IT spending is measured differently across major sources. Gartner’s worldwide market view covers data center systems, devices, software, IT services, and communications services, while the U.S. Census ICTS measures capitalized and noncapitalized ICT equipment and computer software for covered businesses.
Key IT Spending Statistics
The most broadly useful IT spending figures are:
- Worldwide IT spending is forecast at $5.435555 trillion in 2025, up 7.9% from 2024 in Gartner’s current-dollar forecast.
- Worldwide IT spending totaled $5.039699 trillion in 2024, with 7.4% growth according to Gartner’s market estimate.
- Software spending is forecast at $1.232145 trillion worldwide in 2025, up 10.5% from 2024.
- IT services spending is forecast at $1.686321 trillion worldwide in 2025, up 4.4% from 2024.
- Communications services spending is forecast at $1.282592 trillion worldwide in 2025, up 2.1% from 2024.
- Data center systems spending is forecast at $474.883 billion worldwide in 2025, up 42.4% from 2024.
- Devices spending is forecast at $759.615 billion worldwide in 2025, up 5.4% from 2024.
- 61% of surveyed enterprises began 2025 in a better position than a year earlier, based on Gartner’s March–May 2025 survey of large North American and Western European enterprises.
- 24% of surveyed enterprises expected to finish 2025 ahead of plan, in the same 2025 enterprise survey.
- U.S. nonfarm businesses with employees spent $330.9 billion on ICT equipment and computer software in 2013, in the Census ICTS measure.
- Capitalized ICT spending was $212.9 billion in 2013, representing 64.3% of covered U.S. business ICT spending.
- Noncapitalized ICT spending was $118.0 billion in 2013, representing 35.7% of covered U.S. business ICT spending.
- U.S. information-sector businesses spent $85.7 billion on ICT in 2013, including $69.5 billion capitalized and $16.3 billion noncapitalized.
- U.S. finance and insurance businesses spent $60.2 billion on ICT in 2013, including $31.6 billion capitalized and $28.6 billion noncapitalized.
- Worldwide AI infrastructure spending totaled $318 billion in 2025, according to IDC’s category-specific tracker.
- Q4 2025 worldwide AI infrastructure spending reached $89.9 billion, up 62% year over year.
- The United States accounted for $69.2 billion, or 77%, of global AI infrastructure spending in Q4 2025, up 81% year over year.
- IDC forecasts worldwide AI infrastructure spending of $487 billion in 2026, about 53% above 2025.
Contents
- Global IT spending market size and growth
- IT spending by technology category
- Business ICT spending and cost structure
- IT spending by industry and sector
- AI infrastructure spending statistics and forecasts
Global IT Spending Market Size and Growth
Gartner estimated worldwide IT spending at $5.039699 trillion in 2024, with 7.4% growth, and forecast $5.435555 trillion in 2025, up 7.9%. These are current-dollar figures, so they should be distinguished from constant-currency growth rates. Gartner’s 2025 forecast provides the later estimate and forecast vintage.
Earlier Gartner releases show why forecast vintages matter. The May 2024 forecast placed worldwide IT spending at $5.1 trillion in 2024 and $7.1 trillion in 2028, while projecting 7.6% constant-currency growth for 2024; an August 2024 country update projected 8.9% constant-currency growth across 42 countries.
These figures are forecasts from different dates and currency bases, not competing observations of realized spending. Gartner’s May 2024 forecast and Gartner’s 42-country update retain those scopes.
Gartner’s March–May 2025 executive survey adds business sentiment rather than a market total. It covered 252 senior leaders at enterprises with at least $500 million in revenue in North America and Western Europe:
- 61% said their enterprise began 2025 in a better position than at the same time a year earlier.
- 24% expected to finish 2025 ahead of their plans.
- 41% identified economic shocks as the greatest risk, while 32% identified geopolitical shocks.
These percentages describe a defined survey population and expectations, not population-wide spending shares or realized global outcomes. Gartner’s 2025 release reports the survey alongside the market forecast.
IT Spending by Technology Category
The Gartner category breakdown shows software and IT services as the largest 2025 forecast categories by dollar value, while data center systems has the fastest listed growth rate. The categories are components of Gartner’s worldwide IT spending definition and should not be added to other sources with different scopes.
| Category | 2024 estimate | 2025 forecast | 2025 growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data center systems | $333.372 billion | $474.883 billion | 42.4% |
| Devices | $720.681 billion | $759.615 billion | 5.4% |
| Software | $1.114604 trillion | $1.232145 trillion | 10.5% |
| IT services | — | $1.686321 trillion | 4.4% |
| Communications services | $1.256287 trillion | $1.282592 trillion | 2.1% |
The 2024 estimates provide a baseline for categories where Gartner supplied both periods: data center systems grew 40.3%, devices 4.6%, software 11.9%, and communications services 2.2%. IT services has a 2025 forecast in the supplied release but no corresponding 2024 dollar estimate here. Gartner’s category table is the source for the estimates and forecasts.
Data center systems therefore stands out for its forecast growth rate, but the figure remains a forecast rather than a completed-year result. Devices spending is a much larger category in dollar terms than data center systems in 2025, despite its lower projected growth rate.
