Key facts
- Global AI spending is projected to reach $2.59 trillion in 2026, a 47% year-over-year increase.
- Healthcare is the leading sector for AI investment, accounting for 25.7% of total spending.
- AI now represents 18% of the average IT budget, up from 11% in 2024.
- For enterprises, the primary cost surprise in AI is implementation and integration, not tool subscriptions.
- Financial services companies report the highest per-employee AI spend at $8,400.
Global spending on artificial intelligence is expected to surge to $2.59 trillion in 2026, marking a substantial 47% increase year-over-year, according to Gartner's May 2026 forecast. Healthcare is at the forefront of this investment, representing 25.7% of the total AI expenditure.
AI has become a significant portion of IT budgets, now accounting for 18% on average, a notable rise from 11% in 2024. For small and medium-sized businesses, median annual AI spend is $18,000, while mid-market companies spend $127,000, and large enterprises invest a median of $1.4 million annually.
However, the cost of AI adoption extends beyond tool subscriptions. For enterprises, the biggest financial surprise lies in the implementation and integration phases, which consume the largest portion of budgets. This has led to the emergence of a new field, "tokenomics," aimed at measuring the return on these substantial AI investments.
Industry-specific spending varies significantly. Financial services companies lead in per-employee AI expenditure, investing $8,400 annually, and allocate 28% of their IT budget to AI, with a 61% year-over-year growth. Technology and SaaS companies follow closely, spending $11,200 per employee and dedicating 31% of their IT budget to AI. Major technology firms like Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta, and Amazon are collectively investing $725 billion in AI infrastructure in 2026.