At the end of each year, we look ahead and ask: what
\nwill shape the tech landscape in the year to come? 2026 promises to
\nbe anything but predictable. From Agentic AI to regulators
\ntightening their grip on digital platforms, the pace of change is
\naccelerating. So, what should tech leaders, boardrooms and in-house
\ncounsel be watching as we step into 2026? Here are our top tech
\npredictions.<\/p>\n
Data and Cyber<\/p>\n
Smarter hackers, riskier AI<\/p>\n
In 2026 ransomware will continue to be disruptive. It’s not
\njust organisations that are leveraging AI to enhance the efficiency
\nand effectiveness of operations \u2013 attackers are too. To trick
\nhumans, there’ll be even more use of AI for social engineering
\n\u2013 a common method attackers use to deliver ransomware. Not
\njust through more realistic phishing messages, but also through
\nbypassing controls such as multi-factor authentication (MFA)
\nthrough impersonating users (e.g., cloning voices).<\/p>\n
Ad-tech tightened up<\/p>\n
Brands and their agencies will pull ad spend closer to the point
\nof inventory, cutting through supply chains and striking more
\ndirect, data-collaborative deals with premium publishers to unlock
\nricher audience insights and performance. The winners so far have
\nbeen those who can evidence clean, consented data flows from source
\nto outcome, while long tail intermediaries can feel the squeeze.
\nMeanwhile, regulatory pressure is shifting decisively beyond
\ncookies and websites, with UK and EU regulators zeroing in on other
\ntechnologies and devices, such as Connected TV, pushing the market
\ntowards accountable, consented first party data and privacy
\npreserving targeting and measurement.<\/p>\n
AI risk and tech regulation<\/p>\n
Governance under pressure: the agentic AI
\nchallenge<\/p>\n
In 2026, we expect more organisations to move beyond AI
\nchat-based interfaces to embedding agentic AI into core operations,
\nwith autonomous agents executing increasingly complex, multi step
\nworkflows such as consolidated data reconciliation, end to end
\ninvoice management, dynamic compliance monitoring, inventory
\nmanagement, proactive customer triage and more. As agent creation
\nis democratised and accelerated by ‘vibe coding’, a wave of
\nunmanaged agents will emerge, often bypassing traditional user
\ninterfaces altogether.
\nExpect a spotlight on security discussions, which will shift to a
\nnew frontier as indirect prompt injection, poisoned retrieval
\nsources, and agent to agent exploits make identity, logging, and
\nprovenance by design a key consideration. The scale and speed of
\ndeployment will also test governance and operating models, placing
\nCTOs and boardrooms under heightened scrutiny to implement clearer
\nguardrails, accountability frameworks, and operational
\noversight.<\/p>\n
AI gets classified, and the acronyms
\nmultiply<\/p>\n
By the end of 2026, the jargon will have multiplied: Narrow AI
Digital finance goes mainstream<\/p>\n In 2026, the UK government and the FCA will double down on
AI sparks legal fireworks<\/p>\n Autonomous systems promise efficiency but raise thorny legal
Immersive consumer worlds<\/p>\n Keeping fans hooked in the attention
Sports broadcasters will fight harder for eyeballs in 2026. With
Agentic AI redefines brand engagement<\/p>\n In 2026, your first interaction with a brand might be with an AI
Hyper-personalised AI ads dominate<\/p>\n Advertising in 2026 will be about real-time personalisation.
Ads go fully immersive<\/p>\n With AR glasses and VR platforms becoming part of everyday life,
People and workplace transformation<\/p>\n Future@Work: AI meets human capital<\/p>\n
\n\u2013 task-specific systems like chatbots; AGI (Artificial
\nGeneral Intelligence) \u2013 AI that can reason and learn like a
\nhuman across multiple domains; ASI (Artificial Superintelligence)
\n\u2013 a theoretical stage where machines surpass human
\nintelligence entirely; and Shadow AI<\/a> \u2013 the unauthorised or
\nunmonitored use of AI tools by employees. Boards and senior
\nstakeholders are well advised to understand these distinctions
\nbecause regulation, risk, and monetisation will differ for each,
\nand the need to ensure the governance framework is both accurate
\nand appropriate for the AI in question.<\/p>\n
\nfacilitating innovation and exploitation of crypto assets and
\ndistributed ledger technology (DLT), as well as significant broader
\nadvances in payment services, including open banking and digital
\nwallets. The UK’s aim is to make sure that the UK has a
\nworld-leading payments ecosystem. The government and FCA are
\naligned on achieving this \u2013 legislation and consultations are
\nmoving at pace, shaping new regimes and clearing the path for
\nadoption. And yes, this could be the year when we learn if the
\ndigital pound will be a reality.<\/p>\n
\nquestions around accountability. Disputes may arise when
\nalgorithmic decisions lead to unintended outcomes or when ownership
\nof AI-generated content is contested. Courts worldwide are
\ngrappling with whether existing frameworks can keep pace, leaving
\nbusinesses exposed to uncertainty. In 2026, expect regulators to
\npush for clearer liability standards and new international norms to
\naddress cross-border AI disputes<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\neconomy<\/p>\n
\nincreasing volumes of entertainment content vying for our
\nattention, and many viewers (particularly younger viewers) now
\n‘second screening’, the race is on to make every match an
\nimmersive experience \u2013 or risk losing fans to the scroll. We
\nhave already seen a rise in the deployment of in-match virtual
\nadvertising targeting specific geographic regions, and this may
\nextend further to include ads that are personalised to specific
\ninpidual viewers on streaming platforms.
\nIn addition, broadcasters are experimenting with alternative feeds
\naimed at specific demographics and audiences \u2013 for example,
\nthe NFL recently broadcasted a match from a camera angle behind the
\nquarterback, with augmented reality overlaid graphics (to replicate
\nthe gameplay of the popular Madden video games), and has for a
\nnumber of years collaborated with children’s TV broadcasters to
\ncreate augmented feeds, including characters from SpongeBob
\nSquarePants and Disney movies.<\/p>\n
\nagent, not a human. Consumers increasingly delegate shopping and
\ndecision-making to intelligent assistants that understand their
\npreferences and values. Winning brands aren’t just designing
\nfor people anymore \u2013 they’re designing for algorithms,
\nensuring that their identity and ethics are legible to software in
\nan AI agent-focused world.<\/p>\n
\nGenerative AI now creates bespoke campaigns tailored to inpidual
\npreferences, moods, and reacting to real-time social listening. But
\nfrom 2 August 2026, the EU AI Act requires that certain
\nAI-generated content be clearly disclosed, forcing brands to
\nrethink how they balance transparency with a seamless user
\nexperience. The winners will be those who turn compliance into a
\ntrust-building advantage, using clear labelling to reinforce
\nauthenticity and ethical engagement.<\/p>\n
\nadvertising has gone fully immersive. Brands are placing
\ninteractive ads in virtual worlds and holographic campaigns in
\nphysical spaces. The race is on to measure consumer engagement and
\nto avoid “ad fatigue” in these new environments.<\/p>\n