University of Kwazulu-Natal

10 Ai Trends To Watch In 2026 What I M Seeing From Inside The Ai

Bonisiwe Shabane
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10 ai trends to watch in 2026 what i m seeing from inside the ai

Picture entering a reality, not a science fiction concept, but a space where your digital assistant comprehends your instructions and can predict what you intend to do next. Factories hum with autonomous robots, compelling creative content, from music to 3D renderings, is created in less than a second, and personalized services operate on AI systems that improve with every interaction. AI is defining reality as we near 2026. Artificial Intelligence is rapidly evolving beyond a tool and emerging as a strategic partner in businesses, a driver of innovation, and a critical skill set for individuals. Gartner predicts that 40% of enterprise applications will leverage task-specific AI agents by 2026, compared to less than 5% in 2025. These statistics suggest a deep transformation: AI is progressing from supportive automation to autonomous decision-making, affecting industries across the world.

To keep pace with all of this change, it is important to grasp the Artificial Intelligence trends on the horizon for 2026. Let’s explore 10 significant trends that will alter our daily life, our work, and how we innovate. Agentic AI is defined as intelligent systems that can independently set their goals, make decisions, and issue multi-step tasks with minimal human intervention. Agentic AI represents a move beyond automation to managing adaptive, dynamic workflows; in other words, agentic AI acts as a true digital collaborator. Customer support representatives who independently prioritize and handle support requests. In just a few years, AI has transitioned from experimental development to full production use cases that encompass everything from retail sales and marketing to healthcare, manufacturing, finance, security, logistics and transportation.

Even personal smart devices and applications now incorporate some level of AI functionality. Global business is fully committed to AI growth. A report from Grand View Research noted that the global AI market, estimated at U.S. $279 billion in 2024, is expected to reach nearly $3.5 trillion in 2033. Tech giants are investing heavily in R&D, driving market adoption across vertical industries. But the AI evolution is fraught with growing pains.

The enormous potential for productivity is tempered by concerns over security, accuracy, performance, regulatory compliance, and human pushback. The sense of urgency to adopt AI can overwhelm an organization's capabilities, possibly placing the businesses and their customers at risk. Technology leaders, regulators and legislators are struggling to adapt to the rapidly changing AI landscape. As AI continues its march forward, 10 AI trends have emerged that are worth watching in 2026. AI agents are autonomous software entities designed to support agentic AI systems, focusing on automation, reasoning and adaptation. Agentic AI can gather data, plan and act with high levels of autonomy.

Agentic systems process vast amounts of real-world data to yield faster and more accurate business decisions, reduce manual errors and offer ongoing optimization at a scale that humans can't surpass. Thank you for reading my latest article 10 Generative AI Trends In 2026 That Will Transform Work And Life. Here at LinkedIn and at Forbes I regularly write about management and technology trends. To read my future articles simply join my network by clicking 'Follow'. Feel free to connect with me via Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Podcast or YouTube or subscribe to my other LinkedIn newsletters: AI & Future Tech Trends | The Intelligence Revolution | The Future of Work In 2026, generative AI is firmly embedded in workflows across many larger organizations.

Meanwhile, millions of us now rely on it for research, study, content creation and even companionship. What started with the arrival of ChatGPT back in 2023 has spilled into every corner of life, and the pace is only going to accelerate. Of course, challenges like copyright, bias, and the risk of job displacement remain, but the upside is too powerful for anyone to ignore. From augmenting human productivity to accelerating our ability to learn, machines capable of generating words, pictures, video and code are reshaping our world. At QA, we have the privilege of seeing technology and skills trends as they emerge. Coupled with our internal expertise, it’s a bit like having a crystal ball.

So, as we enter 2026, I’m peering into the future and sharing a few pivotal shifts to expect surrounding AI before this year is out – but first, some context to how we got... Over the course of 2025, businesses and individuals alike made the step from preparing for AI change to actively living alongside it. 79% of organisations were using generative AI as of November, up from 65% the year prior. But we have a long way left to go, since only 38% have moved beyond pilots into real adoption.Last year, we moved from awareness to action. We shifted from talking about AI’s potential to rolling out all-staff training in prompting proficiency, tailored to roles and industries, because organisations are ready to start really applying new, powerful tools to their use... And it remains so.

