Four major US tech companies, Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft, are planning an unprecedented investment of approximately $650 billion by 2026. This massive capital outlay is primarily directed towards building new data centers and acquiring essential equipment, including advanced AI chips, as these giants vie for dominance in the rapidly expanding artificial intelligence market. This level of spending is historic, surpassing any previous investment in this century, with each company's 2026 budget projected to reach a record high.
Breaking down these significant investments, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy announced a substantial increase in AI spending, allocating about $200 billion in capital expenses, largely for Amazon Web Services (AWS). Similarly, Google's parent company, Alphabet, plans to spend between $175 billion and $185 billion in 2026 to enhance its AI computing power. Meta also expects to invest heavily, projecting expenditures between $115 billion and $135 billion in 2026 on its AI infrastructure, underscoring a collective belief that AI tools will become indispensable.
The surge in AI demand is also driving significant activity in infrastructure and chip development. Blackstone Inc. is finalizing a loan exceeding $3.5 billion for Firmus Technologies Pty., an Australian startup, to expand its data centers. Additionally, Vista Equity Partners and Intel Corp. are leading a new funding round of over $350 million for AI chip startup SambaNova Systems, which aims to compete directly with market leader Nvidia Corp. This highlights the intense competition and investment in the underlying hardware for AI.
Beyond infrastructure, companies like Palantir Technologies are demonstrating strong growth by leveraging AI for productivity gains. Wall Street recognizes Palantir as an early leader, with its Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP) helping customers integrate data with AI models. The company reported a 34% increase in customer count in late 2025 and closed $4.3 billion in new contracts, with revenue jumping 70% to $1.4 billion last quarter, signaling AI's immediate impact on business performance.
Other companies are also strategically adapting to the AI-driven market. Navitas Semiconductor is shifting its business focus towards higher-profit AI infrastructure and industrial electrification. Constellation Software continues to acquire smaller software businesses while integrating AI tools like Smart Edit. Okta is entering the competitive AI agent identity management market through its Auth0 platform, facing strong competition from Microsoft and new cybersecurity startups. Furthermore, Oracle's recent record-setting bond sale has paved the way for other major tech companies, including Amazon, to borrow funds for their extensive AI infrastructure projects.
Key Takeaways
- Four major US tech companies (Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft) plan to spend approximately $650 billion on AI by 2026.
- Amazon CEO Andy Jassy announced a major increase in AI investment, planning about $200 billion in capital expenses, mainly for AWS.
- Google's parent company, Alphabet, plans to spend between $175 billion and $185 billion in 2026 to expand its AI computing power.
- Meta expects to spend between $115 billion and $135 billion in 2026 on AI infrastructure.
- Palantir Technologies saw its customer count grow 34% and revenue increase 70% to $1.4 billion last quarter due to its Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP).
- Blackstone Inc. is finalizing a loan of over $3.5 billion for Australian startup Firmus Technologies Pty. to expand data centers for AI.
- Vista Equity Partners and Intel Corp. are investing over $350 million in AI chip startup SambaNova Systems, which aims to compete with Nvidia.
- Navitas Semiconductor is shifting its business focus to higher-profit AI infrastructure and industrial electrification.
- Oracle's record-setting bond sale indicates strong demand in the debt market for AI infrastructure funding, potentially benefiting other cloud providers.
- Okta is entering the AI agent identity management market via its Auth0 platform, facing competition from Microsoft and new cybersecurity startups.
Navitas Semiconductor Shifts Focus to AI and Industrial Power
Navitas Semiconductor is changing its business to focus on higher-profit AI infrastructure and industrial electrification. This shift has affected short-term revenue but aims for long-term growth with its gallium nitride and silicon carbide chips. The company has partnerships with Nvidia and major EV and PC makers. Investors are watching for new project wins and clarity from the new leadership team after a CEO change. The stock price recently dropped as the market processes this new direction.
Constellation Software Navigates AI and New Leadership
Constellation Software is dealing with concerns about generative AI and a major change in leadership. Founder Mark Leonard stepped down, and Mark Miller took over as president. The company continues its strategy of buying smaller software businesses and adding AI tools, like Smart Edit. Investors are watching to see how Mark Miller handles leadership and money decisions. Despite a recent stock drop due to AI fears, the company still reports growing sales and profits.
Big Tech Plans Huge $650 Billion AI Spending by 2026
Four major US tech companies, Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft, plan to spend around $650 billion by 2026. This massive investment will go towards building new data centers and buying equipment like AI chips to dominate the AI market. This spending level is historic, unmatched in this century, and each company's 2026 budget will be a record high. Companies believe AI tools like ChatGPT will become vital, despite the high costs and potential bottlenecks for resources like Nvidia chips. Meta, for example, spent more on capital projects than research last year for the first time in six years.
