Gartner raised its 2026 worldwide IT spending forecast to $6.37 trillion on July 27, 2026, a 14.2% increase over 2025 and up from the $6.31 trillion (13.5% growth) it projected in April. Distinguished VP analyst John-David Lovelock attributed the revision to continued AI infrastructure growth across AI-related hardware and software, and to hyperscaler demand for servers optimized for AI workloads, naming data center systems as the fastest-growing segment this year. The revision lands amid investor scrutiny: a Cloudzero study found nearly 90% of finance leaders feel pressure to tie AI spending to business outcomes within a year while only 22% have done so, and 66% of boards condition further AI funding on proof of return. Alphabet shares fell about 7% after it lifted 2026 capex guidance to $195-205 billion.