The 2026 State of IT Report previewed at the SpiceWorld conference in Austin highlights a surprising trend in the era of rapid AI advancement: IT jobs, skills demand, and technology spending are all continuing to grow, not shrink. The annual report, conducted by Aberdeen Research and based on responses from more than 800 IT professionals across SMBs and enterprises, reveals a strong outlook for IT careers and investments through 2026.
According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data cited in the briefing, computer and IT occupations are projected to grow 9% from 2024 to 2034, significantly higher than the 3% growth rate for all occupations. Median pay for IT roles also remains nearly double the U.S. national median, underscoring strong long-term career prospects despite rising AI automation concerns. However, hiring challenges persist, with organizations struggling to fill roles requiring advanced skills.
Cybersecurity continues to dominate skill demand, with 92% of survey participants identifying it as the most critical capability for career advancement. AI-related skills are rising quickly as well: 63% of IT professionals now consider AI prompting skills important, up 53% from last year, and confidence in using AI is increasing.
Key AI use cases cited by respondents include:
- Software and script writing/troubleshooting (46%)
- Generating creative content (42%)
- Automating repetitive or high-volume tasks (42%)
On the investment side, IT budgets are expected to increase 11% year-over-year in 2026, with 55% of organizations planning bigger IT spending. Cybersecurity remains the top investment driver, growing to 13% of infrastructure budgets.
AI adoption is accelerating — 52% of companies have deployed AI, double last year — but investment caution remains. While 42% plan to increase AI spending, a majority (58%) intend to hold steady or reduce spending due to concerns about ROI and inconsistent business impact.
Source:
