University of Kwazulu-Natal

How 2026 Is Set To Reshape The Global Technology Landscape

Bonisiwe Shabane
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how 2026 is set to reshape the global technology landscape

TrendForce has identified 10 key technology trends that will define the tech industry's evolution in 2026. The highlights of these findings are outlined below: AI Chip Competition Intensifies as Liquid Cooling Gains Widespread Adoption in Data Centers In 2026, the high demand for AI data center construction—fueled by increased capital spending by major North American CSPs and the rise of sovereign cloud projects worldwide—is anticipated to boost AI server shipments by... NVIDIA, the leading name in AI today, will face stronger competition ahead. AMD plans to challenge NVIDIA by introducing its MI400 full-rack solution, which mirrors NVIDIA’s GB/VR systems and is aimed at CSP clients.

Meanwhile, major North American CSPs are increasing their in-house ASIC development. In China, geopolitical tensions have sped up the drive for technological self-sufficiency, with companies like ByteDance, Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent, Huawei, and Cambricon boosting efforts to create their own AI chips. This is set to intensify the global competition. Thermal design power (TDP) per chip is increasing rapidly as AI processors become more powerful, jumping from 700W for NVIDIA’s H100 and H200 to over 1,000W for the upcoming B200 and B300. This increase in heat output is leading to a widespread adoption of liquid-cooling systems in server racks, with usage expected to reach 47% by 2026. Discover the top IT trends shaping 2026 — from AI-native platforms and secure, scalable AI automation to predictive cybersecurity, data governance and sustainable computing.

If 2023–2025 were the years when AI captured global attention, 2026 will be the year it becomes deeply structural. The technology landscape is shifting from experimentation to systemic adoption. Simply piloting AI is a thing of the past, with enterprises redesigning architecture, governance, security and operations around it. Across analysts, researchers and industry leaders, a consistent message is emerging: 2026 will be defined by the consolidation of AI capabilities into resilient, secure and scalable enterprise ecosystems. But AI is just one part of a broader technological realignment touching infrastructure, security, data governance, sustainability and immersive technology. Here are the top tech trends for 2026, and why they matter.

TrendForce has identified 10 key technology trends that will define the tech industry’s evolution in 2026. The highlights of these findings are outlined below: AI Chip Competition Intensifies as Liquid Cooling Gains Widespread Adoption in Data Centers In 2026, the high demand for AI data center construction—fueled by increased capital spending by major North American CSPs and the rise of sovereign cloud projects worldwide—is anticipated to boost AI server shipments by... NVIDIA, the leading name in AI today, will face stronger competition ahead. AMD plans to challenge NVIDIA by introducing its MI400 full-rack solution, which mirrors NVIDIA’s GB/VR systems and is aimed at CSP clients.

Meanwhile, major North American CSPs are increasing their in-house ASIC development. In China, geopolitical tensions have sped up the drive for technological self-sufficiency, with companies like ByteDance, Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent, Huawei, and Cambricon boosting efforts to create their own AI chips. This is set to intensify the global competition. Thermal design power (TDP) per chip is increasing rapidly as AI processors become more powerful, jumping from 700W for NVIDIA’s H100 and H200 to over 1,000W for the upcoming B200 and B300. This increase in heat output is leading to a widespread adoption of liquid-cooling systems in server racks, with usage expected to reach 47% by 2026. Artificial intelligence is set to reshape the global technology landscape in 2026, according to new projections from market intelligence firm TrendForce.

The company has outlined 10 emerging trends that will redefine data center architectures, semiconductor development, and cloud infrastructure worldwide, driven by escalating AI workloads and geopolitical shifts that are accelerating competition in advanced computing. TrendForce expects AI server shipments to grow more than 20% year-over-year in 2026 as hyperscalers in North America increase capital spending and as sovereign cloud initiatives expand across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. This surge marks a new phase of infrastructure investment in which AI models, GPUs, and distributed computing architectures dictate the pace of global data center transformation. The competitive landscape is evolving quickly. NVIDIA remains the dominant supplier of AI accelerators, but the report finds that rivals are preparing more aggressive challenges. AMD is expected to introduce its MI400 full-rack solution, designed to compete directly with NVIDIA’s GB and VR system architectures.

North American cloud providers are simultaneously pushing deeper into custom ASIC development to optimize performance for their own AI clusters, while China’s technology firms accelerate in-house chip programs in response to geopolitical constraints. Companies such as Huawei, Baidu, Tencent, Cambricon, and ByteDance are expected to increase investment in domestic AI silicon, intensifying the global race for processor leadership. With more powerful chips comes substantially higher heat output. TrendForce highlights that thermal design power for leading AI processors has already climbed from 700 watts in NVIDIA’s H100 generation to more than 1,000 watts in upcoming models such as the B200 and B300. By 2026, liquid cooling is projected to be incorporated into nearly half of all AI server deployments. Cloud providers are evaluating multiple cooling strategies, though cold-plate liquid cooling remains the dominant medium-term solution.

Some, including Microsoft, are experimenting with chip-level microfluidic cooling to push thermal efficiency further. As 2025 draws to a close, the business and technology landscape is being redefined by a powerful mix of innovation and disruption. Gen AI, for example, continues to mature, evolving from creative companion to strategic co-pilot as organisations unlock efficiencies once buried in complexity. Sustainability is a key influence on tech trends, with it shifting from compliance-driven to growth-focused, now deeply embedded in the design and training of AI systems. As well as this, quantum computing is edging closer to practical reality. To wrap up 2025, Technology Magazine lays out the defining trends set to shape 2026 – and beyond.

Company in focus: ServiceNowCEO: Bill McDermottFounded: 2004 AI-driven vertical platforms are set to transform enterprise workflows in 2026. ServiceNow’s AI Platform has evolved beyond workflow automation into an orchestration hub, integrating intelligence and real-time data across domains like IT, HR and customer service. Its AI Agent Fabric and Orchestrator allow organisations to deploy domain-specific agents, automate complex tasks and bridge previously unconnected systems. Inescapable AI chased by a humanoid robot army, that's all When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Here’s how it works. There's part of me that would like nothing more than to sit here and bask in the warm glow of multiple spot-on predictions for 2025. I saw the humanoid robot army coming, folding phones rise, more AI-ready local CPUs, more agents, smart glasses turning a big corner, and AI hardware collapsing; but gloating won't get you anywhere. It's time for me to turn my attention to the fast-approaching new year. What will 2026 bring to the technology table? I have some ideas, and I considered for a moment making this a one-word article: 'AI.' It's more nuanced than that, of course.

Developments across this vast and ever-expanding field, represented by that increasingly ubiquitous initialism, will be myriad. When I consider 2026, my mind is stuffed full of possibilities and, not being an actual prophet, I have only my reasonably well-informed guesswork to go by. That's why, as I've done in previous years, I talked to my good friend and long-time industry watcher Tim Bajarin, who serves as chairman of the analyst group Creative Strategies, Inc. Companies are now creating AI systems that learn, adapt, and improve from day one. Security and sovereignty have become core business priorities, from quantum-safe encryption to confidential computing, to meet global rules and reduce risk. Robotics, sensors, and AI work together to run real-time operations from manufacturing lines to smart cities.

The countdown to 2026 is about more than just turning the page on a calendar. It marks a key transition from merely experimenting with emerging technologies to making technology a fundamental requirement for business success. Artificial Intelligence is now deeply integrated into every facet of business, reshaping how organizations and individuals manage and secure data worldwide. With global security considerations increasingly influencing data control, companies can no longer afford to delay action without risking being outpaced by their competitors.

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