AI spending per employee among the top 1 percent of US companies declined by nearly 10 percent in August 2026, according to The Decoder's recent data release based on the Ramp AI Index for September 2026. This signals a notable reduction in investment intensity despite ongoing AI adoption.
The Decoder also reported that the cost per million tokens has decreased by 41 percent since March 2026, reflecting significant price drops in AI-related services from providers such as OpenAI and Anthropic. This price reduction likely contributes to the overall spending shifts observed across leading US firms.
For Japanese investors and market participants, these trends highlight evolving cost dynamics in AI deployment, which could influence corporate technology strategies and valuations within Japan's fast-growing tech sectors.