Business Communications & IT Trends to Watch in 2026

In communications: AI will transcribe, summarise, and translate meetings in real-time, bridging global teams.

In IT: Agent-based AI will detect and resolve incidents without human intervention, improving uptime and reducing IT ticket backlogs.

Smarter meeting rooms with automated cameras, noise suppression, and AI-powered transcription will put remote and in-person staff on equal footing.

Businesses will invest in unified communications platforms that tie voice, video, messaging, and collaboration tools together in a single interface.

Biometrics, hardware keys, and single sign-on will become the default for business systems.

Combined with AI-driven anomaly detection, businesses can strike the balance between seamless access and strong security.

Finance, HR, sales, and IT processes will be integrated end-to-end through AI and low-code automation platforms.

Repetitive tasks like invoice reconciliation, employee onboarding, or customer follow-ups will run with minimal human intervention, freeing teams to focus on strategy and creativity.

Organisations will increasingly use real-time analytics for decision-making, from predicting customer demand to preventing system downtime.

The winners will be those who not only collect data but also structure, govern, and use it ethically to fuel innovation

Low-code/no-code platforms will empower non-technical teams to solve workflow bottlenecks themselves.

IT leaders will shift into platform enablers, providing safe, governed environments where these tools can thrive.

Cloud contact centres will combine AI-powered self-service with human agents for complex queries.

Personalisation will go deeper—expect video-based outreach, proactive service alerts, and predictive engagement that anticipates customer needs.

AI everywhere: From meetings to IT, AI shifts from helpful assistant to active collaborator.

Hybrid 2.0: Workplaces will focus on equitable, seamless communication across channels.

Security without friction: Passwordless access and smart detection will be the new norm.

Automation at scale: Processes across the business will be streamlined with AI and workflows.

Data-driven decisions: Real-time insights and ethical data practices will separate leaders from laggards.

Citizen development: Non-technical staff will help build the apps and workflows they need.

CX powered by tech: Communications platforms will define how customers perceive your business.

Invest in platforms, not point solutions – choose integrated communication and IT platforms that grow with your needs.

Pilot AI now – experiment with AI in one or two areas (IT support, sales enablement, or customer service) and scale successful use cases.

Prioritise security upgrades – move towards passwordless authentication and strengthen governance before threats outpace your defences.

Empower teams – adopt low-code/no-code tools under IT oversight to unlock creativity across the business.

Focus on data maturity – ensure data collection, storage, and analysis are structured for long-term value