Six Ways Technology Could Redefine 2026

By RJ Bardsley, Co-CEO and Partner, Wireside Communications

As the tech world turns the page on another year, one tradition is constant: prediction season. From emerging technologies to shifting global dynamics, 2026 is shaping up to be a year of meaningful change. Here are my six takes on what the year ahead could hold – and why they matter.

AI moves to the Enterprise - So far, the AI story has been all about chips, networks, energy, deals and applications. While some are debating whether we’re in an “AI bubble,” the narrative is far from over and will continue to evolve as 2026 unfolds. One major shift to watch is an increased focus on enterprise data and AI. If you hit the rewind button, before the advent of AI, business intelligence was the hot topic in enterprise technology – how does an organization capture, store and analyze data in a way that gives it insight into its business and enable it to become a better competitor? AI is in the process of supercharging this. But we’re still in the early stages of seeing how the data warehousing and business intelligence players are going to fully use AI to turbo charge what they do. 2026 should be a breakout year for them.

AI Jobs – This could be a defining topic this year. There are a number of conversations around how AI is boosting productivity – often alongside job reductions across industries. The threat is real and being felt in white-collar and entry-level positions in a way that we haven’t seen in decades. But there are emerging job titles that are resulting from AI. We saw the same thing happen when the internet became a core part of society. New roles were created -- everything from Web Masters to Internet Security experts. We’ll see more of this story in 2026, as AI training experts, curators, interpreters and who knows what else.

Folds get more Fantastical – There are two anticipated debuts that could take the mobile market by storm in 2026. The first is the Samsung Tri-Fold. The new Galaxy device with three screens has already appeared in the news reels and YouTube and will likely become available in select markets in 2026 – including the United States. When fully unfolded, it expands to the size of a tablet, potentially doing more than any device yet to bridge the gap between phone and computer. The second device is the rumored Apple Fold. If this turns out to be real, it should introduce an entirely new audience to foldables. iPhone users tend to move as a group, so this could potentially upend the entire mobile world.

A Focus on Fusion – Energy and electricity production will grow in importance for the tech world in 2026. China already leads the world in energy production and has surpassed the US in this field. The jury is still out on how much this will affect AI adoption, but right now it seems like the one with the most electricity will be the most successful at AI. Nuclear Fusion has been a central part of the energy conversation – with the US and China taking opposing strategic approaches: China is investing government money while the US is looking for the private sector to prevail. Fusion matters because it promises clean, reliable, limitless energy without radioactive waste. Expect fusion to command significant attention in 2026, as both China and the US markets look for breakthroughs in the next 18 months and race to secure long-term energy leadership.

Space Race Revival – The conversation around space is poised to heat up in 2026. With data centers in space taking up more column inches in 2025 and that look like it will continue into the new year. At the same time, the Artemis program has a few major milestones in the US’s mission to get people back to the Moon and to Mars, while the International Space Station moves steadily closer to retirement. Together, these shifts signal a pivotal moment. This should be an interesting year for space.

Movement – Finally we’ll see more movement in the market this year as larger companies continue to swallow up newer, smaller innovators. We saw some significant deals in 2025, but I believe both the M&A and the IPO markets will open up. But please don’t take this as financial advice – it’s just a hunch.