Worldwide IT spending is projected to reach $6.15 trillion in 2026, marking an increase of 10.8 percent from 2025, according to the latest forecast from Gartner. The growth momentum highlights how artificial intelligence infrastructure, cloud investments, and data center expansion are reshaping enterprise technology priorities worldwide.
Gartner report, released on February 3, 2026, noted that spending on AI-related hardware and software continues to surge, even as some market participants raise concerns about a potential AI bubble. Hyperscale cloud providers remain a major force behind this expansion, investing heavily in servers optimized for AI workloads.
“AI infrastructure growth remains rapid, with spending rising across AI-related hardware and software,” said John-David Lovelock, Distinguished VP Analyst at Gartner. “Demand from hyperscale cloud providers continues to drive investment in servers optimized for AI workloads.”
Data Center and Server Spending Accelerates
Data center systems spending is set to jump from $496.2 billion in 2025 to $653.4 billion in 2026, although growth is expected to moderate from 48.9 percent to 31.7 percent as the market scales.
Server spending is expected to see one of the fastest growth rates across all IT segments in 2026, expanding by 36.9 percent. As a result, total data center systems spending is forecast to climb 31.7 percent to $653.4 billion in 2026, compared with nearly $500 billion in 2025.
The rise reflects sustained investments in AI training and inference infrastructure, along with capacity expansion by cloud service providers to support enterprise and consumer demand for data-intensive applications.
Software Spending Remains a Key Growth Engine
Software remains the largest growth engine after data centers, rising to $1.43 trillion in 2026 with growth accelerating to 14.7 percent, driven largely by generative AI adoption.
Although Gartner slightly revised its earlier growth outlook downward, software remains the second-fastest growing IT segment after data center systems.
Projections for generative AI model spending in 2026 remain unchanged, with growth expected at 80.8 percent.
Generative AI models continue to gain traction across industries, and their share of the overall software market is expected to rise by 1.8 percent in 2026, underlining the strategic importance of AI-driven software platforms.
IT Services and Communications Maintain Steady Growth
Spending on IT services is forecast to grow 8.7 percent in 2026, reaching nearly $1.87 trillion. Enterprises continue to rely on consulting, managed services, and outsourcing to support digital transformation, cloud migration, and AI adoption initiatives.
Communications services spending is expected to increase 4.7 percent to $1.37 trillion, supported by ongoing investments in network modernization and digital connectivity.
Device Spending Growth Slows
While shipments of mobile phones, PCs, and tablets continue to rise, overall device spending growth is expected to moderate in 2026. Total spending on devices is projected to reach $836.4 billion, reflecting growth of 6.1 percent.
“This slowdown is largely due to rising memory prices, which are increasing average selling prices and discouraging device replacements,” Lovelock said. Higher memory costs are also leading to shortages at the lower end of the market, where profit margins are thinner, further dampening shipment growth.
Strong Outlook for Global IT Markets
Overall, global IT spending is forecast to rise from $5.56 trillion in 2025 to $6.15 trillion in 2026. Gartner expects AI infrastructure, software, and data center investments to remain the primary growth drivers, reinforcing technology’s central role in enterprise strategy and economic transformation over the coming years.
RAJANI BABURAJAN
