The article compiles predictions from eight experts who say 2026 will mark a shift in AI from experimentation to everyday workplace infrastructure, with tools becoming more embedded, specialized, and harder to opt out of. They expect AI to automate more routine knowledge work while amplifying human judgment, creativity, and coordination rather than fully replacing most roles. Several experts highlight growing tensions around trust, transparency, and surveillance, warning that poorly governed AI could deepen burnout, bias, and inequality at work. Others point to a rise in employee driven AI adoption, forcing companies to update policies, training, and leadership practices faster than before. Overall, the experts argue that organizations that invest early in skills, ethics, and human centered design will gain a lasting advantage as AI becomes a standard part of how work gets done.
