Monday Morning Impact – March 23

Forrester Research projects that global technology spend will grow by 7.8% in 2026 to reach $5.6 trillion — up from $5.2 trillion in 2025. According to Forrester’s Global Tech Market Forecast, despite US tariffs, most countries will see similar economic growth in 2026 compared to 2025. This momentum reflects continued AI investment and adoption across key industries, including the defense, financial services, healthcare, industry, and retail sectors globally.

As a result of this investment, tech spend in North America is expected to grow by 9% to reach $2.28 trillion, while tech spend in Asia Pacific is projected to grow by 7.9% to reach $1.1 trillion. In Europe, tech spend will grow by 6.3% to reach $1.75 trillion, according to the report. Additionally, more than 70% of tech spend growth from 2025 to 2030 will likely stem from enterprise and government investments in computer equipment and software.

Even as US AI research investment exceeds $109 billion, government tariffs continue to impact the US economy and European countries reliant on US exports. Several countries are advancing national strategies to compete with the US: China’s AI spending target rose to $98 billion in 2025; India is driving AI cloud adoption and expanding global capability centers to create double-digit IT spend growth in 2026; and along the same lines, the German economy is positioned to witness faster growth this year, partly from an increasing information and communication technology workforce.
Defense, financial services, healthcare, industry, and retail will drive AI investment.

Industries where complexity, cost, and competition are higher will continue to invest in AI, according to Forrester. For example, despite a weaker economic outlook, technology spend by banks and insurance companies is expected to be robust in 2026, driven by cybersecurity, cloud, and AI. Similarly, data storage, security hardware, cloud security, AI literacy training, and data governance will all boost tech spend in healthcare this year, the researcher predicts.

Computer equipment and software is expected to see the highest tech spend growth. Computer equipment will see 16.8% growth in 2026 due to rising AI server demand. Furthermore, AI-specialized computers, including AI servers, will capture more than 80% of computer equipment spend by 2030 — up from 43% in 2024. Additionally, cloud and AI will grow at twice the rate of the overall software market, which is poised to see 11.5% growth this year.

“In spite of economic volatility worldwide, tech spending will see robust growth, fueled by the defense, financial services, healthcare, industry, and retail sectors’ continued investment in and adoption of AI,” said Michael O’Grady, principal forecast analyst at Forrester. “Our research finds, however, that in order to successfully manage the impacts of tariffs, trade wars, and strong AI investment in the year ahead, businesses will need to prioritize AI initiatives that both drive productivity and foster the growth of AI-driven tech talent.”

Channel Impact^®
Given current economic conditions, Forrester’s forecast suggests reasonable positive movement for the year.

Pure Storage, a Santa Clara, California-based storage technology and services company, has rolled out updates to its reseller, managed services, and distributor programs.

Pure Storage is adding the “Ambassador” level, designed for a select group of reseller partners who deeply understand the Pure Storage platform and showcase expertise in solution areas. Ambassador partners will work closely with Pure to develop solution competencies and go-to-market offerings.

“The evolution of our partner program builds on the foundational updates we introduced last year, reflecting Pure’s continued investment in enabling partners’ success,” said Amy Fowler, General Manager of the company’s Commercial Line of Business. “The introduction of the Ambassador tier is a key step in helping our partners embed Pure into their solutions. We are also focusing intensely on services, and simplified engagement, while strengthening our dedication to an indirect-first business model.”

The program now features Solution Practice Designations to recognize partners who demonstrate they have the skills and tools to drive innovation and move the market forward in four key areas: AI and Analytics, Cyber Resilience, Cloud, and App Modernization.

Pure Storage is also updating its MSP Partner program to focus on services where data and storage play a foundational role. This includes areas like private and sovereign cloud, Storage-as-a Service, and backup and disaster recovery. As part of the update, the company will prioritize collaboration with partners delivering these services using Pure Storage as their underlying data platform.

In addition, the company is enhancing its distributor partner program to support broad reach and faster partner enablement. Updates include new growth incentives, expanded marketing investment and expanded scope for distributors to deliver training to reseller partners.

Channel Impact^®
Pure Storage’s updated partner program is designed to stand out by prioritizing verified technical expertise, solution specialization, and operational impact over volume-based participation.