore were using cloud computing services. By using cloud computing services, applications and data can be accessed by multiple devices and locations via the internet, thus improving the efficiency of businesses.

According to a survey conducted in August 2023, 49.5 percent of companies in Japan used cloud services because they can use the services from anywhere with any device. At the same time, almost 44 percent of companies used cloud services because they do not have to keep fixed assets or maintenance systems in the company.

Cloud computing has become an integral part of modern business operations, with public cloud services leading the way. A 2024 survey reveals that 97 percent of businesses worldwide prefer using public cloud services, highlighting the widespread adoption of this cost-effective model. The pay-as-you-go approach allows companies to scale resources as needed, making it an attractive option for organizations of all sizes. Market leaders and revenue growth The cloud computing market is dominated by a few key players, with Amazon Web Services (AWS) maintaining a strong lead. In 2023, AWS held a 48 percent market share in the global infrastructure as a service (IaaS) and platform as a service (PaaS) sectors. Microsoft Azure, Alibaba Cloud, and Google Cloud Platform follow, with the four hyperscalers expected to generate a combined revenue of 167.3 billion U.S. dollars. These companies leverage their global scale, innovative technology, and deep expertise to offer a wide range of services beyond basic cloud computing resources. Regional market forecasts The data center market, closely tied to cloud computing, is poised for significant growth across all regions by 2029. The United States is projected to lead with an estimated revenue of 212.06 billion U.S. dollars, far outpacing other markets such as the United Kingdom, which is forecast to reach 23.76 billion U.S. dollars. This substantial difference underscores the dominance of the U.S. market in the global cloud computing landscape and highlights the potential for continued expansion in other regions.

This statistic shows the share of companies using cloud-based services in the United Kingdom (UK) from 2010 to 2017. The usage of cloud-based services increased steadily over the period, starting at 48 percent in 2010 and reaching its maximum of 88 percent in 2017.