AI Trends 2026
Five key AI trends affecting CIOs.
The Situation
AI evolves, and the world shifts with it. CIOs and IT leaders must leverage AI opportunities without compromising ambitious goals, core values, or secure and responsible governance.
Five AI trends will shape IT in 2026
Our report unpacks the macro trends shaping AI and ties each one back to IT strategy, governance, and transformation.
1. Foundational AI principles will rewrite organizational DNA
Enterprises will develop their own guiding AI principles to address rising AI risk and align their AI strategy around core organizational values.
2. From copilots to vibe coding: AI will continue to reinvent IT
New categories of enterprise AI tools will emerge, propelling many organizations toward a crucial decision: AI platform or best-of-breed AI tools?
3. Agentic AI will come of age and power the exponential enterprise
Although current adoption of agentic AI is low, it will grow faster than generative AI, powering exponential growth and change across organizations while bringing new opportunities and risks.
4. Risk management will be the price of admission for AI
The potential risks of new AI applications will drive organizations to adopt AI risk management programs, even in jurisdictions with no regulatory requirement.
5. AI will hang in the balance between freedom and control
AI sovereignty will become top of mind for regulators, but legislative policies will develop in a disjointed fashion around the world.
Blueprint Contents
ITRG Provides Proven Results for IT Leaders
30,000+
ITRG members spanning the Global 2000
$400M+
Cut from IT costs with our pricing intelligence and advisory support
+8%
Increase in stakeholder satisfaction where IT leaders used Info-Tech services
9.5/10
Member-related value across +50,000 analyst calls, workshops and projects
About Info-Tech Research Group
Info-Tech Research Group is the world’s fastest-growing information technology research and advisory company, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals.
We produce unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. We partner closely with IT teams to provide everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.
Our Offices
Arlington, VA
1225 South Clark Street, Suite 1310
Arlington, VA, USA
22202
Las Vegas, NV
3960 Howard Hughes Parkway, Suite 500
Las Vegas, NV, USA
89169
London, ON
345 Ridout Street North
London, ON, Canada
N6A 2N8
London, UK
10 York Road, Suite 5W127
London, United Kingdom
SE1 7ND
Singapore
71 Robinson Road, #14-130
Singapore
068895
Sydney, NSW
320 Pitt Street, Level 6
Sydney, NSW, Australia
2000
Toronto, ON
888 Yonge Street
Toronto, ON, Canada
M4W 2J2