Enterprise tech spending to cross $6 trillion in 2026, driven by AI infrastructure boom

Server spending alone will rocket up 36.9% year-over-year, Gartner found, driven almost entirely by AI-optimized hardware. The hyperscalers, including AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, and others, are in an arms race to build out the infrastructure needed to train and run increasingly large AI models.

It’s not just about more servers, either. These are specialized machines packed with high-end GPUs and custom silicon designed specifically for AI workloads, which explains the eye-watering price tags.

Software growth cools slightly, but GenAI stays hot

The software market is expected to continue growing nicely in 2026, although Gartner has slightly trimmed its forecast. Software spending growth is now projected at 14.7%, down from an earlier estimate of 15.2%, encompassing both application and infrastructure software.

About Author

AndyC

Andy Curtis is an award-winning security consultant, researcher and public speaker. He has been working in the computer security industry since the early 1990s, having been employed by state and federal government, leading healthcare and banking providers across three continents. He has given talks about computer security for some of the world’s largest companies, worked with law enforcement agencies on investigations into hacking groups, and is a regular voice on TV and radio explaining IT security threats.

See author's posts