Gartner Forecasts 47% Jump to $2.59T AI Spending; Shares Outperform
IT•Gartner forecasts global AI spending will hit $2.59 trillion in 2026, up 47%, with AI infrastructure capturing over 45% of budgets and AI-optimized server spending set to triple in five years. Gartner shares outperformed competitors on a strong trading day as investors responded to robust AI spending projections.
1. AI Spending Forecast
Gartner projects worldwide AI investment will surge to $2.595 trillion in 2026, a 47% increase from 2025. AI infrastructure leads the market, expected to absorb over 45% of total spending, while outlays on AI-optimized servers are forecast to triple over the next five years as cloud providers expand capacity for GenAI workloads.
2. Share Performance Reaction
On the latest trading session, Gartner shares outpaced sector peers following the bullish AI spending outlook. Investor enthusiasm around the scale of the AI market drove stronger-than-average volume and positioned Gartner ahead of competing technology firms.
