1 Reason Meta's AI Spending Spree Won't Slow Down in 2026

By Keith Noonan – Mar 27, 2026 at 5:50AM ESTKey PointsMeta expects that its capital expenditures could be as high as $135 billion this year, with AI buildouts taking center stage. Meta is in a race with other tech leaders to produce revolutionary AI technologies. Meta Platforms (META 8.00%) is one of the leading players in the artificial intelligence (AI) race, and it has already seen AI technologies produce sales and earnings tailwinds. On the other hand, the company is far from resting on its laurels in the space. With the Q4 report it published in January, Meta laid out plans for capital expenditures to be between $115 billion and $135 billion. For reference, the company recorded capital expenditures of $72.2 billion in 2025, itself a new record for the tech giant. Investors should expect the company to keep its foot on the gas pedal when it comes to AI spending. Image source: Getty Images. Meta is in a race with other tech giants to produce potentially game-changing AI breakthroughs. The potential rewards are massive. The risks posed by getting left behind in the space could be devastating. News that Amazon is targeting roughly $200 billion in capital expenditures this year helps put things in perspective. Not all of that massive figure will be going toward building out AI infrastructure, but top tech companies have clearly entered a new super-spending phase. ExpandNASDAQ: METAMeta PlatformsToday's Change(-8.00%) $-47.57Current Price$547.32Key Data PointsMarket Cap$1.4TDay's Range$543.45 - $582.8052wk Range$479.80 - $796.25Volume15KAvg Vol15MGross Margin82.00%Dividend Yield0.38% In addition to purchasing third-party processors to facilitate its AI hardware infrastructure expansion goals, Meta will almost certainly continue devoting resources to developing its own processors and other hardware capable of training and running artificial intelligence models. The pressure is on for big-tech companies to deliver AI breakthroughs that can elevate them above the competition. If Meta is successful in creating AI technologies that have self-improving capabilities, it could zoom past its competitors and quickly branch into categories where its rivals currently enjoy leadership. If competitors beat it to the punch, CEO Mark Zuckerberg's company could get left in the dust. The stakes at hand make it very unlikely that Meta's AI spending push will slow down this year.Read NextMar 27, 2026 •By Danny Vena, CPAThis Brilliant Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock Just Unveiled Plans to Reach a $9 Trillion Valuation by 2031 (Hint: Not Nvidia)Mar 26, 2026 •By Lyle DalyMeta Platforms Is Aiming for a $9 Trillion Market Cap by 2031Mar 25, 2026 •By Danny Vena, CPAMeta Platforms Just Unveiled Ambitious Plans to Grow Its Stock Price by 500% Over Five YearsMar 25, 2026 •By Lyle DalyStock Market Crash: This "Magnificent Seven" Stock Is Firmly in Bargain TerritoryMar 24, 2026 •By Daniel SparksWhy Meta Stock Could Fall Even FurtherMar 24, 2026 •By Anthony Di Pizio1 Brilliant Growth Stock to Buy Before It Joins Nvidia, Alphabet, and Apple in the $3 Trillion ClubAbout the AuthorKeith Noonan is a contributing writer at The Motley Fool covering technology, consumer goods, and other sectors. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Boston College.TMFNoonsStocks MentionedMeta PlatformsNASDAQ: META$547.32(-8.00%)-$47.57*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.