University of Kwazulu-Natal

Technology Trends 2026 Tap Into Tomorrow S Intelligence Today

Bonisiwe Shabane
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technology trends 2026 tap into tomorrow s intelligence today

In a world where technological advancements are accelerating at a rapid pace, businesses remain sensible about real-world gains. Enterprises are enthusiastic about deploying new technologies, but it’s up to vendors to show how their solutions meet their most urgent priorities. ABI Research has identified 13 key technology trends for 2026 to help the sector navigate the next wave of innovation. In 2026, the pace of digital transformation will continue to accelerate, although not at an explosive rate. With Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions increasingly being integrated into enterprise systems, computing requirements are shifting. In the connectivity space, 6G deployments are ramping up and novel use cases are emerging.

For the cybersecurity industry, compliance and changing customer attitudes are dictating product strategy. Our analysts see 2026 as mostly being a year of gradual modernization. The hope of visionary technologies has been replaced by the need for solutions that offer quick wins and solve immediate challenges. In this article, ABI Research’s global analyst team identifies the top 13 technology trends we expect to shape 2026 across Artificial Intelligence, Cloud and Connectivity, and Security and Digital Trust. These latest developments are an amalgamation of analyst conversations, internal forecasts, and vendor activity. In 2026, open standards for AI infrastructure will become foundational to modern data center design.

Interoperable frameworks like the Open Compute Project and Ultra Accelerator Link are making it easier to assemble modular AI clusters using best-in-class components from multiple vendors. ABI Research Senior Analyst Paul Schell tells us, “Such standards are important for building the next generation of AI data centers because they dismantle proprietary ecosystems and foster a more competitive environment.” As Mashable's new tech editor, I get paid to stay on top of the latest tech trends, and I love my job. A lot happened in the tech world this year, but one technology dominated headlines more than any other — artificial intelligence. Companies like Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic made big advances in AI this year (though not as big as they might have hoped), both for better and worse. Not only that, but AI is now being integrated into virtually every tech product we own, even if you wish it wouldn't.

So, what are the 2026 tech trends I'm eyeing as we approach the new year? Yes, generative AI and large-language models will continue to take up a lot of oxygen in the tech world, even if — and maybe especially if — the AI bubble finally pops, like the... Besides AI, you can look forward to exciting new foldable phones with more flexible displays. I also expect a lot of robots to enter the consumer market next year, as well as all the usual suspects from Apple, Samsung, Google, and Microsoft. Let's get out our crystal balls and smart AR/XR glasses and preview the tech trends to come in 2026. It's getting hard to remember what Mark Zuckerberg looked like before he started wearing Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses at all of his public appearances.

Like a lot of Silicon Valley leaders, Zuck is all-in on smart glasses, and virtually every big tech company is working on its own version of Meta's Ray-Ban Display augmented-reality glasses. Samsung, Apple, and Google are all rumored or confirmed to be making smart glasses, and we also saw the launch of the Xreal One Pro AR glasses earlier this year. I expect more smart AR glasses to launch next year, but even though Silicon Valley is convinced these gadgets are the future of personal computing, I'm not so sure. Zuck couldn't have been more wrong about the metaverse. Even people who need to wear glasses for vision correction often do so reluctantly, and there's a reason face-worn computers have so far failed to launch. On top of that, a lot of people just don't want every single interaction potentially recorded by a person wearing smart glasses with built-in cameras and microphones.

The Google Glasshole was reviled for a reason. 2025 made two things obvious. First, AI (and especially GenAI) has become mainstream in enterprises: most large organizations now pay for it, and vendors are investing heavily in the infrastructure to keep up with demand. Second, the attack surface moved with it: several incidents this year showed how easily attackers can pivot through SaaS and partners when the basics aren’t fixed. The key technology trends for 2026 won’t be about chasing the next shiny tech. It will be about making what’s already deployed work at enterprise scale: governed AI, GenAI that’s embedded in real processes, cyber that closes exposed zones, sustainable tech that’s actually measured, and, in the background,...

We take you behind the scenes of the technologies that will define 2026, and how they’re already reshaping the priorities of CIOs and digital leaders worldwide. Explore the 7 trends and what to focus on in 2026 for each of them It’s not a surprise, AI will still dominate business conversations in 2026. Our 2025 Global AI Survey shows a paradox you probably see yourself: 70% of organizations say AI is already a strategic priority, yet almost half have no consistent way to measure its value, and... Models are no longer the main bottleneck. When initiatives stall, the real issues are usually data quality, governance, and integration.

At the same time, expectations are rising. Boards want AI to show up clearly in the P&L, and some business lines are now exploring use cases where errors are simply not acceptable. In that context, “doing a bit of AI everywhere” is no longer a strategy. Hampshire, UK – 5th January 2026: Global tech strategists Juniper Research today released its Top 10 Emerging Tech Trends for 2026; revealing how frontier technologies such as post-quantum cryptography, neuromorphic computing, and physical AI... Grounded in independent research and market evidence, the report cuts through industry hype to focus on technologies with credible paths to deployment and adoption. 1.

Post-quantum Cryptography: Standardisation to Drive Hybrid Deployment Models2. Neuromorphic Computing: Commercial Chipsets That Address AI Bottlenecks to Launch in 20263. Physical AI: Substantial Advances in Humanoid Robotics Expected in Next 3 Years4. Multi-agent Systems: Enterprises Invest in Domain-specific Agents5. Wireless EV Charging: Accelerated Infrastructure Rollouts Drive Mass Adoption6. Counter-drone Technology: Growing Threats Necessitate New Technologies7.

Microfluidics to Receive Growing Interest as a Next-generation Cooling System for AI Chips8. Multi-cloud Models: 2025 Outages Bring Focus on More Resilience in 20269. Small Modular Reactors: Regulatory Approvals Open Potential Disruptive Impact on Energy Generation10. Open-source Smart Buildings: Interoperable Platforms Drive Market Growth Amidst Growing Energy Demand “Across security, compute, energy, and infrastructure, organisations are being forced to make real deployment decisions on technologies that were theoretical only a few years ago,” explained Molly Gatford, Senior Research Analyst at Juniper Research. “The challenge facing enterprises in 2026 will be how quickly they can adopt these technologies without increasing risk or complexity, and whether they have the organisational readiness to do so at scale.”

Each trend is ranked by expected impact, with analysis explaining what will happen, why it is expected to happen, and why 2026 represents a critical point for adoption and deployment. Gartner analysts identified 10 critical technology trends that will reshape enterprise operations by 2026, with AI taking center stage across multiple domains. Speaking at the Gartner IT Symposium in Orlando, Fla., Gartner analysts Tori Paulman and Gene Alvarez emphasized that the pace of innovation is fundamentally changing, with breakthrough developments happening in real time rather than... The top 10 technology trends for 2026 include the following: The market is unpredictable, and volatility may speed the trends up or slow them down, said Paulman. But they are undeniably happening.

"The pace of innovation is changing," they said. "The next wave of innovation isn't going to happen next year -- it's happening here this week." As 2026 draws closer, technology is accelerating at an unprecedented rate. Innovation across AI, adaptive infrastructure, cybersecurity, automation, and data-driven operations is reshaping how organizations operate and compete. These 2026 technology trends aren’t just emerging — they’re reinventing the digital landscape. Below are the key technology trends for 2026 that will define strategic advantage and organizational growth.

Artificial intelligence is evolving beyond simple task execution into systems that understand context and adapt dynamically. The next generation of AI will integrate seamlessly across business ecosystems, powering intelligent workflows and predictive decision-making. Autonomous workflows that adjust based on real-time conditions Predictive operations that reduce downtime and errors

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