India, Sept. 30 -- Artificial Intelligence (AI) spending is heading towards another record year. Gartner expects worldwide spending to reach USD 2.67 trillion in 2026, up 49.5% from USD 1.79 trillion in 2025. By 2027, the figure is forecast to climb further to USD 3.64 trillion.

The USD 2.7 trillion number makes for a striking headline. The more revealing part, however, is how differently the individual parts of the AI market are growing. Infrastructure remains the heavyweight. Gartner expects AI infrastructure spending to reach USD 1.48 trillion in 2026, up from USD 981.92 billion in 2025. AI services are projected at USD 576.48 billion, while AI software is forecast to reach USD 461.64 billion.

Smaller categories, however, are growing...