The Future of Tech: Trends Shaping 2026 and Beyond
Reading the signals
Every year we ask our speakers what they are paying the most attention to. The answers rarely line up perfectly, but a few themes come up again and again. Here are the trends that shaped this year’s program, and the sessions where you can hear more about them.
AI that does the work, not just the writing
The conversation has moved from chat assistants to software that can complete multi-step tasks on its own: filing a report, reconciling data or preparing a first draft of a design. The open questions are about reliability, oversight and how teams change when routine work is handed off.
Smaller, faster, closer
Not every problem needs the largest model in the cloud. More teams are running compact models on laptops, phones and local servers to cut costs, protect sensitive data and respond faster. Expect to hear a lot about choosing the right tool for the job rather than the biggest one.
Three more to watch
- Energy-aware computing: data centers are under pressure to use less power, and efficiency is becoming a product feature
- Privacy by design: stricter rules are pushing companies to collect less data and explain more
- No-code and low-code tools: more people can now build working software without writing it line by line
What it means for you
You don’t need to follow every trend. The useful question is which of these changes will reach your customers, your team or your industry first. Our Future of Tech sessions on both mornings are built to help you answer it, with examples from people already working through these shifts.
