Megatrends 2026

Digital experiences are no longer siloed environments and become real-world operating systems. The use of digital twins makes it possible to create accurate virtual representations of physical objects and systems that are updated with real-time data. In the industrial field, this facilitates the simulation of logistics flows at airports or training in highly dangerous environments without physical risks, optimising decision-making before any material execution.

Generative spatial design makes it possible to materialize urban structures and technical parts through voice commands, automatically integrating physical laws and material constraints. This evolution towards more natural interfaces seeks to reduce the friction of current hardware. The development of smart contact lenses and lightweight devices will facilitate an invisible integration of spatial computing into the daily routine.

Biology is transformed into an engineering discipline where the genetic code is treated with software logic. AI-powered synthetic biology makes it possible to design novel proteins and drugs that fit precisely into specific receptors in the body. This capacity is supported by biofoundries, autonomous laboratories where robots guided by algorithms execute uninterrupted scientific cycles to industrialize the discovery of personalized treatments.

Biological digital twins replicate the patient’s individual biology to perform treatment simulations in virtual environments before their actual application. This holistic approach integrates clinical, metabolic and lifestyle data to overcome the fragmentation of medical specialties. The objective is constant accompaniment that reduces the distance between life expectancy and the years of full health.

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are moving towards directly translating thoughts into digital actions, dispensing with keyboards or voice. The research focuses on non-invasive sensors made of materials such as graphene that capture neuronal activity with high resolution. A key milestone is imagined speech decoding, where AI converts brain impulses into synthetic speech, restoring the ability to communicate to people with severe neuromotor disorders.

These technologies allow proactive stimuli to be applied to treat severe depression or Parkinson’s, learning from the patient’s response in real time. However, the ability to intervene in brain circuits introduces debates about mental privacy and cognitive autonomy. Neurorights emerge as legal protection against the possibility of monitoring or influencing the last refuge of human identity: consciousness.

Automation shifts from physical tasks to cognitive, analytical, and creative functions. In this scenario, differential human value focuses on capacities that are difficult to replicate: critical thinking, ethical judgment, empathy and collaboration in complex contexts. Artificial intelligence is integrated as a co-pilot that personalizes learning, allowing people to spend more time solving abstract problems and in-depth discussions.

Deep literacy in AI becomes essential from primary education to train citizens with digital criteria. This requires integrating the humanities with STEM disciplines to interpret the ethical implications of technology. Organizations adopt liquid talent and lifelong learning models, where human well-being and the protection of sustained attention become strategic factors to maintain competitiveness in environments saturated with stimuli.

Quantum computing converges with the advanced semiconductor industry, focusing its evolution on the development of specialized hardware. NISQ (Intermediate Scale Quantum with Noise) systems already enable useful applications in specific niches, while research on silicon qubits promises to democratize access through standard manufacturing processes. The future of computing is hybrid, dynamically assigning each computation to the most appropriate system, be it a classical GPU or a quantum resource.

The most disruptive application is in molecular simulation, allowing atomic interactions to be modelled that classical computers cannot process. This accelerates the design of new drugs, efficient fertilizers, and energy-dense batteries. In finance and logistics, technology optimizes investment portfolios and complex supply chains. Its adoption will be incremental, quietly integrating as a deep lever to address the most complex scientific problems.