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy Boosts AI Investment for AWS
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy announced a major increase in AI investment, planning to spend about $200 billion in capital expenses, mainly for Amazon Web Services. Jassy believes AI will reinvent every customer experience and create new ones. Amazon's 2025 financial results showed strong growth, with net sales reaching $716.9 billion and AWS sales increasing 20%. Other tech leaders like Google's Sundar Pichai and Meta's Mark Zuckerberg are also significantly boosting their AI investments. Meta expects to spend between $115 billion and $135 billion in 2026 on AI infrastructure.
Palantir Technologies Thrives as AI Drives Productivity Gains
Wall Street sees artificial intelligence as a long-term opportunity, and Palantir Technologies is an early leader. The company's Artificial Intelligence Platform, or AIP, helps customers connect their data with AI models to boost productivity. Palantir's customer count grew 34% in late 2025, and it closed $4.3 billion in new contracts. Its revenue increased 70% to $1.4 billion last quarter, showing strong growth. Experts predict AI will significantly increase global economic value, making Palantir a key player for the next decade.
Blackstone Loans $3.5 Billion to Australian AI Firm Firmus
Blackstone Inc. is finalizing a loan of over $3.5 billion for Firmus Technologies Pty., an Australian startup. This money will help Firmus expand its data centers, meeting the growing demand for digital infrastructure driven by the AI boom. The deal could be announced as early as next week. Global investment in data centers to support AI is expected to exceed $100 billion this year.
Vista Equity and Intel Invest Over $350 Million in SambaNova
Vista Equity Partners and Intel Corp. are leading a new funding round of over $350 million for AI chip startup SambaNova Systems. This investment marks a rare move for Vista, which usually focuses on enterprise software. Intel plans to invest at least $100 million in the Series E round. SambaNova aims to compete with market leader Nvidia Corp. The startup, founded in 2017, has raised over $1 billion and recently shifted its focus to AI inference and cloud services.
Oracle Bond Sale Paves Way for More AI Tech Borrowing
Oracle's recent record-setting bond sale has opened the door for other major tech companies to borrow money for AI infrastructure. Goldman Sachs believes this deal shows strong demand in the debt market, despite high supply. Oracle, a key indicator for AI investing, saw its bond risk premiums improve after announcing no further debt sales in 2026. This positive market signal means other large cloud providers will likely seek funding soon. Amazon, for example, plans to spend $200 billion on capital expenses, mainly for its AWS cloud services.
Google Boosts AI Spending to $185 Billion for Future Growth
Google's parent company, Alphabet, plans to spend between $175 billion and $185 billion in 2026 to expand its AI computing power. CEO Sundar Pichai stated that these AI investments are already driving revenue and growth across the company. Alphabet reported over $400 billion in annual revenue for the first time, showing strong business performance. The Gemini app now has over 750 million monthly users, and Google Cloud revenue jumped 48%. Investors expect clear financial returns from this large AI spending, which Alphabet's strong financial position helps support.
Okta Enters AI Security Market with Auth0 Amid Competition
Okta is entering the competitive AI agent identity management market through its Auth0 platform. This move could expand its total addressable market beyond $80 billion. While Okta's financial health has improved, with over $900 million in cash flow, its growth has slowed. The company faces strong competition from Microsoft and new cybersecurity startups focusing on AI agents. This competition poses a risk and might limit how much Okta's stock price can grow in the near future.
Sources
- Is Navitas Semiconductor (NVTS) Trading Near-Term Revenue for Strategic Positioning in AI Infrastructure?
- What Constellation Software (TSX:CSU)'s AI Pivot and New Leadership Team Means For Shareholders
- AI Race Sends Big Tech’s Capital Spending to Stratospheric High
- Why Is Amazon CEO Andy Jassy Leading AI Investment In 2026?
- Wall Street Sees Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a Decade-Long Opportunity. This Stock Is an Early Winner.
- Blackstone Is Finalizing $3.5 Billion Loan for Australia AI Firm
- Exclusive: Vista Equity Partners and Intel to lead investment in AI chip startup Samba Nova, sources say
- Oracle Blockbuster Bond Sale to Spur AI Borrowing Rush, Goldman Says
- Google plans to spend big as AI race with rivals intensifies
- Okta: From Human Access To Increasingly Competitive Agentic AI Security Market
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