Gartner Forecast 2026: IT Spending Soars to $6.15 Trillion

21.04.2026

5 min read

As of: April 2026 (21.04.2026)

Gartner has raised its global IT spending forecast for 2026 to 6,150 billion US dollars—a 10.8 percent increase over 2025. Server spending is surging the fastest at 36.9 percent, while data center spending jumps by 31.7 percent. Three-quarters of CFOs expect higher IT budgets, with nearly half anticipating increases of 10 percent or more. For CIOs, this means more room to maneuver—but also greater pressure to deliver measurable business results.

Key takeaways

6,150 billion USD in global IT spending for 2026. Gartner’s forecast predicts 10.8 percent growth over 2025, with data centers and software as the main drivers.
Most CFOs expect budget increases. 75 percent anticipate rising IT budgets, and 48 percent foresee double-digit growth. Meanwhile, hiring is slowing, shifting the spending mix toward infrastructure and software.
GenAI spending grows by 80.8 percent. The growth rate remains sky-high, putting continued pressure on CIOs to refine vendor selection and govern new AI investments.

What Gartner’s numbers mean for CIOs

What is the Gartner IT Spending Forecast? The forecast is Gartner’s quarterly projection of global IT spending, broken down into five categories (data center systems, software, devices, IT services, and communications services). The April 2026 update is based on financial data and interviews with thousands of IT buyers. As of April 2026, the methodology has been established for decades.

The jump to 6,150 billion US dollars isn’t just about volume—it’s also a shift in spending priorities. Server spending, up 36.9 percent, reflects the GPU and AI factory boom driven by hyperscalers and enterprises alike. Data center spending, growing at 31.7 percent, means CIOs face real pressure: their own data centers or colocation partnerships are now under strain. Capacity reserves that existed in 2025 are no longer a given.

80.8 %

Projected annual growth in GenAI spending for 2026. The rate remains high, despite cost discussions in operational teams.

Source: Gartner IT Spending Forecast Q1 2026.

Why CFO figures are the second key signal to watch

75 percent of CFOs worldwide expect rising IT budgets, and 48 percent anticipate increases of 10 percent or more. The message is unambiguous: IT continues to be viewed as a growth lever, not a cost center. At the same time, Gartner is documenting a trend CIOs know well. Headcount in IT is growing more slowly than budgets. Capital is flowing increasingly into infrastructure and software. The expectation is that productivity per person rises — not team size.

Opportunities from the forecast

Budget headroom for strategic platform investments
Vendor contract negotiations become easier as volume grows
Platform consolidation backed by investable budget
AI initiatives positioned strategically rather than tactically

Risks CIOs need to manage now

Expectations for business outcomes rise with every budget point added
GPU lead times remain a critical bottleneck
Talent shortage in AI skills and platform engineering
Vendor consolidation among hyperscalers is shrinking negotiating room

For CIOs, the combination points to a clear mandate. The budget is there — and so is the expectation of measurable results. Those leading the 48 percent of organizations that already link their digital initiatives to business goals are well positioned for the year ahead. Those stuck in the 52 percent that miss their targets will face questions in the boardroom that go well beyond technology.

What CIOs should build into their Q2 planning now

The forecast is not a roadmap — it is a signal. Three items belong in the quarterly plan before the summer break cuts available budget room in half. First: data center expansion requires lead time. Organizations that want additional capacity in autumn need to be talking to energy providers, colocation partners, and hardware vendors in April. Second: AI contract structures with the major hyperscalers are up for renewal at many organizations. The Gartner figures strengthen the negotiating position, because volume and contract duration can both be renegotiated. Third: the talent question around AI skills cannot be deferred to the autumn budget round. Retention programs and targeted external hires will determine whether the budget actually delivers impact.

A fourth point deserves a place as a frame for annual planning: the connection between the Gartner forecast and your own budget trajectory. Organizations that sit well below the 10.8 percent global increase should be able to explain why in their next board meeting. A deliberate decision to invest moderately is entirely legitimate. An unconscious failure to scale — while competitors are ramping up — is a strategic risk that will show up in the bottom line twelve to eighteen months from now.

For conversations with the CFO, the Gartner figure is a useful anchor. It opens the discussion without coming across as ideological. When the global benchmark points to double-digit growth and your own IT budget proposal lands at four percent, the question is not whether the CIO is asking for too much — it is why the organization is investing less than its peer group. That perspective helps move strategic discussions out of the usual cost-cutting reflex and onto more productive ground.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why has the 2026 IT spending forecast surged so dramatically?

The main driver is the expansion of AI infrastructure. Hyperscalers are pouring massive investments into GPU capacity, while enterprises are catching up with their own AI factories and platform modernization. On top of that, software growth is being fueled by AI integration into existing suites and the emergence of new SaaS categories.

What does the CFO budget trend mean for mid-market CIOs in practice?

The 75 percent figure refers to CFOs surveyed globally and is slightly lower among German mid-market companies. But the trend holds: budgets are increasing for the majority. The challenge lies in directing the additional funds toward projects with measurable impact. A CIO who can clearly justify budget increases will get more. Those who simply say “more cloud” will get less.

How should a CIO handle the 80 percent growth in GenAI?

Think strategically, not tactically. A governance framework, vendor consolidation, and clear success metrics for each use case set the foundation. Without these three elements, budgets will be spent without creating provable value. With them, the volume becomes a lever for platform investments that will still deliver in 2027 and 2028.