China’s MaaS Market Hits RMB 2.5 Billion

IDC reports that China’s Model-as-a-Service (MaaS) market reached RMB 2.5 billion in the first half of 2024.

According to IDC’s latest study, China Model-as-a-Service (MaaS) and AI Large Model Solutions Market sector is forecast to maintain robust momentum through 2028, with a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 64.8%. By 2028, the MaaS market is expected to hit RMB 3.8 billion.

At the same time, the AI large model solutions market grew to RMB 1.38 billion in H1 2024. IDC anticipates a continued surge in this domain, predicting a 56.2% CAGR between 2024 and 2028, pushing the overall market value to RMB 21.1 billion by 2028.

IDC segments China’s AI large model ecosystem into two principal sub-markets:

1. Model-as-a-Service (MaaS)

   • Encompasses AI large model lifecycle toolchains and AI large model services delivered in a cloud-based manner, typically via APIs or conversational interfaces.

   • Excludes revenues purely from cloud infrastructure (IaaS) and computing power.

2. AI Large Model Solutions

   • Consists of software and services related to model frameworks, large models, lifecycle toolchains, and model training or fine-tuning.

   • Deployed either in-house or in third-party data centers, enabling clients to develop, train, and integrate industry-specific applications.

Rapid Growth Amid Rising Commercialization

While many large-model products initially adopted free or trial-based models in early 2023, the first half of 2024 has seen a transition toward commercial offerings.

As AI technology matures and enterprise demand increases—especially for complex analytics and decision-making—vendors have begun monetizing and scaling these services.

Multiple provincial and municipal governments—including Guangdong, Hebei, Sichuan, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Hangzhou—have introduced initiatives to spur AI innovation.

These policies provide funding, resources, and a supportive regulatory environment, further accelerating the commercialization and adoption of AI large models.

AI-powered solutions are quickly expanding in scenarios such as: