The IT and related technology services sector remains one of the fastest-growing corners of the economy heading into the second half of 2026, propelled almost entirely by AI infrastructure spending, even as growth concentrates in a narrowing set of categories.
Gartner’s latest forecast, issued July 27, projects worldwide IT spending will reach $6.37 trillion in 2026, up 14.2% from 2025, an upward revision from earlier estimates. Data center systems and infrastructure-as-a-service are the standout categories, with data center spending alone projected to approach $650 billion as hyperscalers and enterprises race to build AI compute capacity. Building that capacity is, in Gartner analyst John-David Lovelock’s words, “the largest infrastructure project ever attempted by humanity,” as demand for high-performance computing continues to outstrip supply.
Software spending is also expanding quickly, with total software spend set to top $1.4 trillion and generative-AI model spending forecast to more than double year over year. IT services spending, the category most directly tied to systems integration, managed services and infrastructure-as-a-service, is projected to exceed $1.87 trillion, growing faster than devices or communications services.
For equipment finance providers, this concentration in AI infrastructure carries both opportunity and risk. Robust demand for servers, networking equipment and storage systems supports origination in high-ticket technology financing, particularly around data center buildouts. At the same time, rapid technology refresh cycles and memory-driven price volatility argue for shorter terms, refresh options and residual assumptions calibrated to the accelerated pace of hardware obsolescence in AI-related equipment.
Lessees, meanwhile, remain focused on flexibility. As-a-service and consumption-based financing models continue to gain traction as businesses look to match payments to usage rather than committing to fixed capital outlays, a dynamic that should keep demand for structured, subscription-aligned financing elevated through the remainder of 2026.
