According to Gartner’s forecast, spending on data centre systems is expected to increase from $506 billion in 2025 to $822 billion in 2026
Worldwide IT spending is projected to reach $6.37 trillion in 2026, up 14.2% from 2025, as organisations increase spending on AI infrastructure, cloud platforms and software, according to a new forecast by Gartner.
The research and advisory firm said spending growth will be led by data centre systems and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), as companies build the computing capacity needed to support AI workloads.
“Data center systems and infrastructure as a service (IaaS) are the top growth segments, reflecting accelerating investment in AI infrastructure, cloud platforms, and intelligent applications,” said John-David Lovelock, Distinguished VP Analyst at Gartner.
“Building the compute capacity required for AI is the largest infrastructure project ever attempted by humanity. Driven by the expansion of AI workloads and demand for high-performance computing, hyperscalers and enterprises are rapidly scaling next-generation data center capacity.”
According to Gartner’s forecast, spending on data centre systems is expected to increase from $506 billion in 2025 to $822 billion in 2026, representing growth of 62.5%. Spending on IaaS is forecast to rise from $222 billion to $287 billion, a 29.3% increase.
Software spending is expected to grow from $1.27 trillion to $1.47 trillion, while IT services spending is projected to reach $1.57 trillion. Device spending is forecast at $868 billion, and communications services spending is expected to total $1.35 trillion in 2026.
Gartner said the latest forecast reflects stronger expectations for AI-related investment, with spending increasingly concentrated in infrastructure, cloud services and software that support AI adoption.
“IT spending growth is being fueled by rising investments in AI infrastructure and software. Organizations are spending more on AI optimized servers, cloud services, and AI-ready software as they expand their AI efforts, while hardware markets continue to adjust to semiconductor and memory supply constraints,” Lovelock said.
He added: “The fastest growth is expected in AI-related infrastructure, cloud services, and software, reflecting the strong focus on building and scaling AI capabilities across the enterprise.”
Despite the increase in spending, Gartner said technology budgets remain under pressure.
“Despite the strong growth in spending, this is not a rising tide lifts all boats market trend,” Lovelock said.
“Technology budgets are being strained by inflation, supply shortages, rising hardware and memory costs, AI funding initiatives and shifting priorities.”
The forecast is based on Gartner’s analysis of sales data from more than 1,000 technology vendors, supported by primary and secondary research.
