Three-digit number from Google, Microsoft, Meta and Amazon that has ‘spooked’ investors and analysts – The Times of India

Google-parent Alphabet, Microsoft, Meta and Amazon are collectively expected to invest nearly $700 billion into capital expenditure in 2026. As reported by CNBC, this three-digit number has unsettled the analysts and investors. The spending surge represents an increase of 60% from the previous year (2025). This large investment underscores the sale of the AI arms race and it also raises concerns about cash flow and profitability in the near future.As per the CNBC report, this bulk investment from the tech giants will be directed towards high-priced chips, sprawling data centers and advanced networking technology needed to power AI models and cloud services. Amazon has revealed the most aggressive plan, forecasting around $200 billion in apex. On the other hand, Alphabet is close behind with up to $185 billion this year. Microsoft and Meta are also pretty close and together the tech giants are investing around $700 billion this year in AI.

The pressure of cash flow

This spending…