The global IT market is poised for substantial growth, with spending expected to surge by 13.5% to reach $6.31 trillion in 2026. This marks an increase from previous growth estimates and follows a 10.3% rise in 2025. The primary driver of this expansion is the significant investment in datacentre systems, projected to soar by 55.8% to $788 billion. This trend is fueled by the escalating demand for AI infrastructure and advanced memory as AI workloads increase, necessitating greater investment in high-performance computing.
Cloud-based datacentre developments are proving advantageous for certain channel partners, with companies like Computacenter seeing their shares reach new heights due to their success with hyperscalers. However, the IT market is experiencing varied growth rates, with hyperscaler and AI-centric software segments outpacing traditional categories. Device spending is anticipated to grow by 8.2% to $856 billion, though higher memory costs are affecting replacement cycles in lower-margin areas.
Overall, the IT landscape is becoming increasingly diverse, with AI infrastructure and generative AI software undergoing significant upward adjustments, while device growth remains under pressure from costs and pricing. Software spending is expected to rise by 15.1% to $1.44 trillion, IT services by 9% to $1.87 trillion, and communications services by 4.8% to $1.39 trillion by 2026.
