The concept of artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic one. In today’s business environment, it is already integrated into the systems, decisions and strategies that define the organization. The speed and subtlety at which these changes are occurring, however, continue to be underestimated by many leaders.
With the rapid advancement of technology, businesses and professionals are faced with new challenges and opportunities. We see new tools and systems emerging every year that shape the way we work, hire, and grow.
Industry leaders like BeyondTrust, Deloitte, and Gartner are shaping the conversation with bold predictions on cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, workforce evolution, cloud maturity, and the shifting dynamics of the global tech landscape. These trends illustrate the continual evolution of cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data, and security, and what that means for employers as they create teams around these technologies.
The annual forecast, developed by leading BeyondTrust experts, Morey J. Haber, Chief Security Advisor; Christopher Hills, Chief Security Strategist; and James Maude, Field Chief Technology Officer, highlights key developments expected in the next year, as well as those on the horizon expected to redefine security strategies over the next five years and beyond.
Agentic AI Becomes the Ultimate Attack Vector
In the next year, nearly every connected device will embed agentic AI, rapidly expanding convenience, and the attack surface. Rushed deployments and limited oversight will create new vulnerabilities, leading to AI-driven breaches.
The global agentic AI market could reach $45 billion in 2030, but only if enterprises and providers perform proper orchestration.
Legacy VPNs will officially enter their end-of-life phase as organizations move to modern, identity-based remote access solutions. Traditional VPNs will increasingly be viewed as liabilities rather than enablers.
Geolocation Trackers Weaponized
Low-cost tracking devices such as AirTags and Tiles will increasingly be exploited for reconnaissance and hybrid cyber-physical attacks, prompting stricter anti-tracking safeguards.
Gartner’s top strategic predictions for 2026 and beyond highlight the undercurrents of artificial intelligence-driven change.
Distinguished VP Analyst, Chief of Research , Gartner
Prediction: Through 2026, atrophy of critical-thinking skills, due to GenAI use, will push 50% of global organizations to require “AI-free” skills assessments.
As automation accelerates, the ability to think independently and creatively will become both increasingly rare — and increasingly valuable.
The rise of digital nation-state platforms
Prediction: By 2027, 35% of countries will be locked into region-specific AI platforms using proprietary contextual data.
Sovereign AI is no longer a concept — it’s a competitive lever. The lines between governments and vendors are blurring, and the implications stretch far beyond tech. Once locked in, getting out is hard.
AI infiltrates B2B procurement
Prediction: By 2028, 90% of B2B buying will be AI agent intermediaries, pushing over $15 trillion of B2B spend through AI agent exchanges.
Procurement is reprogrammed, not by policy but by invisible agents. TRADITIONAL SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION (SEO) AND PAY-PER-CLICK (PPC) will give way to agent engine optimization. Products will need to be machine-readable, and procurement will shift to efficient, autonomous machine-to-machine transactions.
AI-driven decision automation risks catastrophic loss
Prediction: By the end of 2026, “death by AI” legal claims will exceed 2,000 due to insufficient AI risk guardrails.
Black box systems — AI models whose decision-making processes are opaque or difficult to interpret — can misfire, especially in high-stakes sectors like healthcare, finance and public safety. Explainability, ethical design and clean data will become non-negotiable.
Deloitte shares insights on daily usage of AI within search is expected to be three times greater than the usage of any standalone AI tool.
AI is rewriting the rules of search and software
By 2026, daily usage of AI within search is projected to be three times greater than any standalone AI tool — reshaping how people can discover information. Deloitte predicts that close to one-third (29%) of adults in developed countries will view at least one AI-generated search summary each day, but just 10% will use standalone AI applications daily.
Smarter integration – Agentic AI
Estimates suggest that the global agentic AI market could reach $35 billion in 2030, up from a projected $8.5 billion in 2026. However, Deloitte predicts that if enterprises orchestrate agents better and more thoughtfully address the associated challenges and risks, this market projection could increase by up to 30%, or as high as $45 billion by 2030.
SaaS is getting smarter
It will get more personalized, adaptive, and autonomous. Agentic AI could even begin to replace today’s SaaS tools over time. By the end of 2026, the report says that that as many as 75% of companies may invest in agentic AI, fueling a surge in spending on autonomous AI agents across SaaS platforms.
Together, these predictions point to a future where automation will be smarter, security will be tighter, and technology will be more deeply integrated into business strategies. The road to 2026 is already unfolding-and those who act today will be positioned to thrive in tomorrow’s digital world.
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