Issue The report names eight adjacent signals and argues sensing beats prediction

Summary

Beyond its five core trends, Deloitte's Tech Trends 2026 lists eight adjacent signals that leaders should keep watching. They range from a possible plateau in foundation models and the effect of synthetic data, through neuromorphic computing, edge AI use cases, AI wearables and biometric authentication, to the privacy cost of AI agents and the rise of generative engine optimization. The report defines a signal not as a forecast but as an observation of forces that are already moving, emerging from the compounding effects it describes elsewhere. Some of these developments may grow into dominant forces while others fade away. Its conclusion is that the winners will not be those who correctly guess which signals turn into trends. Instead, advantage goes to organisations that build the capacity to detect, assess and act on new developments quickly, since waiting for clarity leaves them reacting to shifts rivals already exploit.