Gartner survey reveals 52% of govt CIOs outside of the US expect IT budgets to increase in 2026

Fifty-two percent of government CIOs (not including the US) expect their IT budgets to increase for AI and other key technologies in 2026, according to a survey by Gartner, Inc., a business and technology insights company. This is despite overall budget pressures, with governments recognising their transformational potential for modernising public services and achieving critical mission objectives.

The 2026 Gartner CIO and Technology Executive Survey gathered data from 2,501 respondents from May 1 to June 30, 2025, including 284 government CIOs (not including the U.S).

“Geopolitical shifts and economic volatility are forcing government CIOs to rapidly adjust their priorities for next year,” said Arthur Mickoleit, Director Analyst at Gartner. “They are being asked to demonstrate the mission impact of technology investments – including, but not limited to, cost savings and user experience.”

The top four technologies government CIOs (not including the US) plan to increase investments in next year ...