As 2026 approaches, the global technology dialogue is undergoing a significant transformation. The focus is no longer solely on what artificial intelligence can achieve, but on how organisations and professionals must fundamentally adapt to an AI-driven landscape. We gathered insights from leading technology executives and practitioners to forecast the defining trends of the coming year and, more critically, to identify the skills that will hold value in an increasingly automated world.
The Rise of Specialised AI and the Skills Evolution
The era of massive, general-purpose AI models is giving way to a new phase of specialisation. By 2026, enterprises will pivot from one-size-fits-all large language models (LLMs) to smaller, purpose-built AI systems. These models will be trained on proprietary company data, deeply understand specific workflows, and operate within strict data governance boundaries. Simultaneously, 'agentic AI'—AI that can plan and execute tasks—will become quietly embedded into everyday enterprise systems like ERP, finance, and security platforms.
For professionals, this shift changes the skill priority. Isolated prompt engineering or model tuning will be less critical than systems thinking. The most sought-after engineers will be those who can bridge software, data, and AI behaviour, understanding data quality, orchestration, failure modes, and governance. As Ramprakash Ramamoorthy, Director of AI Research at ZOHO Corporation, notes, this holistic understanding will separate serious practitioners from casual users.
Voice, Quantum, and Healthcare: Sector-Specific Transformations
Several industries are poised for profound AI-led change. In enterprise operations, voice is predicted to evolve into the primary operating system interface. Krishna Khandelwal, CEO of HUNAR.AI, envisions a shift from transactional voice agents to an 'intelligence loop' where contextual data from conversations continuously improves the AI in real-time. He expects progressive organisations to shift up to 50% of call volumes to these intelligent voice agents.
In computing, quantum technology is reaching a utility-scale inflection point. Amith Singhee of IBM Research India anticipates 2026 will see quantum advantage demonstrated in specific areas like materials science and complex simulations, where classical computers struggle. This progress will stem from a collaborative ecosystem, not a single breakthrough.
The healthcare sector will move from using AI as a standalone feature to deploying it as an intelligent, clinician-supervised system. According to Sanjeev Krishnan Thampi of Siemens Healthineers, the goal is to reduce operational variation and allow clinicians to focus on nuanced decision-making and empathy. Success here demands a T-shaped skillset: deep expertise in one area like AI/ML or imaging, combined with broad knowledge of clinical workflows and ethical governance.
India's Strategic Opportunities and the New Workforce
For India, 2026 presents unique strategic opportunities, particularly in semiconductors. The industry is entering the 'chiplet era,' focusing on advanced packaging over mere transistor shrinkage. Avi Avula of Applied Materials India argues that India can lead by backing open chiplet standards and scaling industry-ready talent in areas like 2.5D/3D integration and power-thermal co-design.
Across the board, AI is evolving from a tool to a co-worker. Samiksha Mishra of R Systems predicts that in Indian GCCs, BFSI, and healthcare, autonomous AI agents will take on end-to-end responsibilities, working alongside human teams. This will fuel demand for hybrid roles like AI integration architects and governance leaders.
However, this advancement brings heightened risks. Cybersecurity threats will become more automated and scalable, driven by agentic AI that can plan entire attack campaigns. Sharda Tickoo of Trend Micro warns that defending against this requires new competencies: understanding adversarial AI, exposure-led prioritisation, and defensive AI fluency.
The unanimous conclusion from tech leaders is clear: the future belongs to those who can blend deep domain expertise with AI literacy. The most valuable professionals will be system architects and problem-framers who can orchestrate AI agents, interpret outcomes critically, and apply human judgment at scale. As AI becomes the enterprise's connective tissue, the winning organisations will be those that empower their people to guide these digital teammates effectively.
