As we step into 2026, technology is entering a decisive phase—one where scale, intelligence, and trust must move in lockstep. After years of rapid digitisation, organisations are now being challenged to make technology not just more powerful, but more responsible, resilient, and human-centric. From digital payments and customer engagement to loyalty ecosystems, AI is no longer an experimental layer—it is the operating fabric of modern digital experiences. Yet, the differentiator will not be who adopts AI fastest, but who embeds it thoughtfully, securely, and seamlessly into real-world journeys.
Industry leaders believe the coming year will be defined by context-aware intelligence, privacy-first architectures, and platforms that unify engagement, commerce, and trust. Below are key predictions from technology leaders on what 2026 holds.
Trust-centric digital payments will define the next growth wave
Alias Varghese Mangalath, Head of Engineering, Wibmo (a PayU company)
As digital payment volumes continue to rise exponentially, trust will emerge as the defining currency of the ecosystem. In 2026, security will no longer operate as a visible checkpoint but as an integral part of the payment experience itself. Authentication is expected to move away from static, rule-based mechanisms toward intelligent, context-aware systems that dynamically balance strong security with minimal friction.
While multi-factor authentication will remain foundational, its real impact will lie in how seamlessly it is embedded into resilient, interoperable payment infrastructures. The convergence of AI-driven decision-making, cloud-native architectures, and privacy-by-design principles will enable payment systems that are not only secure but adaptive and responsive at scale. Ultimately, success in digital payments will be measured not by technological sophistication alone, but by how effortlessly platforms enable secure, trusted, and inclusive commerce—empowering consumers and enterprises to transact with confidence in a digital-first economy.
On trust, reliability, and AI as embedded infrastructure in 2026
Ankit Agrawal, Co-founder & CTO, Cityflo
As digital platforms scale, trust is no longer built through visible controls or manual interventions, but through predictability engineered into the system. In mobility, reliability has become the core product — designed through data, deeply integrated platforms, and continuous optimisation. Generative AI is emerging as an operational co-pilot, helping teams anticipate disruptions, summarise complex signals, and move from reactive firefighting to proactive decision-making. In 2026, innovation will be measured not by the number of features, but by how seamlessly technology delivers dependable, confidence-led experiences at scale.
AI-powered engagement will move from automation to autonomy
Harsha Solanki, VP & GM Asia, Infobip
Customer engagement has entered the age of intelligence, with AI now acting as the core engine powering interactions at global scale. The past year underscored this shift, with platforms handling billions of interactions during peak events such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday—demonstrating AI’s ability to deliver hyper-personalised, omnichannel experiences without compromising speed or security.
By 2026, AI-powered agents are expected to manage up to 95% of routine customer interactions, evolving far beyond basic chatbots. These agentic models will be capable of autonomous, context-rich conversations, allowing human teams to focus on scenarios requiring empathy, judgment, and strategic thinking.
At the same time, platforms such as WhatsApp and RCS are rapidly transforming into super apps—integrating messaging, marketing, and payments within a single interface to deliver seamless, end-to-end customer journeys. As regulatory frameworks like the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDA) and updated telecom cybersecurity rules shape data governance, organisations that successfully unify first-party and internal data—while remaining compliant—will unlock trusted, intelligent engagement at scale.
Loyalty will shift from points to intelligent, continuous engagement
Dhruv Verma, Founder & CEO, Thriwe
By 2026, loyalty programs will undergo a fundamental transformation—from transactional point-based models to intelligent, continuous engagement engines. Brands will increasingly rely on AI-powered personalisation, including agentic recommendation capabilities, to deliver rewards, nudges, and communications tailored to individual behaviour in real time and across touchpoints.
This evolution is being driven by a more unified, data-led understanding of customer signals, enabling loyalty ecosystems to move beyond rigid, rule-based frameworks. Instead, programs will adapt dynamically to changing contexts, preferences, and moments of intent. As a result, loyalty will emerge as a scalable, long-term driver of brand affinity—strengthening emotional connections by being meaningful, adaptive, and deeply aligned with end-to-end customer journeys. At the heart of this shift are AI-powered, agentic recommendation engines that make loyalty smarter, more relevant, and inherently human-centric.
