NEW DELHI, India — Global spending on artificial intelligence is projected to reach $2.52 trillion in 2026, representing a 44 percent year-over-year increase, according to a report released Thursday.
The report said AI adoption is increasingly being shaped by the readiness of human capital and organizational processes, rather than financial investment alone. John-David Lovelock, distinguished vice president analyst at Gartner, said organizations with greater experiential maturity are shifting their focus toward measurable outcomes instead of speculative use cases.
“Organizations with greater experiential maturity and self-awareness are increasingly prioritizing proven outcomes over speculative potential,” Lovelock said.
Spending on foundational AI infrastructure is expected to be a major driver of growth. Investments in AI-optimized servers alone are forecast to rise 49 percent, accounting for about 17 percent of total AI spending. The report added that AI infrastructure will contribute an additional $401 billion in spending as technology providers continue to build out large-scale AI foundations.
“Because AI is in the Trough of Disillusionment throughout 2026, it will most often be sold to enterprises by their incumbent software provider rather than bought as part of a new moonshot project,” Lovelock said. “The improved predictability of ROI must occur before AI can truly be scaled up by the enterprise.”
Separate research has highlighted the growing gap between AI demand and the resources required to support it. A recent study estimated that at least $2 trillion in annual revenue will be needed by 2030 to fund the computing power required to meet global AI demand. Even after accounting for AI-driven efficiencies, the world is still expected to face an $800 billion shortfall, according to research by Bain & Company.
By 2030, global incremental AI compute requirements could reach 200 gigawatts, with the United States accounting for roughly half of that power demand.
Despite rising computational needs, the report noted that leading companies have begun moving beyond pilot projects to profit from AI deployments. As organizations scale AI across core workflows, many have reported earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization gains of 10 percent to 25 percent over the past two years. (Source: IANS)
