Global artificial intelligence (AI) investment is projected to grow significantly in 2026, even as many businesses remain cautious about short-term returns. According to a new Gartner forecast, worldwide spending on AI technologies is expected to hit $2.5 trillion, marking a 44% year-over-year increase compared to 2025.
Despite massive funding, Gartner notes that AI adoption has entered a phase of more realistic expectations. Many organizations are still struggling to translate generative AI projects into measurable revenue or productivity gains, leading to what analysts describe as a period of market recalibration rather than decline.
AI Infrastructure to Dominate Enterprise Spending
The majority of AI spending in 2026 will be focused on AI infrastructure, which is forecast to account for approximately $1.3 trillion of total investment. This includes data centers, cloud platforms, AI servers, networking hardware, and specialized processors designed to support large-scale machine learning workloads.
Companies are increasingly prioritizing long-term infrastructure development over experimental AI tools, signaling a shift toward more sustainable AI deployment strategies.
Semiconductor Industry Gains from AI Expansion
Rising infrastructure investment is driving strong growth across the semiconductor industry. Demand for AI-focused chips, high-bandwidth memory, and advanced networking components continues to accelerate, benefiting major chip manufacturers and data center suppliers. Semiconductor revenues saw significant gains in 2025, largely fueled by enterprise AI demand.
Businesses Take a Long-Term View on AI Adoption
While many companies reported limited returns from AI investments in the past year, most are not reducing spending. Instead, organizations are adopting a long-term approach, building scalable AI foundations that can support future automation, analytics, and decision-making systems.
This strategic shift reflects a maturing AI market, where businesses are moving beyond hype and focusing on practical, enterprise-ready solutions.
Outlook for Artificial Intelligence in 2026
Although challenges around AI ROI, implementation complexity, and skills gaps remain, artificial intelligence continues to be a core driver of digital transformation. With sustained investment in infrastructure and platforms, AI is expected to play an increasingly central role in business operations, innovation, and competitiveness throughout 2026 and beyond.
