The Forrester Wave™: AI Infrastructure Solutions, Q4 2025
AI infrastructure solutions provide the foundational compute, network, and storage capabilities required to run AI workloads including training, fine-tuning, and inference. Enterprises are multiplying their AI infrastructure investments and looking critically at systems beyond just basic GPUs and high-performance servers. They seek infrastructure that follows the OASIS Framework and enables workload- and outcome-specific design choices. The evaluation focuses on infrastructure itself rather than capabilities further up the stack, representing a notable change from the 2023 version. Success requires architecture for workload-specific demands, engineering efficiency across the full stack, and sustainability with operational maturity and long-term flexibility.
No common features specified.
Vendors must, among other requirements:
A: This research evaluates 13 AI infrastructure solution providers, focusing on the infrastructure layer — compute, network, and storage — and how it enables AI workloads. The evaluation examines vendor capabilities across training, fine-tuning, and inference workloads, with emphasis on workload-specific design, engineering efficiency across the full stack, sustainability, operability, and long-term flexibility. Vendors are scored on current offering capabilities and strategic vision.
A: AI infrastructure solutions customers should use this research to inform purchase decisions and ensure their infrastructure choices translate into production-grade, sustainable value. It is particularly relevant for organizations accelerating AI initiatives who need to understand how different vendors address workload-specific demands (training, fine-tuning, inference), engineering efficiency across compute/network/storage/orchestration, and sustainability/operability/flexibility requirements. Buyers should adapt findings based on their specific priorities using Forrester's interactive provider comparison experience.
A: To be included in this Forrester Wave evaluation, vendors must: 1) Provide broad, enterprise-level support with all core functions and demonstrated track record for large enterprises, 2) Manufacture/build AI infrastructure or provide hosted AI infrastructure services based on their own IP, 3) Offer solution as standalone product with own SKU and pricing (not just free feature), 4) Generate at least $100 million in annual revenue from AI infrastructure solutions in past four quarters, and 5) Have significant mindshare among Forrester's enterprise clients as a frequently considered vendor for purchase decisions.
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A: Strength of Offering focuses on current capabilities including architecture, infrastructure components (compute, network, storage), workload support (training, inferencing, development), operational features (management, fault tolerance, efficiency, security, scalability), and deployment options. It evaluates what the vendor delivers today. Strength of Strategy evaluates future direction including vision for AI infrastructure evolution, innovation in hardware/software development, product roadmap clarity, partner ecosystem breadth, pricing models, and supporting services. It assesses where the vendor is headed and their ability to execute on future plans.