Gartner: Global AI spending to reach $2.5 trillion in 2026

Gartner predicts that global spending on AI will reach $2.52 trillion in 2026. That is an increase of 44 percent compared to the previous year. Much of the growth is expected to be driven by AI infrastructure, particularly investments in AI-optimized servers, which are expected to increase by 49 percent and account for 17 percent of the total AI spend.

The actual construction of AI infrastructure will result in $401 billion in additional spending in 2026, according to Gartner. AI investments will increasingly be driven by organizational maturity and proven business value, rather than visionary pilot projects.

Gartner said AI has fallen into the “trough of disillusionment” the penultimate phase of its hype cycle before reaching the “plateau of productivity.” It expects the technology to be sold primarily through existing software vendors, rather than as standalone, risky ventures. Only when the return on investment becomes more predictable can AI be fully scaled up in larger organizations.