Here we are, January 2026, and as GoTo and other forward-looking companies consider trends for the new year, there’s a clear theme: AI. That probably isn’t a surprise to most of our readers, but as we head into 2026, the conversation is shifting from whether businesses will adopt AI to how they’ll operationalize it responsibly, securely, and in ways that measurably improve outcomes.
What exactly does this mean? Well, we’ve asked some of our leaders and here’s what they had to say about what they are watching most closely.
1. AI Moves From “Add-on” to Embedded Workflows With Measurable ROI
In 2026, organizations will prioritize AI that fits naturally into existing processes and produces clear business impact—without adding complexity.
Olga Lagunova, GoTo’s Chief Innovation and Technology Officer, predicts AI adoption will follow a maturity curve, starting with practical, embedded capabilities and progressing toward more advanced models as confidence and technical capability grows:
“AI adoption will follow a clear maturity path. Organizations will continue prioritizing practical AI that integrates seamlessly into existing workflows and delivers measurable ROI without adding complexity. This foundation is essential—AI that feels invisible yet powerful. The real evolution in 2026 will be the emergence of agentic AI for those ready to take the next step. Unlike simple AI agents that follow instructions, agentic AI can operate autonomously making decisions, adapting strategies, and coordinating complex workflows without constant human intervention.”
She also expects the AI story to become more grounded in collaboration:
“The conversation around AI in organizations has shifted decisively: it’s no longer about machines replacing human teams, but about how humans and AI can work together to drive greater business value. Organizations that assess AI against their unique needs, and integrate it thoughtfully into workflows, will be best positioned to achieve measurable outcomes and avoid wasted investment through 2026 and beyond.”
Rich Veldran, GoTo’s CEO, expects CEOs to push past experimentation and demand results:
“CEOs will move beyond the hype of AI to focus on delivering measurable business outcomes. That means streamlining fragmented tech stacks and integrating AI into the fabric of their operations to drive real productivity gains. The most effective CEOs will balance this technological acceleration with a renewed commitment to human connection, ensuring that empathy, creativity, and trust remain at the core of an increasingly intelligent organization.”
2. Agentic AI Shifts IT Success Metrics From “Tickets Closed” to “Problems Prevented”
AI will increasingly change how IT teams deliver value, moving from reactive support to proactive prevention.
Joseph George, GoTo’s General Manager, IT Solutions Group, predicts organizations will lean further into AI in 2026, but with heightened expectations around governance and balance:
"Despite regulatory pressures and economic uncertainty, organizations will lean even further into AI in 2026. As adoption grows, ethical considerations will become more relevant, prompting AI and IT leaders to emphasize responsible governance and transparency, balancing speed with accountability. IT teams will also focus on deploying agentic AI to transform service management and delivery, which will fundamentally change how IT effectiveness is measured. Instead of examining ticket resolution rates, organizations will focus on how well IT proactively prevents problems and drives business outcomes. However, as AI becomes more pervasive, organizations risk over-automation—applying AI in fully autonomous mode where human judgment should be required to work in concert with AI—and will need to regularly reassess their approaches to maintain the right balance."
3. Unified, Tailor-made Solutions for Communication Tools are Key
This year, communications leaders will continue pushing to reduce tool sprawl. Buyers will favor platforms that integrate deeply with the systems they already use, and increasingly, platforms tailored to their industry.
Damon Covey, GoTo’s General Manager, UCC forecasts unified platforms becoming the norm:
“The unified communications market is evolving rapidly with vertical integration, AI-driven experiences, and unified solutions shaping the industry. In 2026, unified platforms will become the norm as economic and operational pressures push SMBs and enterprises to prefer all-in-one solutions over patchwork tools, reducing cost, complexity, and vendor sprawl. Furthermore, industry-specific unified platforms like those tailored to healthcare or automotive will outperform generic solutions by embedding purpose-built workflows, support, and AI directly into business processes.”
4, New AI Security Threats, Higher Expectations, and Data Stewardship as a Differentiator
As AI becomes embedded across workflows, security will become even more intertwined with business strategy, trust, and compliance.
Attila Torok, GoTo’s Chief Information Security Officer, predicts an expanded threat landscape and an increasingly strategic CISO role:
“Enterprises are facing a security landscape that is at once familiar and entirely new. Ransomware and operational downtime remain persistent threats, but the emergence of fake AI platforms and autonomous malicious agents adds a new layer of social engineering. CISOs will continue to evolve into strategic, cross-disciplined negotiators. They’ll also prioritize embedding secure-by-design principles into product development, strengthening third-party risk management, and building closer alignment between cybersecurity and business strategy. How organizations manage customer data in AI tools will increasingly shape trust and compliance, making data stewardship a key competitive differentiator in the AI era.”
5. Partners Become “Experience Architects” as the Channel Shifts
In 2026, partners that can design connected solutions—across tools, workflows, and teams—will stand out as buyers demand more than transactional support.
Michael Day, GoTo's Vice President of Partner Sales, predicts a faster-moving channel driven by changing expectations and AI-enabled services:
“The channel landscape is evolving faster than ever. Partners are moving beyond traditional sales models to become ‘experience architects,’ designing connected solutions that bring together technology, processes, and people. AI and automation are doing more than streamlining operations; they’re opening doors to predictive insights and proactive support. The partners that transition from the trusted advisor to the trusted architect will grow at the speed of AI.”
The Throughline for 2026: Simplify, Integrate, and Scale AI With Trust
Across these predictions, a consistent theme emerges: 2026 will favor organizations that simplify fragmented stacks, embed AI into real workflows, and put the right governance and security foundations in place—so they can move fast without sacrificing trust or the human experience.