The global market for data center and server semiconductors will reach $254.11 billion by 2030, according to a report from consulting firm The Business Research Company released on September 29, 2026. The firm calculates that the sector generated $187.34 billion in 2025 and will reach $199.75 billion this year, with a compound annual growth rate of 6.2% through the end of the decade. These figures clash with those of other analysts, who see a much larger market growing considerably faster.
Key facts about the data center chip market in 20 seconds
- The Business Research Company forecasts $254.11 billion by 2030.
- It calculates $187.34 billion in 2025, with 6.2% annual growth.
- Omdia estimated AI chips alone at $207 billion in 2025.
- Yole projects $1.5 trillion by 2031.
The report was distributed as a promotional release via EIN Presswire to publicize a paid study, and the public summary doesn’t detail the methodology, the breakdown by chip type, or the companies included. That’s why, more than the figure itself, what matters is comparing it with other estimates and understanding why they differ so much.
What The Business Research Company’s report says
According to the consulting firm, the market grew from $187.34 billion in 2025 to $199.75 billion in 2026, a 6.6% increase, and will keep growing at an average rate of 6.2% a year until it reaches $254.11 billion in 2030. The drivers it cites are the usual ones: demand for cloud infrastructure, enterprise adoption of data centers, the expansion of large hyperscale facilities, high-performance computing, AI workloads, and the rollout of edge infrastructure.
By region, North America was the largest market in 2025, and Asia-Pacific is the region the report expects to grow fastest. The summary also mentions Western and Eastern Europe, South America, and the Middle East and Africa, though without figures by region.
Other firms see a much bigger market
The problem with the forecast is that other specialized firms work with much higher figures. Omdia calculated in August 2025 that the AI data center chip market — that is, just GPUs and AI accelerators — would grow from $123 billion in 2024 to $207 billion in 2025, and reach $286 billion by 2030. That segment alone would already exceed, in 2025, the $187.34 billion that The Business Research Company attributes to the entire data center and server semiconductor market.
Yole Group goes even further. In its report on data center semiconductor trends published this month, it argues that this market has more than doubled in 2026 and will reach $1.5 trillion by 2031, driven by roughly $1.8 trillion in data center investment. “AI has turned the data center into a full-system problem. Performance is now sold by the rack, not by the chip,” says its chief analyst, Eric Mounier.
| Source | What it measures | Figure | Forecast |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Business Research Company | Data center and server semiconductors | $187.34 billion (2025) | $254.11 billion (2030) |
| Omdia | AI chips for data centers (GPUs and accelerators) | $207 billion (2025) | $286 billion (2030) |
| Yole Group | Data center semiconductors | More than doubled in 2026 | $1.5 trillion (2031) |
The sector’s recent trajectory also points to a bigger market. In April, Omdia raised its growth forecast for the entire semiconductor market in 2026 to 62.7% and estimated that the computing and data storage segment would grow 90% and surpass $700 billion, as CloudNews reported in Omdia raises 2026 chip growth to 62.7% due to AI. Although that segment isn’t exactly the same as the data center one, the gap with the 6.6% that The Business Research Company calculates for this year is huge.
Why the figures don’t match
Differences between consulting firms are normal, but rarely this large. The most common explanation lies in what counts as a data center semiconductor. Some studies include only processors and memory sold as components; others add in complete GPUs, HBM memory, networking chips, optics, and the power management of AI racks. The result also changes a lot depending on whether revenue is attributed to the chipmaker or to the server integrator.
The Business Research Company’s public summary doesn’t clarify any of these points, so it’s not possible to know whether its figure leaves out AI accelerators, which today are the highest-value part of the market. For anyone using this data, the advice is simple: always compare the definition and base year before citing a forecast, and be wary of a single number when the sector is changing this fast.
Where all the sources do agree is on the direction. Cloud, AI, and high-performance computing keep driving demand for data center chips, and North America and Asia-Pacific account for most of that investment. The disagreement is over the size of the pie and how fast it’s growing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much will the data center chip market be worth in 2030?
The Business Research Company puts it at $254.11 billion. Other firms give much higher figures: Omdia forecasts $286 billion for AI chips alone by 2030, and Yole projects $1.5 trillion by 2031.
How fast is this market growing?
According to The Business Research Company, 6.2% a year through 2030. Other sources point to much higher growth driven by AI.
Why are the forecasts so different?
Because each firm defines the market differently, including or excluding AI accelerators, HBM memory, networking, or power, and uses different methodologies.
Which region leads the market?
North America was the largest in 2025, and Asia-Pacific is expected to grow the fastest, according to The Business Research Company.
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