Gartner revises 2026 software spend up to $1.44T as AI boom continues

The Gist

• Software spending now projected at 15.1% growth versus February's 14.7% forecast
• $190B in net new software spend expected in 2026 alone
• Companies growing below 15.1% are losing market share by definition

• Gartner revised its 2026 software spend forecast up to $1.44 trillion, growing at 15.1%, indicating stronger-than-expected market growth.
• GenAI model spend is more than doubling year-over-year, signaling a real enterprise AI deployment wave.
• Software spending is the second-fastest growing category in IT, with $190B of net new software dollars in 2026 alone.
• Enterprises are not pulling back on software spending; instead, they are spending harder than models expected.
• If a B2B company grows slower than 15.1% in 2026, it is losing market share by definition.
• Gartner's upward revisions (three in six months) suggest they are behind the actual demand curve, not ahead of it.

• Ensure your 2026 growth plan aligns with or exceeds the 15.1% market growth rate to avoid losing share.
• Integrate clear AI value into your product to secure renewals and expansions, as AI is a key decision factor.
• Re-evaluate pricing and GTM strategies to capitalize on the $190B net new software spend in 2026.
• Monitor Gartner's future forecasts for further upward revisions, as demand may continue to outpace projections.

• $1.44 trillion (Projected global software spend in 2026, revised up from earlier forecasts.)
• 15.1% (Year-over-year growth rate for software spending in 2026.)
• $190B (Net new software spend in 2026, the largest one-year expansion in history.)
• 55.8% (Growth in data center spend, driven by AI infrastructure buildout.)
• >100% (Year-over-year growth in GenAI model spend, up from +80.8% in February.)
• $6.31 trillion (Projected total worldwide IT spending in 2026, up 13.5% year-over-year.)