Bernstein just dropped its Q2 2026 AI tracker report, and the firm projects the global server market will blow past $1 trillion by 2028, driven by accelerating AI infrastructure spending.
The numbers behind the forecast
Bernstein’s revised estimates show a 15% compound annual growth rate for total server shipments through 2028, with GPU AI servers growing faster at a 22% CAGR over the same period.
The 8-GPU equivalent server category shows particularly sharp growth. Bernstein expects shipments to jump 48% in 2026 alone, with rack shipments forecast at 61,000 units this year and climbing to 88,000 units in 2027.
Total planned and in-construction data center investment now sits at approximately $1.2 trillion. Cloud provider capex estimates have climbed roughly 15%, reaching about $1.1 trillion slated for 2027.
