Broadcom shares climbed after Alphabet’s Google outlined a much larger data center spending plan for 2026. Analysts pointed to the move as a factor that could sustain demand for custom AI chips and networking hardware. Timing is crucial here: Wall Street’s using Big Tech’s capital spending as the main signal for the AI boom’s staying power—or the risk it sours. These days, the figures are massive. Any suggestion that returns won’t keep up with the spending, and investors have been quick to push back.