56% of CIOs to Increase AWS Spending as Cloud Budgets Rise 10.1%
AMZN•Jefferies surveyed 40 IT executives finding cloud budgets up 10.1% in 2026, with 56% of CIOs boosting AWS spending and 68% planning AI allocations. iHeartMedia will resell Amazon Ads’ audio/video inventory across Prime Video, Twitch, Music and Fire TV, and OpenAI will launch GPT-5.6 to 20 partners via Amazon Bedrock.
1. Survey Shows Rising Cloud and AI Budgets
A survey of 40 IT executives found planned software budgets up 6.2% for 2026, cloud spending rising 10.1%, and cybersecurity at 6.2%, while 68% of CIOs now carry dedicated AI budgets. Microsoft led with 85% of CIOs expecting increased spend, and AWS drew positive responses from 56% of respondents.
2. AWS Spending Outlook for 2026
Cloud spending projections reflect a jump from 4.8% growth in 2025 to 10.1% in 2026, driven by enterprise migrations to public clouds and growing demand for AI infrastructure. The increase underscores AWS’s role as a primary beneficiary of accelerated digital transformation and AI integration across sectors.
3. iHeartMedia Becomes Amazon Ads Audio/Video Reseller
iHeartMedia will serve as a local reseller of Amazon Ads’ audio and video inventory, including Prime Video, Twitch, Amazon Music, Fire TV and Alexa. This integration allows advertisers to manage campaigns across premium audio, streaming and video from a single hub and leverage Amazon’s first-party shopper data for targeting.
4. OpenAI to Deploy GPT-5.6 Via Amazon Bedrock
OpenAI will roll out a preview of its GPT-5.6 series to 20 government-approved partners through Amazon’s Bedrock platform in the coming weeks. The phased release includes enhanced safeguards for higher-risk tasks such as cybersecurity and coding, strengthening Bedrock’s position in enterprise AI offerings.
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