According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta’s Survey of Business Uncertainty, US firms using AI increased their spending by 96.1% between 2025 and 2026. This brings the average investment to $1,024 per employee for the 2026 calendar year.
A separate survey round from March 2026 indicated that average expected investment per worker rose from $1,358 in 2025 to $2,068 in 2026. Based on executive expectations, total private sector AI investment is estimated to reach nearly $280 billion.
The median expected investment for 2026 remains between $200 and $294 per employee. Professional and business services firms lead the spending, with plans to invest approximately $3,470 per worker, marking a 74% increase from the previous year.
Data from late 2025 and early 2026 shows that 70-78% of US companies utilize AI. Despite the surge in budgets, executives report only modest expectations for productivity gains and have noted potential risks for employment, particularly for workers without college degrees.
