AI boom to push global IT spending to $6.31 trillion in 2026: Report

Global IT spending is projected to reach $6.31 trillion in 2026, driven by rapid adoption of AI technologies, Gartner said. Data centre systems will lead growth, while software and IT services also expand significantly amid rising investments in AI infrastructure.

New Delhi: Global IT spending is pegged to reach $6.31 trillion in 2026, an increase of 13.5 per cent from 2025, because of the accelerating adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), a report said on Wednesday.

The surge is fuelled by rapid investments in AI infrastructure, advanced memory, and high-performance computing systems as enterprises scale AI workloads, according to a Gartner analysis.

---

Segment-wise, data centre systems are expected to record the fastest growth, rising nearly 56 per cent in 2026 to approximately $788 billion, indicating strong demand from hyperscale cloud providers and enterprises investing heavily in AI-driven capabilities.

Other segments such as devices, software, IT services, and communications services are also expected to grow by up to 15 per cent in 2026.

According to the Gartner forecast, data centre systems spending is expected to reach $787.9 billion in 2026.

Meanwhile, software spending is projected to increase to $1.44 trillion, while IT services — the largest segment — is set to grow to $1.87 trillion. Device spending is estimated to reach $856.1 billion, while communications services are likely to expand to $1.35 trillion.

The report highlighted that spending on software sees robust growth due to increased investments in generative AI (GenAI) model development and AI-enabled applications.

Meanwhile, device spending growth may be moderated by rising memory costs and extended replacement cycles, the report added.

“This latest forecast underscores the accelerating momentum in AI infrastructure and advanced memory,” said John-David Lovelock, Distinguished VP Analyst at Gartner.

“As AI workloads scale, data centre investment is ramping rapidly, which in turn is driving increased demand for high-performance compute,” he added.

Gartner noted that strong demand, coupled with supply constraints, has led to record price increases in high-bandwidth memory, making it a key opportunity area for semiconductor companies.

The report highlighted a widening divergence in the IT market, with AI infrastructure and GenAI software segments witnessing significantly stronger growth compared to traditional IT categories.

However, hyperscale cloud demand is expected to further accelerate investments in servers and data centres, reinforcing AI infrastructure as the most attractive segment for capital deployment.