Until recently, the conversation revolved around technology adoption: migrating, automating, experimenting with AI. But 2026 will bring a much higher bar. Organizations will need to coherently integrate everything they have implemented, align it with their business strategy, and ensure it works at scale.
The CIO’s priority will no longer be to add tools. Instead, the focus will be on building intelligent architectures capable of connecting data, processes, applications, and AI models under a single governance framework. This means thinking in terms of platforms, end-to-end flows, and cross-cutting security. Isolated initiatives will no longer have a place.

AI: The backbone of the business
Market consulting firms around the world agree on one point: AI is consolidating as the nervous system of the entire organization. This trend aligns with Nubiral’s perspective, which proposes building secure, scalable, AI-ready infrastructures based on six pillars: cloud, data, cloud-native software, DevOps, cybersecurity, and AI itself.
In addition, Gartner, in its Top Strategic Technology Trends 2026 report, highlights three capabilities that will be critical to making this leap. The first is native AI development (creating and extending solutions without relying on rigid environments). The second is applied supercomputing (key for models that analyze complex contexts or predict critical business events). Finally, confidential computing (which protects sensitive data even during processing).
Without a solid architecture behind them, many initiatives could end up fragmented or without a clear return. Forrester revealed that one quarter of CIOs will need to rescue failed AI-for-business initiatives within their organizations. The conclusion is clear: we are moving from hype to value. Innovation must translate into efficiency, customer experience, and operational resilience.
Intelligent agents: The new digital workforce
Autonomous agents will be the major inflection point. They do not just interact with users: they reason, execute actions, coordinate tasks, and collaborate with one another. This redefines the dynamic between people and technology. IDC predicts that by 2030, 45% of organizations will have implemented agents at an organizational scale.
The potential of this technology cannot be realized through disconnected pilots; it requires a systemic vision. The challenge lies in how to orchestrate intelligent agents that operate across complex flows, integrated with enterprise applications, databases, and mission-critical systems.
The answer involves modular architecture design, end-to-end integration, full observability, and governance models that ensure security and traceability.
Data: The axis of trust and scalability
Data readiness is taking center stage. According to IDC, by 2027, companies that do not prioritize high-quality, AI-ready data will struggle to scale GenAI and agentic solutions, resulting in a 15% loss in productivity.
Meanwhile, several trends highlighted by Gartner underscore the critical importance of data protection. One is confidential computing, which aims to protect data not only in transit or at rest, but also while it is being processed. Another is digital provenance, which seeks to certify the authenticity and traceability of AI-generated content and protect organizations against misinformation and fraud.
New challenges around the cloud
According to Forrester, cloud computing in 2026 will be shaped by infrastructure fragility, enterprise autonomy through private cloud, and AI-native innovation from neoclouds. Regarding the latter, the firm notes that they may begin to gain ground against hyperscalers.
Along the same lines, IDC states that 80% of organizations will need to upgrade their cloud environments to specialized platforms for AI workloads by 2027.
In a context of global tensions, Gartner also warns about the growing importance of geopatriation. Under this trend, companies will reassess where they host their data, models, and services to ensure sovereignty, regulatory compliance, and operational continuity.
Conclusion
If we had to sum up what 2026 will bring in a single phrase, it would likely be this: true evolution begins when the pieces connect.
AI, agents, automation, data, cloud, cybersecurity, and digital platforms should not grow in parallel, but as parts of a single living, scalable, and secure system.
Organizations that master this orchestration today will be shaping the landscape that will allow them to compete in the future.
Does your organization need help translating these trends into a concrete roadmap, with clear priorities, governance, and execution? We have a team of experts ready to help — schedule your meeting!
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