10 AI Predictions For 2026
CIO, Thursday, February 5th, 2026
Last year, we saw the integration of gen AI into everything, the rise of AI agents, and the explosion of vibe computing. As this year gathers pace, we'll see agentic AI move from pilots into production, the emergence of AI payments, and AI redefine how we think of user interfaces.
Generative AI continued its breakneck pace of adoption and technical progress last year. Now, after so much trialing and tinkering, 2026 is shaping up as the year AI starts to deliver on its promise, and reveal its limitations.
According to Gartner, enterprises will spend a staggering $2.5 trillion on AI this year, up 44% from 2025. But as enterprises demand to see ROI, Forrester estimates 25% of planned AI spend may be deferred into 2027. Here are 10 expert predictions for how AI will progress and expand in 2026, and where it'll run into obstacles and delays.