Forrester Predictions 2026: AI Moves From Hype To Hard Hat Work

Every bubble inevitably bursts, and in 2026, AI will inevitably lose its sheen, trading its tiara for a hard hat. Enterprise ROI concerns will exceed the tensile strength of vendor hyperbole. In the face of this market correction, enterprises will prioritize function over flair. CFOs will get pulled into more AI deals. Companies will distribute their bets across agentic ecosystems and shift talent around as AI agents take over grunt work. Savvy enterprises will invest in AI governance and AI fluency training to mitigate risk and slowly chart their AI voyage.