Industry executives and experts share their predictions for 2026. Read them in this 18th annual VMblog.com series exclusive.
By Karl Chan, CEO of Laserfiche
AI and automation are transforming the world in ways few could have predicted just a few short years ago. In 2025, adoption of AI tools across enterprises surged, with 88% of organizations integrating these technologies in some form.
As we enter 2026, workplaces across industries, from government and education to finance and manufacturing, will continue evolving alongside rapidly advancing technology. Organizations that want to keep pace will need to understand and prepare for the following trends and challenges shaping the year ahead.
AI will advance rapidly, transforming business and daily life faster than past innovations
In the coming year, AI technology is set to advance faster than most anticipate. AI adoption is almost double that of personal computers and is outpacing the adoption of the internet as well, according to a study by the National Bureau of Economic Research.
Organizations can already leverage AI to save time and reduce costs. Still, in many ways, we’re at a stage comparable to the internet in 1986; full of promise yet only beginning to reveal its transformative potential.
AI tools will be standard, and organizations should prepare for high-impact AI agents
As we head into 2026, generative AI tools are becoming table stakes, expected as standard features in any enterprise SaaS platforms. AI agents, autonomous tools capable of executing complex tasks, are advancing rapidly. As their commercial viability becomes clear, enterprises will begin moving agents beyond experimentation into practical, real-world applications.
Now is the ideal time for knowledge workers to familiarize themselves with agentic AI, considering processes and workflows that can be offloaded to AI agents. By doing so, organizations will be prepared to harness more sophisticated and high-impact AI agents efficiently as they become mainstream.
Automation will refocus knowledge workers on higher-impact strategic work
As AI takes over repetitive tasks, such as data entry, scheduling, reporting and document management, the role of knowledge workers will refocus on strategic work that drives business growth and innovation, and requires the human touch. However, the key challenge is that nearly half of employees reportedly hide their use of AI at work, feeling uneasy about adopting it openly. To fully realize the benefits of automation, organizations will need to foster a culture of transparency around AI usage, provide clear guidelines on ethical and effective use, and create systems that integrate AI contributions into workflows without compromising trust or accountability.
Additionally, leadership decision-making will increasingly be reshaped by AI insights. Advanced analytics and predictive models can surface trends, highlight risks, and inform strategy more quickly than traditional methods. However, a lot of uncertainty remains around privacy, loss of control, potential inaccuracies or hallucinations, and unclear guidelines around AI usage as technology moves faster than regulators.
While AI can provide data-driven recommendations, human judgment and context will still be essential. AI will be used more so as a powerful tool to help leaders explore scenarios, prioritize actions, and make faster, more informed choices while still applying their expertise, experience, and ethical considerations.
Trust in data, AI and vendors will be critical for shaping enterprise adoption of new technologies
While organizations face pressure to adopt AI for efficiency, automation and competitiveness, they must also navigate growing demands to protect data and comply with evolving privacy laws, creating a tension between rapid enterprise adoption and responsible, secure usage.
Trust will be a defining factor in how successfully enterprises implement AI. With 1 in 10 employees describing AI adoption in their workplace as “the Wild West,” organizations need to ensure the transparency, accuracy, and ethical use of the data that powers their AI systems. Choosing credible vendors who prioritize security, compliance, and transparency will be the key difference between successful AI adoption and costly missteps.
Geopolitics, privacy, and data sovereignty will massively influence AI growth
In the next 3-5 years, AI growth will be heavily influenced by geopolitics, privacy concerns, and data sovereignty requirements. As countries implement region-specific regulations, companies will increasingly need to develop ways of working with AI that are tailored to local laws and compliance standards. This fragmentation of AI ecosystems will increase costs, introduce operational complexity, and potentially slow the pace of innovation.
