Research firm Gartner forecasts that global information technology (IT) spending will total $6.15 trillion in 2026, an increase of 10.8% from 2025. This marks the first time the annual figure is projected to exceed the $6 trillion threshold. The primary driver of this growth is enterprise investment in generative artificial intelligence (AI), which is prompting significant increases in spending on software and IT services.
According to Gartner's latest report, all major IT spending segments are expected to grow in 2026. Software spending is forecast to see the strongest growth at 17.4%, reaching $1.4 trillion, as companies prioritize AI-enabled applications. IT services spending is projected to grow 12.1% to $1.9 trillion, becoming the largest segment, as organizations seek expertise for implementation and integration.
The surge in spending is linked to substantial capital expenditure (capex) announcements from major cloud and technology providers, who are scaling their data center infrastructure to support AI workloads. While AI investment is a key catalyst, Gartner analysts note that spending is also being fueled by other strategic priorities like cloud computing, cybersecurity, and legacy system modernization.
For investors, the trend highlights sectors likely to benefit directly, including semiconductor companies producing AI chips, major cloud service providers, and enterprise software firms integrating AI capabilities. Analysts advise a focus on companies with clear AI monetization strategies and strong competitive moats, rather than speculative plays.