Business ICT Spending and Cost Structure
The U.S. Census Bureau’s 2013 Information and Communication Technology Survey offers a detailed business-cost view. It covers U.S. nonfarm businesses with employees, uses current dollars, and separates capitalized from noncapitalized ICT equipment and computer software.
| 2013 U.S. business ICT measure | Spending | Share or detail |
|---|---|---|
| Total ICT equipment and computer software | $330.9 billion | Covered nonfarm businesses with employees |
| Capitalized ICT spending | $212.9 billion | 64.3% of total |
| Noncapitalized ICT spending | $118.0 billion | 35.7% of total |
| Noncapitalized computer software | $78.4 billion | 66.5% of noncapitalized ICT |
| Noncapitalized ICT equipment purchases | $23.2 billion | — |
| Operating leases and rental payments | $16.4 billion | — |
Within capitalized spending, ICT equipment purchases totaled $122.9 billion and purchases and payroll for developing software totaled $90.0 billion. Computer and peripheral equipment accounted for $65.1 billion, or 53.0% of capitalized ICT equipment purchases.
The noncapitalized breakdown also distinguishes how software and equipment costs were recorded:
- Purchases and payroll for developing software represented 42.2% of noncapitalized software spending.
- Software licensing and service or maintenance agreements represented 57.8% of noncapitalized software spending.
- Computer and peripheral equipment represented 63.9% of noncapitalized ICT equipment purchases.
- Operating leases and rentals for computer and peripheral equipment totaled $10.5 billion, while leases and rentals for other ICT equipment totaled $4.9 billion.
The Census scope excludes foreign operations of U.S. businesses, U.S. territories, government operations, agricultural production companies, and private households. Published totals are weighted estimates adjusted for nonresponse, and the 2013 figures are not a current global benchmark. The Census 2013 ICTS publication provides the definitions and tables.
IT Spending by Industry and Sector
Industry comparisons show how the same Census ICTS framework varied across selected U.S. business groups in 2013. The information sector and finance and insurance had the largest supplied totals, while education, accommodation and food services, management of companies, and other services were smaller measured groups.
| U.S. industry, 2013 | Total ICT | Noncapitalized | Capitalized |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information | $85.7 billion | $16.3 billion | $69.5 billion |
| Finance and insurance | $60.2 billion | $28.6 billion | $31.6 billion |
| Educational services | $5.2 billion | $2.6 billion | $2.6 billion |
| Accommodation and food services | $5.0 billion | $1.6 billion | $3.4 billion |
| Management of companies | $4.5 billion | $1.5 billion | $3.0 billion |
| Other services except public administration | $4.1 billion | $1.8 billion | $2.2 billion |
The other-services components may not sum exactly because of rounding. All rows are current-dollar 2013 Census ICTS industry totals, not measures of productivity, profitability, or technology adoption. The Census ICTS summary tables provide these industry figures.
A separate Census selected-sector visualization reports 2008 ICT spending for additional industries. Its scope and category presentation differ from the 2013 industry totals, so the values should be treated as a historical selected-sector view rather than a directly comparable time series.
| Selected U.S. sector, 2008 | ICT spending |
|---|---|
| Information | $82.7 billion |
| Finance and insurance | $50.1 billion |
| Manufacturing | $35.8 billion |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | $27.0 billion |
| Health care and social assistance | $24.3 billion |
| Retail trade | $18.4 billion |
| Wholesale trade | $10.4 billion |
| Administrative and support and waste management | $7.1 billion |
The 2008 graphic shows selected sectors only, not every U.S. industry. The Census 2008 selected-sector visualization is the supplied source for these historical values.
AI Infrastructure Spending Statistics and Forecasts
AI infrastructure is a narrower category than total IT spending, but IDC’s tracker shows how quickly this segment expanded. Worldwide AI infrastructure spending reached $89.9 billion in Q4 2025, up 62% year over year, and totaled $318 billion for full-year 2025.
For comparison, full-year AI infrastructure spending totaled $153 billion in 2024, up 107.6% year over year. These figures are IDC tracker results for AI infrastructure, not estimates of all enterprise software, services, devices, or communications spending.
In Q4 2025, servers accounted for $87.7 billion, or 97.6%, of worldwide AI infrastructure spending. Storage accounted for $2.2 billion, or 2.4%, under IDC’s category definition.
Regional figures for the same quarter show concentration and uneven growth:
- The United States accounted for $69.2 billion, or 77% of global AI infrastructure spending, up 81% year over year.
- China recorded $8.4 billion, down 8.1% year over year.
- The Middle East and Africa reached $1.8 billion, up 535% year over year; IDC notes the very high rate reflects a smaller base.
- Asia/Pacific excluding Japan grew 47% year over year, with no dollar total stated in the source passage.
- Western Europe grew 42% year over year, also without a dollar total stated in the source passage.
IDC forecasts worldwide AI infrastructure spending of $487 billion in 2026, about 53% above 2025, and expects the global AI infrastructure market to exceed $1 trillion by 2029. IDC summarizes that 2025–2029 outlook as approximately 31% CAGR, which is a forecast summary rather than realized growth. IDC’s AI infrastructure tracker supplies the quarterly, annual, regional, category, and forecast figures.