Key Takeaways
- The Unisys "Top IT Insights for 2026: Navigating the Future of Technology and Business" report identifies 10 trends that will define the next era of enterprise technology
- Focused AI deployments will outpace large-scale transformation projects, with a focus on quality rather than cost-cutting
- AI applications will deliver repeatable, high-ROI results, including chatbots, AI coding agents, and AI-driven service assistants
- Organizations will need to establish post-quantum cryptography strategies to protect against large-scale quantum computers
- AI will accelerate both cyberattacks and defenses, with a focus on fast containment, credible forensics, and resilient recovery
- Data sovereignty requirements will trigger the creation of regional and national clouds, with organizations needing to map their sovereignty requirements early
Introduction to the Report
The Unisys "Top IT Insights for 2026: Navigating the Future of Technology and Business" report provides a comprehensive overview of the key trends that will shape the future of enterprise technology. The report is based on extensive conversations with industry experts and company leaders, and identifies 10 trends that will define the next era of enterprise technology. According to Mike Thomson, chief executive officer and president of Unisys, "In 2026, we are going to see more functional deployments of AI, a focus on quality rather than cost-cutting, and the emergence of AI applications that will deliver repeatable, ROI-driven results."
Trends in AI Deployments
One of the key trends identified in the report is the shift towards focused AI deployments, rather than large-scale transformation projects. These deployments will be smaller, task-based integrations that fold into existing processes, using smaller data sets that are easier to clean and require lower investment thresholds. This approach will enable organizations to achieve quicker results and smoother change management. Additionally, the report highlights the emergence of three AI applications that will break through as repeatable, high-ROI deployments: chatbots for employees and clients, AI coding agents, and AI-driven service assistants. These applications will become packaged, measurable, and quick to deploy, changing how organizations evaluate and choose to invest in AI.
The Future of AI Investments
The report also notes that AI investments will shift from cost reduction to quality improvement. Early AI programs focused primarily on cost reductions because they were easy to model and sell. However, in 2026, AI will deliver greater quality, from measuring how AI improves decision confidence, reduces variance, and elevates outcomes. With quality output, industry leaders say organizations will see increased revenue and improved margins. Furthermore, organizations will train AI models on small, task-specific data sets rather than pursuing scale, leading to more accurate and higher-quality outputs that are more cost-efficient to operate and implement.
The Impact of AI on the Workforce
The report also examines the impact of AI on the workforce, noting that mass layoffs from AI automation will not occur, although entry-level coding positions will shrink. Organizations know that blunt headcount cuts undermine transformation, and instead, leaders will redirect productivity gains to backlog reduction, customer experience, and modernization. AI agents will automate routine coding, further reducing "junior coder" roles. This shift will require organizations to retrain and upskill their workforce to work alongside AI systems, rather than being replaced by them.
Cybersecurity and Post-Quantum Cryptography
The report highlights the importance of establishing post-quantum cryptography strategies, as large-scale quantum computers are on the horizon, and malicious actors are stockpiling encrypted data in "harvest-now, decrypt-later" schemes, putting sensitive data at risk. Organizations must prioritize post-quantum cryptography strategies, including taking inventory of cryptography, establishing mitigation paths, and initiating phased rollouts to align with emerging standards. Additionally, AI will accelerate both cyberattacks and defenses, with a focus on fast containment, credible forensics, and resilient recovery.
Data Sovereignty and Cloud Migration
The report also notes that data sovereignty requirements will trigger the creation of regional and national clouds, with organizations needing to map their sovereignty requirements early and choose platforms with genuine local control. The "lift-and-shift everything" era is over, and large enterprises have completed their major cloud migration efforts and now run on hybrid models. Moving forward, the focus will be on fit-for-purpose placement, private cloud for predictable workloads, sovereign zones for regulated data, and selective rebalancing where needed.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Unisys "Top IT Insights for 2026: Navigating the Future of Technology and Business" report provides a comprehensive overview of the key trends that will shape the future of enterprise technology. The report highlights the importance of focused AI deployments, quality improvement, and post-quantum cryptography strategies, as well as the need for organizations to retrain and upskill their workforce to work alongside AI systems. By understanding these trends, organizations can navigate the complex and rapidly changing technology landscape and unlock their full potential.
