Add Row 
Add 
AI Adoption: What Are Businesses Actually Using AI For?
As we step further into 2025, understanding the practical applications of artificial intelligence (AI) has never been more critical for businesses. A recent study from Open Router in collaboration with A16Z delves into the current state of AI usage, exploring specific applications driving this adoption. The findings highlight a paradigm shift in user engagement with AI, particularly in coding and role-playing scenarios, which has previously received less attention.
In 'What People Are Actually Using AI for Right Now', the discussion dives into the real-world applications of AI, exploring key insights that sparked deeper analysis on our end.
The Emerging AI Landscape: Key Findings
The study analyzed over 100 trillion tokens of real-world interactions with large language models (LLMs), providing insights into how developers and end-users are engaging with AI. Notably, the balance of reasoning tokens has shifted dramatically, now comprising over 50% of total token usage. This transformation is largely attributed to advanced models becoming broadly available, which opened doors to more autonomous applications.
Interestingly, coding emerged as the dominant use case, now accounting for roughly 50% of all interactions. This trend began early in 2025, spurring a notable increase in average prompt lengths from 1,500 tokens to a remarkable 6,000 tokens, indicating a deeper complexity in coding tasks being issued to AI.
Roleplay: A Surprising Contender
While coding dominates, another fascinating use case is the rise of role-play and creative dialogue applications, particularly in open-source models. Many developers are harnessing AI for role-playing scenarios, which comprised more than 50% of usage in open-source environments. This versatility showcases a growing interest in creative and interactive applications of AI, alongside productivity-focused solutions.
The duality in AI usage reflects a broader cultural phenomenon about what AI can achieve, challenging the traditional views which often prioritize efficiency and productivity. As AI becomes more integrated into consumer-facing applications, the demand for both exciting and practical uses will only grow.
The Rise of Open Source Models
Another pivotal finding from this study is the increasing prominence of open-source models. By the last quarter of the year, open-weight models accounted for about one-third of overall usage. Particularly noteworthy is the emergence of Chinese open-source models, which surged from just 1% to as high as 30% usage in certain weeks. This trend highlights the competitive landscape of AI, as developers weigh the benefits of various models based on their use case, workload, and environment.
Business Implications: Adapting to AI's Evolution
For businesses, these findings illuminate the need to adapt to the evolving AI landscape. The growth of coding and roleplaying applications indicates not only a shift in how AI is utilized but also presents opportunities for entrepreneurs and startups to create innovative solutions. By recognizing the diverse needs of users, businesses can develop products that effectively leverage both the power of reasoning models and the creative potential of AI.
Actionable Insights: Embrace AI Today
Given these revelations, it’s crucial for business owners to start integrating AI into their operations. The advances in coding and creative applications open up new avenues for efficiency, customer engagement, and overall innovation. Additionally, keeping abreast of developments in both open-source and closed-source models can allow companies to make informed decisions that leverage the best technology for their specific use cases.
If you're still hesitant about adopting AI, now is the time to act. Start exploring AI possibilities for your business today—whether it’s through coding assistance, creative storytelling, or enhancing customer experiences, the right AI solution could very well set you apart in a competitive market.
Write A Comment