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Chart of the Week

Weekly chart using economic data to address timely market topics from the Wells Fargo Investment Institute Global Investment Strategy team.

September 23, 2025

Tom Christopher, Amit Chanda, Equity Sector Analysts

The rise of edge computing devices for AI

This bar chart demonstrates worldwide edge computing revenue trends from 2019 through 2028. Worldwide edge computing revenue has steadily increased from $139 billion in 2019 through $232 billion in 2024, with projections forecasted to increase to $261 billion in 2025 to $380 billion in 2028.Source: The International Data Corporation. Data through March 2025. E = estimated. Worldwide edge computing market revenue as measured by a rising level of connected devices driving the need for greater computing capabilities closer to local endpoints. Excerpted from Sector Insights: “AI’s double-edge impact: Software lags, hardware leads”.

The growth of edge computing revenue worldwide since 2019

Coming into 2025, we witnessed more evidence of generative artificial intelligence (AI) moving to the edge. In other words, generative-AI models are more often being deployed directly onto local edge-computing devices, such as AI personal computers and AI smartphones. Edge computing devices are hardware components that process locally — close to the source of data generation — rather than by sending data to the cloud or data center.

Increasingly, large language models are designed to be smaller, more efficient, and more applicable for mobile smartphone devices. We see many other examples of AI edge devices that have the potential to support continued revenue growth, including smart home devices (for example, smart speakers and electric thermostats), advanced driver assistance systems for automotive, smart watches, and health fitness trackers.

What it may mean for investors

The chart shows that since 2019, worldwide edge computing revenue is on track to nearly double by the end of 2025, and we expect growth to continue in coming years. We are favorable on the Information Technology sector, specifically the Semiconductors, Semiconductor Materials & Equipment, and Software sub-sectors. We are neutral on the Communications Services sector and favorable on two sub-sectors — Interactive Media & Services and Interactive Home Entertainment.

Risk Considerations

Each asset class has its own risk and return characteristics. The level of risk associated with a particular investment or asset class generally correlates with the level of return the investment or asset class might achieve. Stock markets, especially foreign markets, are volatile. Stock values may fluctuate in response to general economic and market conditions, the prospects of individual companies, and industry sectors. Sector investing can be more volatile than investments that are broadly diversified over numerous sectors of the economy and will increase a portfolio’s vulnerability to any single economic, political, or regulatory development affecting the sector. Technology and internet-related stocks, especially of smaller, less-seasoned companies, tend to be more volatile than the overall market.

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