Future of AI
Updated: 22nd January 2026
Predications about the future of AI.
AI becomes more deeply integrated: 2026
► In 2026, AI will become more deeply integrated into products, services and daily life. Like it or loath it, AI is here to stay.
AI raises the productivy of software eningeers: happening now
► In 2026, AI continues to raise the productivity of software engineers, i.e. when Anthropic lauched Claude Opus 4.5 they highlighted its exceptional performance on a 2 hour exam they give to prospective software engineering hires. The AI model scored higher than any human candidate ever. https://web.stanford.edu/~chadj/AIandEconomicFuture.pdf
Underestimation of AI
► The general public, some journalists, politicians and others are unaware of the advances in AI.
Accelerating change: Present day
► Driven by competition amongst AI companies, investment in datacentres, faster chips, improving LLMs, better algorithms.
► There are rapid changes in what AI can do and the ways in which it is used.
► ChatGPT releases Version 5.0 (August 7th 2025).
AI takes over routine tasks
► AI becomes more reliable at handling routine tasks, such as making bookings (i.e. ChatGPT Agent).
Wide dispersion: ongoing
► AI appears in an increasingly wide range of consumer and business products and services.
► Significant changes in the way in which we work and spend our leisure time.
White collar work
► Increasing trend in the automation of white collar screen based tasks.
AI Agents
► AI agents will see widespread adoption. They become increasingly like remote office workers.
► AI becomes more reliable at handling routine tasks such as making bookings (i.e. ChatGPT Agent).
The intelligent home
► Samsung’s Bespoke smart fridges with Instacart integration already announced: recognising low supplies to suggest or auto-order via Instacart. (TechRadar) (The Intelligent Home – blog by Nigel Temple)
AI and healthcare – now to 2027
► The use of AI tools in healthcare is accelerating. AI helps with diagnostics, triage, imaging analysis and disease detection. World Economic Forum
► AI is increasingly used to combine data: imaging, electronic health records, genomics and lifestyle data to support prognosis and personalised treatment. PMC
► Healthcare institutions start to become co-creators of AI solutions, collaborating with technology companies to tailor AI to their needs. PMC
AI will make people more valuable, not less
PwC’s 2025 Global AI Jobs Barometer says that AI can make people more valuable, not less even in the most highly automatable jobs. PwC analysed close to a billion job ads from six continents to uncover AI’s global impact on jobs, skills, wages and productivity.
Jobs most at risk from AI
► According to Microsoft, the following jobs are at the greatest risk of being replaced by AI: interpreters, translators, historians, passenger attendants, sales reps, writers, authors, customer service staff, CNC tool programmers, telephone operators, ticket agents, travel clerks, broadcast announcers, radio DJs.
► Jobs that need someone to attend in person, use their hands (i.e. surgeon, plumber), or provide human interaction are less at risk. See article in: Forbes
Context awareness
► Gartner says that by 2026, context-aware AI will be a business necessity. They say that enterprises integrating contextual AI into their workflows will reduce operating costs by up to 30%. See article in: Brainy.ai
Tesla humanoid robots for sale: 2026
► According to Techcrunch, Tesla will start selling its Optimus humanoid robots to other companies in 2026.
► According to Forbes, Figure (a robotics company), says that humanoid robots may be on sale for consumers by late 2026.
► Elon Musk predicts that the eventual market for humanoid robots will be 20 billion units (commercial and consumer).
China catches up: 2026
► According to AI 2027 China will start to close the gap with American AI in mid 2026.
Coding automation
► Increasingly, AI will automate coding tasks and create interative loops.
Personalised learning
► AI will deliver personalised learning programmes for children and adults.
► Adults will have mulitple careers over their lifetime and personalised learning will help them in this respect.
AGI 2030 or sooner?
► AGI = Artificial General Intellingence, i.e. human-level cognitive abilities.
► News stories will appear regarding the ‘imminent’ confirmation of AGI.
► The CEOs of Google DeepMind, OpenAI and Anthropic have said that AGI will arrive within five years.
► Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic (the company behind Claude AI), has said that we will see early AGI traits in 2026. For example, Nobel Prize level thinking and the ability to reason towards a goal.
► See The road to artificial general intelligence (MIT Technical Review) | When will AGI/Singularity happen? (AIMultiple) | Is AGI close at hand
AI spending your money: 2030s
► Tether’s CEO Paolo Ardoino says that by 2040, one trillion AI agents will hold their own wallets and carry out transactions autonomously using Bitcoin and stablecoins. The agents will function as independent economic actors, capable of making decisions and spending without human intervention.
► Bear in mind that ChatGPT Agent can already do some of this.
A billion bi-pedal robots by 2040. US$9 trillion market by 2050.
► By 2040, Vinod Khosla predicts that there will be a billion bipedal robots carrying out more work than all of humanity put together. He thinks that the car industry is missing out on a huge opportunity here.
► By 2050, the humanoid robot maketplace could be valued at US£9 trillion, according to a study made by the Royal Bank of Canada. RBC went onto comment that 40% of labour based jobs i.e. in farming and manufacturing could be replaced by robots.
What can you do?
► Learn about AI.
► Use it every day.
► Make AI your co-pilot.
Conclusion
► There will be significant changes.
► However, there will be good news as AI helps us to live longer and, hopefully, lead more fulfilling lives.
“I think that most people are underestimating just how radical the upside of AI could be.”
~ Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic (Claude AI)
See also: AI terminology for business people
Nigel Temple
Nigel Temple is an AI futurist, speaker and trainer.
His presentations provide an unbiased view of current AI and what is on the horizon.
To find out more, either use our contact form or email nigel@nigeltemple.com
If you are interested in advertising within this website, visit the Contact page.
