Top AI themes poised to shape 2026: Here’s how

The use of Artificial intelligence (AI) is a pivotal factor in our lives, as most people seek guidance from these applications for everything from business to everyday tasks. Shoppers guided by AI are 31% more likely to buy than those from other sources.

Consumers also appear increasingly comfortable with AI guidance. According to Adobe, visitors arriving via AI-powered recommendations spend 45% more time on sites and view13% more pages per visit.

Following are the predictions for 2026:

Funding surges but IPO market short of full boom

Investors are expecting to add more capital into the hottest private names dominating the AI race while preparing for a longer period of time before they can cash out through prominent IPOs.

The largest foundation model continues to attract funding on a scale commonly associated with scaled public companies.

Findings from the past year demonstrated an extreme concentration of wealth, with a handful of labs absorbing the bulk of AI funding. It has been observed that nearly half of global venture capital in 2025 flowed into AI, and this trend is expected to continue as new capital competes for access for fewer companies.

Data centre constraints shift beyond chips

The industry has spent the past two years fixated on GPUs; however even when chips are available, the real challenge begins. The AI race has become a struggle to secure land, electricity, labor, and long-term infrastructure.

Companies like Microsoft have already adopted a new “Community-first” structure designed to prevent data-centre power costs being passed to consumers. This is clearly a sign that public scrutiny is playing a crucial role in how the AI infrastructure boom unfolds.

A trillion dollar test: Will businesses keep paying?

Enterprise AI spending will determine whether today’s trillions in market cap and billions in startup valuations are sustainable. Tech giants like Amazon and makers of OpenAI and Anthropic are racing for a meaningful share of corporate AI budgets.

However, cloud providers create a circular loop by persuading more enterprises to spend on AI models and infrastructure. To maintain demand and balance, these companies are working to prove the technology’s value. To identify the best models today, one must closely watch whether AI becomes consistent enough this year for companies to justify the continued expense.