Global IT spending is not only set to continue growing through 2026 but will accelerate at a faster pace than predicted just a few months ago. Gartner now estimates that the market will reach $6.31 trillion this year, a 13.5% increase over 2025, driven primarily by the acceleration of AI infrastructure, software, and cloud services.
The upward revision is significant because it reflects a change in market momentum. In February, the same firm anticipated $6.15 trillion in IT expenditure for 2026, with a 10.8% growth rate. Just two months later, Gartner has raised this forecast to $6.31 trillion and has heavily revised the contribution of data centers, amid a context marked by the expansion of hyperscalers, AI workload deployments, and pressure on advanced memories like HBM.
Data centers become the most powerful growth driver
The most notable figure in the new report is the leap in data center systems, rising from $505.634 billion in 2025 to $787.990 billion in 2026. This represents a growth of 55.8%, the fastest among all large categories analyzed by Gartner. The firm attributes this increase to the boost in AI infrastructure, higher spending on high-performance computing, and strong demand for processors, accelerators, and related technologies.
This is no minor adjustment. In February’s forecast, Gartner expected data center system spending to reach $653.403 billion in 2026, with a 31.7% growth. The new figure in April adds over $134 billion solely in this category, a clear indication that the race for AI infrastructure is significantly reshaping the global tech spending landscape.
Gartner also emphasizes that solid demand combined with certain supply constraints is causing record increases in high-bandwidth memory prices, making memory segments one of the most attractive areas for semiconductor manufacturers. This outlook aligns with another Gartner forecast: global AI spending will hit $2.53 trillion in 2026, a 44% year-over-year increase, with AI infrastructure as the primary driver of expansion.
Global IT spending table: 2025 data and 2026 forecast
The following table summarizes Gartner’s official forecast, with 2025 spending data and estimates for 2026 in millions of dollars.
| Category | 2025 Spending | 2025 Growth | 2026 Spending | 2026 Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data Center Systems | 505,634 million | 51.6% | 787,990 million | 55.8% |
| Devices | 791,663 million | 9.7% | 856,189 million | 8.2% |
| Software | 1,254,449 million | 12.8% | 1,443,621 million | 15.1% |
| IT Services | 1,715,650 million | 6.2% | 1,870,197 million | 9.0% |
| Communication Services | 1,296,409 million | 3.3% | 1,358,553 million | 4.8% |
| Total IT | 5,563,805 million | 10.5% | 6,316,550 million | 13.5% |
IT services and software: where the most money is concentrated
While data centers lead growth, the category that moves the highest absolute volume remains IT services. Gartner estimates this segment will exceed $1.87 trillion in 2026, surpassing software and communications. This includes application deployment services, managed infrastructure services, and IaaS, reinforcing the idea that technological modernization involves not only hardware purchases but also integration, operation, and outsourcing of complex platforms.
Software is also maintaining a very strong pace. It is projected to reach $1.44 trillion in 2026, with a growth of 15.1%. Gartner highlights the surge in software related to generative AI, particularly the development of GenAI models, which will continue to grow rapidly. In February, the firm already predicted that spending on GenAI models would grow at an 80.8% rate during 2026.
This combination of AI hardware, next-generation software, and cloud services is creating, according to Gartner, a multi-speed IT market. Hyperscalers and segments directly connected to AI are growing much faster than more traditional categories. In other words: the tech market as a whole continues to expand, but a specific portion of spending is accelerating significantly more than the rest.
Devices grow, but with more pricing pressure
The devices category will continue to grow, albeit with less vigor than AI infrastructure. Gartner estimates $856.189 billion in 2026, up 8.2%. The firm explains that this moderate growth is due to rising memory costs, which push up average selling prices and slow down some refresh cycles, especially in lower-margin segments.
This nuance is important because it illustrates one of the current market tensions. While AI is driving overall IT spending, it is also increasing the cost of critical components and passing some of that pressure onto the broader ecosystem. This explains why data centers are experiencing such marked acceleration while other areas, like end-user devices, proceed with more caution.
What does this forecast mean for 2026?
Gartner’s new projection confirms that the majority of technological expenditure in 2026 will focus more on the physical and logical infrastructure underpinning AI—servers, accelerators, advanced memory, specialized software, and cloud services—rather than just traditional digital consumption. The firm summarizes this quite straightforwardly: AI infrastructure is currently the most attractive segment to capture growth in IT spending.
It also implies an implicit warning. Not all companies in the sector will benefit equally. Those most exposed to data centers, optimized semiconductor AI chips, enterprise software with AI layers, and deployment services are currently favored. In contrast, more mature segments or those dependent on traditional renewal cycles will advance but with less intensity. This divergence is beginning to become a key aspect of the global tech market in 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Gartner predict worldwide IT spending will grow in 2026?
Gartner estimates global IT expenditure will reach $6.31 trillion in 2026, a 13.5% increase over 2025.
Which segment will grow the most in 2026 according to Gartner?
The fastest-growing segment will be data center systems, with a 55.8% increase and an expected total spend of $787.99 billion.
What is the category with the highest absolute spend?
IT services will remain the largest area by volume, with a forecast of $1.87 trillion in 2026.
What role does AI play in this escalation of tech spending?
Gartner attributes much of the upward revision to the boost in AI infrastructure, software related to GenAI, and the cloud demand from hyperscalers. Additionally, the firm projects that global AI expenditure will reach $2.53 trillion in 2026.
via: gartner