What these Aussie tech execs forecast for 2026

As we move into 2026, Australian tech leaders are sharing their perspectives on trends that are set to reshape the industry this year. From the maturation of artificial intelligence to the transformation of healthcare, here's what four executives predict will define this year. 

2026 will be the year AI hype begins to deflate

Simon Kriss, co-founder and CEO of Sovereign Australia AI, believes that after two years of promises, the hype machine behind AI could only be satisfied by true Artificial General Intelligence. This looks very unlikely to happen in the next 12 months, and as such, organisations are moving past buzzwords and performative "AI rollouts" towards understanding where AI genuinely delivers value. Claims of mass job replacement and instant transformation won't stop, but they will start to fade, replaced by more pragmatic, outcomes-driven experimentation as the industry matures in 2026.

Widespread misunderstanding of what AI can and cannot do has been the biggest brake on adoption. Far too many people are using language models to do maths, for example. In 2026, growing AI literacy will help organisations recognise that today's systems are narrow tools, not human-like intelligence, unlocking safer, more responsible use in the second half of the year.

Kriss believes the dominance of single platforms like ChatGPT and Copilot is going to slowly give way to a more mature ecosystem, where organisations use different AI models for language, maths, vision and analysis. Treating AI as a toolkit rather than a silver bullet will be the defining shift of the next phase.
 

AI systems will earn autonomy gradually

Ken Brand, co-founder and CTO of Restoke.ai, sees human oversight becoming the starting point rather than the model itself. Most AI systems this year will begin with humans firmly in the loop, only gaining autonomy as they prove themselves reliable. This represents a significant shift from attempting full automation from day one.

Instead of using AI for isolated tasks, Brand also predicts businesses will increasingly hand over responsibility for entire outcomes, such as reducing costs, improving availability or optimising supply. The competitive edge will come from embedding AI into everyday operations at scale, not from running endless pilot programs. He believes that the most valuable AI will operate invisibly within infrastructure, platforms, and workflows, with impact measured through improved reliability, speed, and efficiency rather than flashy interfaces.

Privacy-first platforms will dominate

Zsofi Paterson, CEO of Tinybeans, observes families increasingly seeking alternatives to mainstream social media for sharing memories. Parents want private, invite-only spaces where they keep control of their photos and data without exposure to public feeds or algorithmic manipulation.

Paterson notes that parents are embracing AI-powered tools for caregiving, education and general lifestyle, while parenting apps are evolving beyond simple tracking features. Apps that blend memory keeping and family management are increasingly important in the modern digital home.

Technology will extend our health span

Dr Nigel Finch, COO and CFO of Australis Scientific, describes 2026 as the entry point to Medicine 3.0 - a shift toward preventative, predictive and personalised healthcare focused on extending health span, not just lifespan. 

Care is no longer confined to clinical settings. Remote monitoring, connected diagnostics, and at-home testing allow clinicians to track health trends continuously, rather than rely on occasional snapshots. Earlier risk detection, better chronic disease management, and fewer unnecessary hospital visits are becoming possible, improving outcomes while reducing system strain.

Digital health should not be viewed as an add-on. It is becoming the backbone of modern healthcare delivery. Secure platforms, interoperable systems, and AI-enabled analytics are enabling longitudinal insights that support proactive, data-driven decision making. This allows intervention before deterioration, rather than response after decline. 

While Finch acknowledges challenges around data governance, equitable access, and clinical adoption, he sees a clear trajectory: healthcare is shifting from reactive to proactive, centralised to distributed, and episodic to continuous.