Report reveals 5 trends to watch for 2026 around the push for AI outcomes, cybersecurity, workforce renovation and more
DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. – Technology and business professionals are counting on greater operational efficiencies and enhanced productivity to drive growth in 2026, according to a new report from CompTIA, Inc., the world's leading provider of vendor-neutral information technology (IT) training and certification products.
CompTIA’s “IT Industry Outlook 2026” finds that a net 77% of respondents feel good about their organization’s prospects in the new year. Just over half (51%) expect to exceed 2025 levels of revenue and profitability, while 29% expect to match this year’s financial performance. More than 1,000 business and tech professionals were surveyed for the report.
Economic uncertainty, trade turmoil and customers spending less are among the external factors that weigh on growth prospects.
CompTIA’s annual outlook report identifies five trends that will drive technology and business strategy over the next 12 months.
- The AI push continues…along with the push for organizational value
- Cybersecurity expands its reach…and training evolves to keep up
- Businesses double down on data practices…building toward strategic objectives
- Automation drives workflow renovation…with strong technical teams behind the effort
- Workforce pipelines become a focal point…as companies translate skills to tasks
“Operational improvements are impacted by performance in each of these five areas,” said Seth Robinson, vice president, industry research. CompTIA. “Artificial intelligence adoption may become a top factor in these improvements, but workflow transformation and skills building will also be necessary ingredients in positive outcomes, with cybersecurity the overarching consideration.”
Companies are making progress in their digital transformation efforts, with 54% of professionals saying their organizations have a partially digitized workflow now and are working on further digitization and automation. Three of the top five drivers for optimism about 2026 projections are related to additional operational improvements.
- Improved operational efficiency (51% of respondents)
- Using AI for productivity (45%)
- Reaching new customer segments (45%)
- Improvement in sales/marketing (42%)
- New lines of business or new products (37%)
On the AI front, 84% of business and tech professionals anticipate a significant or moderate increase in AI investments. A net 94% report they are at least somewhat likely to invest in AI-specific training in 2026.
“It will be critical for companies to understand the total cost of AI implementation and to ensure a workforce capable of deriving business value,” Robinson noted.
The need to develop new cybersecurity strategies and skills in a fast-changing digital business environment is another business priority. Data security (52% of respondents), security data analysis (43%), securing AI-enabled operations (42%) and risk management (42%) are areas they identify as requiring a robust workforce and pipeline of future talent.
Similarly, most firms are not highly capable in data practices, from the foundational components of data management to more advanced analytics and security skills. About one-half of companies intend to invest in training for data specialists, training their entire workforce on data basics and investing in hardware and software to improve data architecture.
More broadly, training existing employees is the preferred approach to address skills gaps in 2026.
“This allows companies to capitalize on the institutional knowledge they already possess while expanding expertise and best practices to tackle new tasks in AI environments, especially when training is combined with industry-recognized certifications that validate knowledge and skills,” Robinson said.
CompTIA’s “IT industry Outlook 2026” is based on a survey of 1,012 business and technology professionals. The report is available at https://www.comptia.org/en-us/resources/research/it-industry-outlook-2026/.
About CompTIA
CompTIA, Inc. is dedicated to unlocking potential for students, career changers, and professionals pursuing technology careers. Through education, training, certifications, and research, it promotes industry growth, builds a skilled workforce, and ensures technology's benefits are accessible to everyone.