Cloud Computing: A New Innovation Driven by AI One of the most prominent areas in the global technology industry recently is cloud computing. Especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, as remote work became commonplace, cloud computing has become essential for businesses worldwide. However, its expansion is not merely due to a temporary need. According to the latest report from Market Research Future, the global cloud computing market is projected to grow to $4.96 trillion by 2035. This signifies a paradigm shift in business operations, going beyond a mere technological trend. How can Korean society and businesses leverage this remarkable growth? The growth trajectory of the cloud market is also confirmed by specific figures. The global cloud computing market is expected to grow from $791.17 billion in 2024 to $928.86 billion in 2025. From 2025 to 2035, the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) is projected to reach 18.2%. This explosive growth cannot be explained by technological advancements alone. A combination of factors is at play, including the surge in the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and generative AI workloads, enterprise digital transformation across the BFSI (Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance) and healthcare industries, increased adoption of multi-cloud and hybrid cloud, expansion of edge computing, and growing demand for scalable and cost-efficient cloud infrastructure. The growth of cloud computing is deeply intertwined with Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology. Particularly with the advent of Generative AI, as the importance of data processing and analysis increases, cloud computing is forming a natural symbiotic relationship with AI. Notably, AI workloads are predicted to become a major driver of cloud spending growth in 2026. This suggests that the combination of AI and cloud will drive market growth even in the short term. While AWS (Amazon Web Services) maintains its lead with approximately 24.5% global market share, it is spearheading the market by offering over 200 fully functional services, advanced generative AI tools, and scalable infrastructure. Competition between the second strongest players, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform, is also continuously intensifying. Regional market trends are also noteworthy. While the North American market currently holds the largest market position with a 35.81% share, the Asia-Pacific region is showing the fastest growth rate. Particularly, digitalization centered around China and India is accelerating cloud adoption in this region, and government initiatives are actively supporting emerging markets. Korean businesses must not miss out on this transformative trend. The prevailing view in the industry is that "the market size will expand more than fivefold by 2035. At this juncture, Korea must also accelerate its digital transformation in step with the global market." Based on its existing manufacturing strengths, Korea must prepare for a new industrial transformation through cloud computing. Korean IT Industry Needs Strategy Aligned with Global Cloud Trends Specifically, digital transformation in the BFSI (Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance) and healthcare industries is a key driver of cloud market growth. The financial industry is actively adopting cloud infrastructure for real-time data analysis and personalized customer service, while the healthcare sector is utilizing cloud technology for medical image analysis, Electronic Health Record (EHR) management, and building AI-based diagnostic systems. Such industry-specific cloud utilization is transforming the industrial structure itself, beyond mere technology adoption. Cloud technology goes beyond simply providing storage space. Regional data processing through hybrid cloud and edge computing, along with state-of-the-art servers designed to handle complex AI workloads, are acting as major driving forces. New opportunities are expected to arise from the adoption of hybrid/multi-cloud for flexibility and resilience, the expansion of AI-based services and edge computing, and government initiatives in emerging markets like Asia-Pacific. For instance, in cases such as AI-based autonomous vehicle data analysis or medical imaging expert systems, cloud technology is critically contributing to simultaneously improving data processing and cost efficiency. Another significant advantage of cloud computing is enhanced security through automation and improved business resilience. Cloud computing supports automation, reducing the risk of security breaches due to human error and playing a crucial role in strengthening disaster recovery and business continuity plans. This is also why cloud adoption is accelerating in industries where security and stability are paramount, such as finance and healthcare. The industry evaluates that this trend, with cloud platforms themselves enhancing network security while implementing AI-based defense mechanisms to protect customer data, could be
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