Top 10 AI companies

With topics such as AI an unavoidable subject of discussion in boardrooms around the world, our top companies are at the forefront of innovation: adapting to the rapidly changing landscape and staying ahead of the curve. We look at 10 of the leading AI strategic leadership companies in the world in 2023, based on our sister title Technology Magazine’s Top 100 Companies in 2023.

10. Google DeepMind

Google DeepMind is a team of scientists, engineers, ML experts and more, working together to advance the state of the art in AI. 

DeepMind’s long term aim is to solve intelligence, developing more general and capable problem-solving systems, known as artificial general intelligence, which could help society find answers to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. 

In April 2023 it was announced that DeepMind and the Brain team from Google Research would be joining forces as a single, focused unit.

9. Oracle

A cloud technology company that provides organisations around the world with computing infrastructure and software to help them innovate and become more effective, Oracle also created the world’s first – and only – autonomous database to help organise and secure its customers’ data.

Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) AI Services is a collection of services with prebuilt machine learning models that make it easier for developers to apply AI to applications and business operations. The models can be custom-trained for more accurate business results.

8. Intel

Intel’s mission is to shape the future of technology to help create a better future. By pushing forward in fields like AI, analytics and cloud-to-edge technology, Intel’s work is at the heart of countless innovations. 

Founded in 1968, Intel’s technology has been at the heart of computing breakthroughs. An industry leader, it creates world-changing technology that enables global progress and enriches lives, from breakthroughs like self-driving cars and rebuilding coral reefs, to things that make everyday life better like blockbuster effects and improved shopping experiences.

7. Nvidia

Since its founding in 1993, Nvidia has been a pioneer in accelerated computing. The company’s invention of the GPU in 1999 sparked the growth of the PC gaming market, redefined computer graphics, ignited the era of modern AI and is fueling the creation of the metaverse. 

Nvidia is headquartered in Santa Clara, California and has more than 26,000 employees worldwide. Today, it offers the world's most advanced AI platform with full-stack innovation in computing, software, and AI models and services.

6. Meta

Today, Meta is moving beyond 2D screens toward immersive experiences like augmented and virtual reality to help build the next evolution in social technology. Still led by co-founder Mark Zuckerberg, who serves as Meta's CEO, the company’s platforms have transformed the way people connect, share information and engage with digital content. 

The company has also embarked upon a journey into the world of open generative AI, in July announcing with Microsoft the the availability of Llama 2, the latest generation of its open source large language model.

5. OpenAI

Founded by Elon Musk, Sam Altman and other investors in 2015, OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity. 

In June 2020, OpenAI announced GPT-3, a language model trained on trillions of words. Its release of ChatGPT last year, and of GPT-4 this year, have accelerated interest in generative AI. 

In addition to GPT-powered chatbots, the company is responsible for the DALLE model: an AI system that can create realistic images and art from a description in natural language.

4. IBM

IBM was founded in 1911, making it one of the oldest and most influential players in the industry. 

With a focus on enterprise solutions, cloud computing, AI and consulting, IBM has consistently pushed the boundaries of technology. 

IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI. Its consulting arm, IBM Consulting, announced this year that it has established a CoE for Generative AI with over 1,000 consultants with specialised generative AI expertise to help transform global clients’ core business processes.

3. Microsoft

Headquartered in Redmond, Washington and led by CEO Satya Nadella, Microsoft was founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. 

Today, Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organisation to achieve more. The company believes technology can and should be a force for good and that meaningful innovation contributes to a brighter world in the future and today. 

The company has also invested heavily in AI - most famously announcing a multi-billion dollar investment into ChatGPT creator OpenAI at the beginning of 2023. 

2. Google Cloud

Founded in 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin and today headquartered in Mountain View, California, Google has evolved into a global technology powerhouse with a mission to organise the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.

Beyond search, Google Cloud offers a vast array of products and services, including AI, online advertising, search engine technology, cloud computing, computer software, quantum computing, ecommerce and consumer electronics. 

In March, Google Cloud announced a range of new products that infuse generative AI into its offerings, empowering developers to responsibly build with enterprise-level safety, security and privacy. 

The addition of generative AI services to Google Cloud’s consulting business, meanwhile, will help “C-suite leaders of top global companies reap the full, transformative benefits of generative AI while maintaining responsible development and deployment”, the company said.

1. AWS

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a pioneering force in the cloud computing and AI industries. Since the founding of its parent company Amazon founded by Jeff Bezos in 1994, the company has continuously pushed the boundaries of innovation.

With a market share of more than Microsoft Azure and GCP combined, AWS has expanded to be the most comprehensive and widely-used cloud computing platform. AWS has significantly more services, and more features within those services, than any other cloud provider – from infrastructure technologies like compute, storage, and databases to emerging technologies, such as machine learning and AI, data lakes and analytics, and the Internet of Things. 

Officially launched in 2002, AWS now offers more than 175 fully featured services from data centres worldwide. The organisation serves hundreds of thousands of customers across 190 different countries globally. Today, millions of customers, including the fastest-growing startups, largest enterprises, and leading government agencies, are using AWS to lower costs, become more agile and innovate faster.