NetRom Software presents the 10 most important software trends for 2026

In 2026, the IT sector is shifting its focus from experimentation to the scalable implementation of AI-driven development. These developments are now delivering measurable productivity gains beyond isolated use cases, while GreenOps has evolved from a secondary concern into a strategic core value. Together, these 10 software trends for 2026 enable organizations to innovate faster and more responsibly, while also presenting significant challenges: how to make the right choices and how to implement them effectively? 2026 is set to be another dynamic year.

The 10 most important software trends for 2026

1. AI-driven development transforms the developer experience

AI is redefining the software development lifecycle by augmenting development teams with intelligent code assistance, automated testing strategies, and predictive error detection. Tools such as GitHub Copilot increase productivity by 10 to 55 percent by automating repetitive tasks and reducing development lead times. AI-driven testing improves software quality by identifying edge cases and adapting test scenarios in real time. AI does not replace developers, but increases their strategic impact by enabling faster value delivery.

2. GreenOps makes sustainability measurable

With the IT sector accounting for approximately 1.4 percent of global CO₂ emissions, GreenOps has become essential. It focuses on minimizing energy consumption and carbon emissions within cloud environments. Teams gain real-time insight into the environmental impact of their code through platforms such as Cloud Carbon Footprint and GreenFrame, making sustainability an integral part of every technical decision. By optimizing cloud architectures and server usage, organizations can achieve cost savings of up to 40 percent while significantly reducing their carbon footprint.

3. High-performance programming languages gain momentum

Languages such as Rust, Go, and Carbon are becoming the standard for modern applications. They offer superior memory safety and lower latency compared to C++, with performance improvements of up to 50 percent for certain workloads. Rust is now widely used in the core of Linux and Android, while Google is developing Carbon as a successor to C++. The benefits are twofold: improved performance for end users and lower infrastructure costs for organizations.

4. AI-driven hyper-personalization reaches new levels

In 2026, personalization evolves into dynamic ecosystems that adapt user interfaces in real time based on individual behavior, preferences, and context. Machine learning models analyze user interactions to generate predictive recommendations, ranging from personalized dashboards to adaptive e-commerce experiences. This requires a balance between advanced data infrastructures and privacy-by-design principles, with transparency in data collection forming the foundation of user trust.

5. Multi-agent systems: the breakthrough of agentic AI

2026 marks the year of multi-agent systems, in which autonomous AI agents collaborate to solve complex problems. Gartner has reported a 1,445 percent increase in demand for these systems, signaling a shift from theory to practical application. In practice, agents are used to optimize business processes, detect cybersecurity threats, and enhance multi-channel customer support. The growing challenge lies in governance and data sovereignty: ensuring that agents, as well as the data they use and generate, operate within defined ethical and business frameworks.

6. Edge computing and 5G ecosystems

Edge computing brings data processing closer to the source, significantly reducing latency and optimizing bandwidth usage. Combined with the low latency of 5G networks (under 10 milliseconds), this enables technologies such as autonomous vehicles and remote surgery. Decisions are made locally within milliseconds, which is critical for the millions of devices in modern IoT networks. In industrial environments, edge AI supports predictive maintenance, reducing downtime by 30 to 50 percent.

7. Immersive AR/VR platforms become mainstream

Advances in hardware, such as the latest generation of mixed-reality headsets, and standards like WebXR are making AR and VR accessible through the browser without complex installations. The focus is on business applications, including virtual showrooms that reduce physical store visits, remote maintenance scenarios where technicians receive hands-free support, and industrial digital twins for factory optimization. Training and onboarding through VR reduce training time by an average of 30 percent and significantly improve knowledge retention.

8. Internet of Behavior (IoB)

IoB combines data from wearables, smartphones, and online behavior to identify patterns and positively influence behavior through personalized interventions. This creates opportunities in areas such as healthcare, where real-time monitoring of vital signs enables early warnings, and the insurance sector, where risk-based pricing can be refined. At the same time, this requires strict compliance with GDPR and clear ethical frameworks to safeguard user privacy.

9. MLOps and AIOps evolve toward intelligent automation

The MLOps market is expected to grow to more than USD 73 billion by 2035. In 2026, we see the rise of self-healing systems that predict incidents and recover autonomously without human intervention, reducing downtime by 60 to 80 percent. The emerging discipline of AgentOps focuses specifically on managing autonomous AI systems to prevent data drift and loss of accuracy through continuous monitoring and automated retraining.

10. WebAssembly (Wasm) extends beyond the browser

With the release of WASI 0.3.0 in early 2026, WebAssembly is positioning itself as a viable alternative to containers. Thanks to cold start times of less than one millisecond (compared to seconds for containers) and a minimal memory footprint of only a few megabytes, Wasm enables a true “write once, run anywhere” approach for cloud and edge computing. Major platforms such as Cloudflare Workers and Fastly Compute@Edge base their serverless offerings entirely on Wasm.