Orlando, Fla., November 3, 2025: Gartner, Inc., a leading provider of business and technology insights, today announced its top strategic predictions for 2026 and beyond. These predictions explore how artificial intelligence (AI), digital sovereignty, and evolving talent dynamics will shape the future of organizations worldwide.
“The risks and opportunities of rapid technology change are increasingly affecting human behavior and choices,” said Daryl Plummer, VP, Distinguished Analyst, Gartner Fellow, and Chief of AI Research at Gartner. “To properly prepare for the future, CIOs and executive leaders should prioritize behavioral changes alongside technological changes as first-order priorities.”
Leading 10 Gartner Strategic Predictions for 2026 and Beyond
1. Through 2027, GenAI and AI agent use will disrupt mainstream productivity tools, triggering a $58 billion market shift.
Generative AI (GenAI) innovations will accelerate work completion and reduce reliance on legacy software formats. New entrants will compete on speed, usability, and integration, reshaping the productivity landscape.
2. By 2027, 75% of hiring processes will include AI proficiency testing.
Organizations will adopt standardized AI skill assessments to ensure workforce readiness. Proficiency in AI will directly influence hiring, salaries, and advancement opportunities.
3. Through 2026, 50% of global organizations will mandate “AI-free” skills assessments to counter atrophying critical-thinking abilities.
Companies will emphasize independent problem-solving and reasoning skills, particularly in high-stakes industries such as healthcare, finance, and law. A new market for AI-free evaluation tools will emerge.
4. By 2027, 35% of countries will be bound to region-specific AI platforms built on proprietary contextual data.
Geopolitical and cultural forces will fragment the AI landscape, driving localization of platforms and data. Global firms will need to navigate complex multi-platform strategies and compliance frameworks.
5. By 2028, organizations using multiagent AI for 80% of customer interactions will dominate their industries.
Hybrid AI systems combining automation and human empathy will redefine customer experience, setting new standards for responsiveness and retention.
6. By 2028, 90% of B2B buying will be AI agent–intermediated, channeling over $15 trillion in transactions.
AI-driven exchanges will transform B2B sales into a high-frequency, data-verified marketplace, dramatically shortening sales cycles and increasing transparency.
7. By the end of 2026, legal claims related to “death by AI” will exceed 1,000 globally.
Failures in AI safety and governance will trigger lawsuits and heightened regulatory scrutiny. Enterprises will be compelled to showcase robust AI guardrails and ethical practices to mitigate risks.
8. By 2030, 22% of global monetary transactions will be programmable, empowering AI agents with economic agency.
Machine-to-machine transactions and programmable money will enable new autonomous business models and reshape financial ecosystems.
9. By 2027, the cost-to-value gap in process-centric service contracts will narrow by 50% due to agentic AI.
AI agents will uncover and apply tacit organizational knowledge, creating dynamic, value-based pricing models that transcend labor-driven workflows.
10. By 2027, fragmented AI regulation will encompass 50% of the world’s economies, driving $5 billion in compliance investments.
The global regulatory landscape for AI will expand rapidly, pushing organizations to adopt specialized governance frameworks and compliance programs.
The Path Forward
Gartner emphasizes that AI’s transformative potential comes with new dimensions of risk and accountability. Organizations must pair innovation with governance, building systems that are ethical, transparent, and resilient.
AI governance programs with dedicated staff, budget, and compliance software will become a boardroom priority as regulatory complexity deepens across global markets.