Global IT spending is projected to reach $6.31 trillion by 2026, marking a 13.5% increase from 2025, driven by the growing adoption of artificial intelligence (AI). This surge is fueled by substantial investments in AI infrastructure, advanced memory, and high-performance computing systems as businesses expand their AI workloads, as per a Gartner analysis.
Data center systems are anticipated to see the fastest growth, with a nearly 56% rise in 2026 to around $788 billion, reflecting strong demand from hyperscale cloud providers and companies heavily investing in AI-driven capabilities. Additionally, segments like devices, software, IT services, and communications services are also expected to grow by up to 15% in 2026.
According to Gartner’s forecast, spending on data center systems is set to reach $787.9 billion in 2026. Software spending is predicted to increase to $1.44 trillion, while IT services, the largest segment, are expected to grow to $1.87 trillion. Device spending is estimated to reach $856.1 billion, and communications services are likely to expand to $1.35 trillion.
The report emphasizes that software spending is experiencing robust growth due to increased investments in generative AI (GenAI) model development and AI-enabled applications. On the other hand, the growth in device spending might be tempered by rising memory costs and extended replacement cycles, the report notes.
John-David Lovelock, Distinguished VP Analyst at Gartner, remarked, “This latest forecast highlights the accelerating momentum in AI infrastructure and advanced memory.” He further added, “As AI workloads scale, data center investment is increasing rapidly, leading to a surge in demand for high-performance compute.”
Gartner pointed out that strong demand, combined with supply limitations, has resulted in record price hikes in high-bandwidth memory, presenting a significant opportunity for semiconductor companies. The report also highlighted a widening gap in the IT market, with AI infrastructure and GenAI software segments experiencing notably stronger growth compared to traditional IT categories.
Despite this, the report anticipates that hyperscale cloud demand will further boost investments in servers and data centers, solidifying AI infrastructure as the most appealing segment for capital deployment.
