Developments in IT are happening faster, and inevitably next year will see the new, the good, the bad and the ugly. In an exercise in crystal ball gazing, I predict what is ahead for 2026.
Firstly, there is no doubt, in my, mind that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be front and centre of most of the technological developments. It presents the single biggest change to the way we live our lives since the birth of the Internet, and has wide ranging potential effects for society. Below are five trends encompassing AI and other tech, to look out for in the coming 12 months.
Autonomous AI Agents
We are probably all starting to become familiar with AI Assistants. We will see these become ever more popular, and ever more powerful. The new reality will be agentic AI. Those that can reason, plan, and act on their own. They will be a bit like a digital butler. Picture an AI that not only drafts a marketing campaign, but tests variations overnight and then resends out improved versions the next morning, or AI agents that handle the entirety of a request, from start to finish – not just a basic task as is often the case now.
Sustainable Tech and Green Computing
New technology trends in green computing will make sustainability a measurable, competitive differentiator. With energy costs, regulation, and investor scrutiny rising, green computing is becoming a business necessity, and more companies will want to invest in green computing to reduce business costs, but also use it as an environmental credential for sales and marketing purposes. Major companies like Amazon and Microsoft are investing huge amounts of money in lower carbon systems which benefits the environment, and their bottom line.
Quantum Computing Applications
Quantum computing has been in the lab for many years now, and talked about as the next big thing, but my belief is that 2026 could see our first real world examples of companies using it. Quantum computing is a new type of computation that uses quantum mechanics to process information, allowing it to solve certain complex problems exponentially faster than classical computers.
Industries such as pharmaceutical, finance, and supply chains are already seeing results from quantum development, and products like vaccines and material innovation could see a massive leap forward in 2026 and beyond.
AI Assisted Development
Traditionally websites and software applications have been developed solely by humans following best practice and code libraries with minimal effort from computers. Starting in 2026, we will see an increase in the amount of no code or low code solutions in which the heavy lifting will be done by AI. Professionals who can blend AI powered automation with low code logic will lead the next wave of product innovation, and do it for less cost.
Human AI Collaboration Tools
The last year saw a massive increase in all our use of AI tools like Chat GPT, Grok and others, and this trend will continue at a higher pace in 2026. AI is no longer just assisting; it is co-creating. From generating marketing content to designing prototypes and writing production grade code, AI systems are now active participants in workflows. The improvement in these tools over the past 12 months will mean greater adoption within organisations as they gain confidence that these tools are accurate, helpful and improve efficiency. These tools can accelerate complex work, minimise repetitive tasks, and have the ability to enhance decision quality by combining human judgment with algorithmic precision.
How will these affect me?
For most IT day to day users, what is described above may seem a bit high level and complex, and you may wonder whether it will affect you. But change is coming, and while personal experience may not reflect new developments directly, they will inevitably influence all our lives. I wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, whatever technology has in store.
And for help with all your IT needs, you know were to come. Please contact me at [email protected] or call me on 01473 345321.