AI Networking Spending Grows, but Enterprise Network Readiness Lags
Network World, Monday, November 2nd, 2026
IDC and Dell'Oro analysts say enterprise AI networking spending is surging while automation, maturity and skills lag behind.
At an ONUG AI Networking Summit panel, IDC's Leslie Rosenberg said networking is the fastest-growing category of enterprise AI infrastructure spending, and that ambition is outpacing readiness.
IDC forecasts $623 billion in enterprise AI infrastructure spending in 2026, up 31% from 2025, with servers taking the majority.
Dell'Oro reports enterprise networking revenue grew 15% year over year in the first half of 2026, with double-digit gains across all five major segments.
In campus switching, revenue rose while port shipments fell 5% in the second quarter, partly due to DDR4 memory shortages pushing up prices, and wireless LAN growth came from higher access point shipments as Wi-Fi 7 adoption accelerated.