How much did companies invest in AI in Q2 2025? A question, the answer to which demonstrates the impact and potential of artificial intelligence (AI) across industries in today’s world.
In Q2, Scale AI got the second biggest venture funding after OpenAI’s $40 billion in Q1. Now, companies everywhere want to invest in smart tools that help them grow, save time, and cut costs.
Some bought new systems. Others used smart helpers for tasks. A few built their own. Each choice led to clear results. In this article, you will see real investments, numbers, and what changed for these companies. Use these lessons to plan your next step.
From enterprise to small business, everyone is investing in AI
This article divides companies into three groups:
- Large firms with more than 1000 employees, making over $1 billion in revenue
- Medium-sized firms with 100-999 employees, making $50 million to $1 billion in revenue
- Small firms with fewer than 100 employees and less than $50 million in revenue
Each group faces different challenges, but ultimately, they all share a common goal: to grow and save money. Global venture funding reached $91 billion in Q2, and roughly 45% of this — about $40 billion — went to the AI sector.
These numbers show a clear trend: every size of business sees real value in this kind of spending. You may wonder how much others like you spent, what they chose, and what results they saw. Let’s look at real numbers and stories from each group.
Enterprise businesses investing in AI
Enterprise investment in artificial intelligence surged worldwide in the second quarter of 2025, marking another “blockbuster quarter” for AI funding, continuing a trend of record capital pouring into AI startups and projects. Large enterprises across finance, tech, retail, and manufacturing significantly ramped up AI spending.
These massive commitments underscore a global race to build AI infrastructure and tools. Industry forecasts reflect this momentum: the UNCTAD projected that the global AI market will reach $4.8 trillion by 2033, driven by rapid growth in the above-mentioned sectors.
Q2 2025 saw both investors and enterprise companies doubling down on AI as a strategic priority, pouring capital into everything from AI chips and cloud platforms to new research labs and data centers. The most notable examples include:
Meta
Meta paid $14.3 billion for a 49% stake in Scale AI. Leaders said the move gives them:
- Access to top-tier data-labeling tools
- New talent: Scale’s CEO, Alexandr Wang, joined Meta’s advanced tech team
- A stronger data pipeline for chat and search systems
- A vision for “superintelligence” labs
The deal valued Scale at over $29 billion and boosted Meta’s stock by 18% in 2025. Now, Meta aims to scale human-level technology, and this stake secures data and talent to compete with rivals.
Bank of America
Bank of America set aside $4 billion for new tech in 2025, about a third of its total tech budget.
- Over 90% of staff now use their internal AI assistant, "Erica for Employees"
- IT help desk calls fell by more than 50%
- Developers use coding helpers and cut development time by 20%
- The assistant logged 676 million customer chats last year
Executives reported in an April 2025 press release that AI is delivering “transformative” efficiency gains and helping drive business growth. These AI investments (via internal R&D and vendor tools) aim to improve productivity, client service, and lower costs.
SoftBank
SoftBank, a global investment group, announced a $1 trillion plan for a massive tech hub in Arizona in June 2025.
- The project includes the world’s largest data centers and factories for advanced chips
- SoftBank’s partners include Oracle and OpenAI
- Builds on earlier multi-billion-dollar projects, “Stargate”, showing SoftBank’s push to lead in data-driven infrastructure
- The Arizona hub will support both robotics and data processing for clients around the world
Medium-sized businesses investing in AI
Mid-sized companies in various sectors also made notable AI investments in Q2 2025, often focusing on automation and analytics to boost efficiency. This trend spans all sectors, including manufacturing and agriculture, as well as software and services.
Surveys indicate that AI adoption is becoming nearly universal among middle-market companies. For example, by mid-2025, 91% of mid-market firms reported using generative AI, and many are rapidly moving toward fully integrating AI into their operations.
These companies used smart tools and partnerships to cut costs, work faster, and gain an edge in their fields.
Reflect Scientific
Reflect Scientific, a manufacturer in Utah, makes cooling systems for labs and factories. They rolled out a plan to add smart tools to customer service, inventory, and admin work.
- The company aimed to cut costs for selling and admin work by up to 35%
- First results were expected to come in as early as Q2, with savings funneled into research and product growth
- They used digital helpers for routine tasks and teamed up with contract manufacturers
- The team said these moves helped them work faster and focus on new products
Vertex Inc
Vertex, a tax software company, invested $15 million in a tech startup called Kintsugi in April 2025.
- Vertex bought a 10% stake and took a seat on Kintsugi’s board
- The deal included plans to share new ideas and tools between both companies
- Vertex set aside another $10-12 million to build smart features in-house for 2025
- They used these upgrades to help businesses handle tax filings, paperwork, and tracking in many states
HubSpot
HubSpot, a software company serving small to enterprise-grade firms, added a new tool for research and support in June 2025.
- The new “deep research” connector links to ChatGPT for live data insights
- Over 75% of HubSpot users have already used ChatGPT, so this upgrade fits client demand
- Teams can ask the system questions, find sales leads, spot top customer groups, and get help with support tickets
- HubSpot rolled out these tools to help clients save time, make better decisions, and grow sales
Small businesses investing in AI
Many small businesses in the US and Europe embraced affordable AI tools during Q2 2025 to punch above their weight. Roughly 40% of small business owners now use generative AI applications, leveraging them for marketing, customer service, and operations.
Here are two illustrative cases:
Jackie’s Jams, San Diego
This US-based jam maker is a small business owned by a couple, Risa and David Baron. They began using AI-writing and image tools to assist with their daily marketing tasks.
- Social media posts and product descriptions now take much less time
- The owner saves at least one hour each day on routine work
- The company used this extra time to reach more stores, including Whole Foods
- Sales grew as a result, and the team focused more on new products
Henry’s House of Coffee, San Francisco
This family-run coffee shop in San Francisco employs approximately 14 workers. The owners utilized a digital assistant to resolve a common packaging issue.
- The assistant helped design a sensor system for roasting coffee beans
- Beans now go into bags faster and without sticking together
- Packing takes less time, and the process stays clean even as orders grow
- This simple fix let the shop serve more customers without hiring more staff
Should you consider investing in AI
Many businesses think you must have huge budgets or technical teams to benefit from AI tools. But that’s not true. You don’t need to run a billion-dollar company to see results from smart technology. Even small steps can make a difference.
For example, a healthcare clinic might use a simple tool to track patient vitals from home. Nurses can respond sooner if something changes, which helps people stay healthier and reduces costly emergencies.
In law, a mid-sized firm might add a document scanner that spots risky contract language in seconds, freeing up lawyers to spend more time with clients and less on paperwork. These changes aren’t just about saving time; they improve quality and help teams do more with less.
You don’t have to do everything at once. What matters is finding the right use case for AI in your business and acting on it.
Different AI solutions fit companies of different needs and sizes. If you’re not sure where to begin or how much to invest, you’re not alone. Many of our clients came to us with the same questions. Today, they use smart products every day to solve real business problems—often starting with small steps.
The team at Anglara guides businesses through these choices every day with AI Business Consulting Services. We work side by side with our clients to turn ideas into real solutions. Want to explore how this could work for you? Schedule a free consultation with our team.