One much-debated question in the public mind that I tackled last year was whether AI could replace therapists. My take on this was a resounding ‘no’. While there may be some useful applications in triaging, for instance, human expertise matters. Especially in high-risk situations. Sadly, that message hasn’t always landed, and there have been sobering stories of people turning to AI for help instead of professionals. Regulation in this field is urgently needed to catch up with the tech and how it’s already being used.There’s another side to that coin.

On one face, premature application without safeguards; on the other, AI reluctance and hesitation. There’s a tension between the fear of moving too fast and the risk of falling behind. Fueling and complicating all of this is the growing skills divide.It’s a new year, but all these questions follow us into 2026, and must be tackled. Attitudes are shifting again. AI is becoming the interface for everything, citizen developers are on the rise and democratised tech skills are a reality. Generative AI tools won’t just be for business staff.

Technical teams - yes, even those building AI applications - will need prompting proficiency of their own. AI literacy will become as fundamental as Excel skills once were. Expect deeper integration of AI features within existing software. Microsoft Copilot will lead the charge, with Copilot 365 gaining smarter connections and richer context. We’ll end up with AI that feels less like an add-on and more like part and parcel of your familiar operating systems. We already know from OpenAI’s Dev Day that ChatGPT will start hosting apps from early this year, and I expect Copilot won’t be far behind.

Microsoft’s new AI companion, Mico, is a perfect example of this shift, prioritising a human-centered approach. In short, AI is soon going to be our go-to tool for everything, with all the other tools embedded inside it. By 2026, predictive AI tools are expected to transform healthcare, enabling faster and more accurate diagnoses, as well as personalized patient care. Intelligent systems will accelerate creativity, powering music, video, and code generation while enhancing immersive experiences. AI-driven automation and insights will optimize supply chains, finance, and decision-making, boosting efficiency across industries. Technology is rapidly changing how we live, work, and connect.

In 2026, we are on the verge of advances that will fundamentally change how we experience the world around us - from framers that understand our needs, to systems that learn and grow in... While technology can make processes easier in areas long overlooked, whether in conversation, healthcare, or finance, it is a way of changing the world. As these changes begin to take hold in our lives, it is essential to consider more than the tools themselves and think about what systems can actually do to improve human lives. AI is continuously reshaping how people live and interact with machines, each other, and beyond. TAI technology is dominating every field, and besides being futuristic, it is a very much part and parcel of our day-to-day life. For example, our digital assistant understands commands and also anticipates the very next move.

Autonomous robots keep factories running smoothly, and hyper-personalized services are evolving with every interaction. As we approach 2026, the latest advancements in AI aren’t just shaping our future; they’re redefining our reality. According to McKinsey, 78% of respondents report that their organizations are using AI in at least one business function. An AI trend refers to a new direction or pattern in how artificial intelligence is being developed, adopted, or implemented across industries. It indicates where AI is heading, including the latest technologies tools, or ways businesses and people are using artificial intelligence to improve work and life. It simply highlights the emerging innovations involving AI.

For example, some current AI trends include using Generative AI for creating text, images, and videos, implementing AI-powered automation in workplaces, and more. (Adapted from Bernard Marr’s article in Forbes, October 2025) In 2026, generative AI will no longer feel experimental — it’s becoming a fundamental part of how organizations operate and how individuals create, learn, and communicate. What began with tools like ChatGPT in 2023 has now evolved into a multi-industry revolution, reshaping workflows, creativity, and innovation. While challenges like copyright disputes, bias, job transformation, and ethical oversight continue, the potential of generative AI — to accelerate productivity, spark creativity, and extend human capability — is undeniable. According to Forbes contributor Bernard Marr, here are ten key trends set to define 2026:

AI-generated video production is becoming a serious creative tool. Shows like Netflix’s El Eternauta already use AI to enhance animation and reduce costs. By 2026, expect large studios and creators alike to rely more heavily on generative tools for visual effects, storytelling, and editing. As AI floods the internet with auto-generated content, audiences will crave authenticity. Real voices, emotional storytelling, and unique cultural perspectives will stand out. The human touch — what feels “genuinely lived” — will become a key competitive advantage.

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