Top 13 technology trends shaping business in 2026

January 28, 2025

Technology keeps evolving quickly, and 2026 is no exception. For businesses, the challenge is to tell lasting shifts from short-lived hype. Ten of the trends below come from Gartner’s top strategic technology trends for 2026, published in October 2025, and three are longer-running shifts that still matter for software teams this year.

1. AI-native development platforms

These platforms use generative AI to create software faster and more easily than before, from code generation to apps built by domain experts with guardrails in place. Gartner predicts that by 2030 they will lead 80% of organisations to turn large software engineering teams into smaller, more nimble teams augmented by AI.

2. No-code and low-code platforms

No-code platforms empower people without programming expertise to build software. Drag-and-drop tools and pre-built templates, now often combined with AI prompts, reduce development time and let more people turn their ideas into working apps.

Must read: How to build a mobile app without coding in 6 steps.

3. Multiagent systems

Instead of a single chatbot, multiagent systems combine several AI agents that work together on individual or shared goals. Organisations use them to automate complex business processes end to end, with specialised agents handling separate steps.

4. Domain-specific language models

General-purpose LLMs often fall short on specialised tasks. Models trained or fine-tuned on data for a particular industry, function or process deliver higher accuracy, reliability and compliance. Gartner expects that by 2028 more than half of the generative AI models used by enterprises will be domain-specific.

5. AI supercomputing platforms

These systems combine CPUs, GPUs, AI-specific chips and orchestration software to handle data-intensive workloads such as machine learning, simulation and analytics. Gartner predicts that by 2028 over 40% of leading enterprises will have adopted such hybrid computing architectures in critical business workflows, up from 8% in 2025.

6. Confidential computing

Confidential computing isolates workloads in hardware-based trusted execution environments, so sensitive data stays private even from cloud providers or anyone with physical access to the hardware. By 2029, Gartner expects more than 75% of operations processed in untrusted infrastructure to be secured in use this way.

7. AI security platforms

As companies deploy more AI, they need protection against AI-specific risks such as prompt injection, data leakage and rogue agent actions. AI security platforms provide central visibility and consistent guardrails, and Gartner predicts that over 50% of enterprises will use them by 2028.

8. Preemptive cybersecurity

Rather than reacting to attacks, preemptive cybersecurity aims to stop them before they happen, using AI-powered security operations, programmatic denial and deception. Gartner forecasts that by 2030 preemptive solutions will account for half of all security spending.

9. Digital provenance

With more third-party software, open-source code and AI-generated content in use, organisations need to verify where their digital assets come from. Software bills of materials (SBOMs), attestation databases and digital watermarking help confirm the origin and integrity of software, data and media.

10. Physical AI

Physical AI brings intelligence into machines that sense, decide and act in the real world, such as robots, drones and smart equipment. It brings measurable gains in industries where automation, adaptability and safety are priorities, and it requires new skills that bridge IT, operations and engineering.

11. Geopatriation

Geopatriation means moving data and applications out of global public clouds into sovereign clouds, regional providers or company-owned data centres to reduce geopolitical risk. Gartner predicts that by 2030 more than 75% of European and Middle Eastern enterprises will geopatriate their virtual workloads, up from less than 5% in 2025.

12. Advanced network connectivity

Technologies such as Wi-Fi 7, 5G and low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellites continue to improve connectivity. They enable faster data transmission, support Internet of Things (IoT) devices and expand access to remote areas, paving the way for smarter cities and more connected products.

More insight: How mobile apps impact the Internet of Things.

13. Quantum computing and post-quantum cryptography

Quantum computing promises breakthroughs in areas such as materials science and logistics, but it also threatens today’s encryption. In August 2024, the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released its first three finalised post-quantum encryption standards, and organisations are starting to plan their move to quantum-resistant algorithms.

Not every trend will matter equally for every business. Start with the ones that solve a problem you already have, such as faster software delivery, stronger security or data sovereignty, and review the list as the technology matures.