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Gartner forecasts worldwide AI spending of $2.7 trillion in 2026, up 49.5%
Gartner projects worldwide spending on AI will reach about $2.7 trillion in 2026, a 49.5% increase from 2025, with infrastructure such as servers, chips and cloud capacity making up more than half the total. The research firm expects spending to climb to roughly $3.6 trillion in 2027.
Gartner's updated forecast, released Sept. 16, puts 2026 AI spending at $2.67 trillion, compared with $1.79 trillion in 2025 and a projected $3.64 trillion in 2027. AI infrastructure is the largest category at about $1.48 trillion this year, followed by AI services at $576 billion and AI software at $462 billion. Smaller lines include AI cybersecurity at $51 billion, AI agents and assistants at $29 billion and generative AI models at $28 billion.
Gartner analyst John-David Lovelock said demand for AI infrastructure remains strong despite rising memory prices. He said server purchases by hyperscalers and service providers are the biggest single area of spending and described the data center buildout as the largest infrastructure project ever undertaken. Gartner lifted its 2026 growth estimate for generative AI models to 117% from 110% and for AI application development platforms to 39% from 28%. It also forecasts a $1.2 trillion AI services opportunity by 2030, as enterprises hire providers for smaller projects built on AI features embedded in existing software.
In May, Gartner had projected 2026 AI spending of $2.59 trillion, a 47% increase, CIO Dive reported at the time.
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