Every year when we put on Predict, people ask me the same question. What is the big story for the year ahead?
For 2026, the answer is not subtle. AI is the story. Not just one of many stories, but the force reshaping how software is built, how infrastructure is designed, how security is enforced, and how businesses compete. That is why this year, Techstrong has named AI as our Person of the Year, the first time we have ever given that distinction to a technology.
You can join us at Predict 2026 by registering now.
This is the eighth year of Predict, and for the first time, the event fully reflects what I originally envisioned when I first imagined it nearly a decade ago. Predict was always meant to be an analyst-driven event. A place where the people who spend their days studying markets, technologies, and behaviors could step back and tell us what they really see coming next. In 2026, that vision finally becomes reality.
AI is No Longer a Trend, It is Infrastructure
Predict 2026 is built around a reality that many organizations are only beginning to grasp. AI is no longer an add-on or an experiment. It is becoming foundational infrastructure.
Agentic AI is starting to act with autonomy. AI factories are emerging as a new operational model. Data centers are being redesigned around power, cooling, and inference efficiency. Security teams are confronting threats that did not exist just a year ago. Development teams are rethinking how software is written, tested, and shipped.
Predict exists to help leaders understand these shifts before they become unavoidable.
If you care about what 2026 looks like, Predict is where you need to be. Register here.
The Futurum Analyst Team Delivers on the Original Vision of Predict
This year, nearly the entire Futurum analyst team will take the Predict stage. These are not vendor pitches or product demos. These are forecasts grounded in research, customer conversations, and real-world deployment experience.
We open the day with a session that sets the tone for much of what follows.
How Will Agentic AI Impact the Licensing and Pricing of SaaS Software
Keith Kirkpatrick of Futurum joins me for a candid discussion on how agentic AI will fundamentally change SaaS business models. As AI agents take on more work, traditional per-seat pricing starts to break down. Enterprises and vendors alike will need new ways to think about value, consumption, and return on investment.
AI and Agent Accelerated Development
Mitch Ashley, VP and practice lead for software lifecycle engineering at The Futurum Group, explores how AI-driven agents are compressing development cycles and reshaping DevOps. This session looks at what development teams must change as velocity accelerates and complexity increases.
2026: The Year Ahead
Daniel Newman, CEO of Futurum, delivers a wide-angle view of what lies ahead. His session connects AI innovation to broader business, economic, and technology trends, helping leaders understand not just what is changing, but why it matters.
AI’s Structural Shifts and Physical Limits
Nick Patience, VP and practice lead for AI Platforms at Futurum, focuses on a topic that does not get enough attention. The physical realities of AI. Power consumption, cooling, hardware specialization, and the rise of small language models will all shape how far and how fast AI can scale.
The Urgency of Addressing the Trust Gap in All Things AI and Agentic
Fernando Montenegro, VP and practice lead for cybersecurity and resilience at Futurum, tackles one of the most pressing issues in AI adoption. Trust. From governance to security to risk management, this session looks at what must be in place before AI systems can truly be trusted with critical workloads.
The Strategic View at Futurum
Tiffani Bova, Futurum’s chief strategy and research officer, brings a strategic lens to the conversation. Her session looks at how AI is influencing growth strategies, competitive differentiation, and leadership decision-making heading into 2026.
These are conversations you will not hear anywhere else. Save your seat!
The Afternoon: AI Moves From Theory to Execution
As the day continues, Predict shifts from macro vision to operational reality.
AI’s Growing Pains Force CIOs to Reinvent Cloud, Security and Operational Strategies
Dion Hinchcliffe, Futurum Distinguished Thought Leader, examines how CIOs are being pushed to rethink everything from cloud architectures to security models as AI workloads strain existing systems.
Data: Enabling the Great AI Acceleration in 2026
Brad Shimmin, VP and practice lead for data intelligence, analytics, and infrastructure at Futurum, focuses on the often overlooked foundation of AI success. Data, architecture, governance, and quality will determine who succeeds and who stalls in the coming year.
Cybersecurity Insights From the RSA Conference Community
AI does not exist in isolation, and neither does risk. Predict 2026 also features analysts connected to the RSA Conference ecosystem, offering a preview of the major cybersecurity themes shaping 2026 and a look ahead to RSAC in March.
These sessions examine how AI is changing threat models, defensive strategies, and the role of security teams across the enterprise.
Join us to understand where cyber meets AI. Register now.
Exclusive Futurum Research and the DevOps Dozen Tradition
Predict attendees will also gain access to a virtual Futurum booth, where you can download exclusive research at no cost, including Futurum Signal reports that are typically reserved for enterprise clients.
And as has become a Predict tradition, we will announce the DevOps Dozen award winners live during the event. These awards recognize the individuals and teams who are not just predicting the future, but actively building it.
Why Predict 2026 Matters
Predict 2026 is not about hype. It is about clarity.
AI’s impact in 2026 will be fast, deep, and unavoidable. Leaders who understand what is coming will have an advantage. Those who do not will spend the year reacting.
If you want an informed perspective instead of noise, and insight you can act on instead of headlines, Predict 2026 is the event you should not miss.
Register now and join us for Predict 2026.
AI is the story of 2026. Predict is where that story comes into focus.
