Overview
- Global IT spending is now forecast at $6.31 trillion for 2026, a 13.5% jump from last year, in Gartner’s latest quarterly outlook.
- Data center systems are set to rise 55.8% to nearly $788 billion as demand grows for high-performance processors and memory to run AI models.
- IT services remain the largest slice at about $1.87 trillion as companies hire outside providers for implementation and managed operations.
- Software spending is projected to reach about $1.44 trillion with 15.1% growth, while devices and communication services grow more slowly because they are less tied to AI rollouts.
- High-bandwidth memory prices have hit record highs due to tight supply and strong demand, which boosts chipmakers’ revenue but raises AI hardware costs for buyers.