Worldwide IT spending is projected to reach $6.31 trillion in 2026, a 13.5% increase from 2025, according to the latest forecast from Gartner, Inc. The surge is driven primarily by accelerating investment in AI infrastructure, high-performance compute, and advanced memory technologies.
Data center systems spending leads all segments with projected growth of 55.8% in 2026, reaching nearly $788 billion. That figure reflects hyperscaler demand pulling server and data center investment sharply upward, well beyond prior Gartner estimates. Software follows with 15.1% growth, reaching $1.44 trillion, with generative AI model development contributing outsized gains — spending in that sub-segment is forecast to more than double year-over-year.
IT services remains the largest spending category overall, projected to surpass $1.87 trillion in 2026, up 9% from the prior year. Device spending is expected to reach $856 billion, though growth is being moderated at 8.2% as elevated memory costs push up average selling prices and constrain replacement cycles in lower-margin hardware segments.
Supply constraints on high-bandwidth memory have contributed to record price increases, reinforcing the memory segment as a high-value area for semiconductor manufacturers. Gartner’s analysts describe AI infrastructure as the most attractive segment within the broader IT spending expansion.
The revised forecast reflects a multi-speed IT market. Hyperscaler purchases and AI-centric software segments are significantly outpacing traditional IT categories, widening the divergence between AI-driven spending and legacy infrastructure investment.
Gartner’s forecast is based on sales analysis across more than a thousand vendors spanning hardware, software, IT services, and telecommunications. The full findings are available to Gartner clients in the Gartner Market Databook, 1Q26.
