The tracking of growth in AI models by OpenRouter and Artificial Analysis is just an observation, not a causal force that directly explains why models expanded from 63 to 668.
This kind of glossy report only tells you what numbers changed, not the real cash flow or operational shifts that drove that change.
For instance, we track how many new businesses register in Brussels each year, but that data doesn't prove why they started or if they'll even last.
You need to look at actual investment, market demand, and regulatory changes to understand the expansion, not just the raw count.