The coming year will see AI push deeper into everyday life, but with some major caveats, according to leading Internet Exchange operator DE-CIX’s technology outlook for 2026.
From emotionally intelligent banking assistants capable of detecting frustration in a customer’s voice, to connected ambulances transmitting live video and patient data, these advances promise faster, more personal, and potentially even life-saving services – but they will also demand digital infrastructure that can deliver reliable, secure, low-latency connectivity.
Trend 1: Banking on the emotion AI paradox
In financial services, 2026 will bring two seismic shifts.
A new wave of emotionally adaptive AI promises more natural customer interactions, with systems able to detect stress, hesitation, or frustration in realtime. This is a market now forecast to reach $9-billion by 2030.
At the same time, the US Open Banking rule comes into force, requiring banks to share account data securely via standardised APIs.
This combination of emotionally intelligent AI and embedded finance will accelerate innovation across fintechs and third-party platforms, but will also invite tighter regulatory scrutiny. Europe’s AI Act classifies Emotion AI as a “high-risk” technology, which may result in a regulatory paradox: more AI data, but potentially less freedom to use it.
Sovereign interconnection will be needed to handle sensitive financial, biometric, and emotional data.
Trend 2: Realtime medicine and “care bots”
AI in healthcare has been around for years, but in 2026 it will get a shot in the arm.
From hospital-connected ambulances streaming high-resolution video, to AI-controlled traffic systems that clear routes for emergency vehicles, 2026 will see healthcare step firmly into the era of realtime, AI-powered intervention.
Patient data from wearables and AI-backed electronic health records will reach doctors before arrival, accelerating treatment decisions and improving outcomes. Governments and hospitals are already moving test cases into large-scale programmes, fueling a healthcare connectivity market expected to grow from $95,3-billion in 2024 to $362,7-billion by 2030 – a leap underpinned by 5G, beyond 5G (B5G), and satellite networks.
Trend 3: Agentic AI goes mainstream in manufacturing
In 2026, agentic AI will graduate from the factory floor to orchestrate entire industrial processes – from predictive maintenance and quality control to fully automated production chains.
AI-enabled 3D printing will accelerate personalisation, enabling mass production of customised goods. This aligns with the shift toward re-shoring and hyper-localised micro-factories which reduce supply chain risks and carbon footprints by bringing manufacturing closer to customers.
Even NASA is exploring autonomous 3D printing facilities on the Moon to construct habitats and landing pads from local regolith – an extreme example of how AI-driven, location-agnostic production could reshape the future of industry.
Preparing for the AI-driven industry revolution with AI-Ready infrastructure
As AI embeds itself into industries from banking to healthcare, the decisive factor for success will not be algorithms alone, but the infrastructure that connects them.
Ultra-low latency, secure data exchange, and seamless integration of fibre, mobile, and satellite networks will be critical to ensure services perform instantly and reliably.
In 2026, demand for edge processing and micro data centres will accelerate as businesses push capabilities closer to data sources, creating interconnected urban and industrial hubs where data can be exchanged in realtime.
For DE-CIX, this means innovation in interconnection.
“As businesses push capabilities closer to data sources, micro data centres will proliferate across urban and industrial landscapes,” says Ivo Ivanov, CEO of DE-CIX. “Orchestration of fibre, mobile, and satellite networks in an interconnected mesh will be essential to ensure reach everywhere. Innovative interconnection solutions at Internet Exchanges – from cloud and AI routing to exclusive private environments of selected partners – give companies sovereignty, control, and high-performance connectivity for every AI use case.”