Generative AI in 2026. The seven most important trends according to IMPROVEN

Generative AI is coming of age. By 2026, it will no longer be about isolated pilots or “giving it a try”, but about reliable automation, measurable results and strict governance. Managers demand proof: lower costs, faster processes, better customer experience — and compliance with regulations such as the EU AI Act. Those who approach this correctly will gain speed and market share. Those who remain stuck in experiments will take risks and miss opportunities. But the question is: how do you really get value out of it without getting bogged down in risks and regulations?

Why now?

Over the past two years, we have witnessed an explosion in the use of AI, but many organisations have remained stuck in pilot mode. McKinsey's A global survey (2025) shows that almost all companies use AI, while only a fraction see a real impact on their operating results. The difference? Redesigning workflows, clear KPIs and good governance.

On top of that regulations Closer to home: the EU AI Act will come into force in phases. Rules for general-purpose AI (transparency, governance) will apply from August 2025, and high-risk systems must be compliant by August 2026. Fines can be as high as €35 million or 71% of global turnover. This requires structure, documentation and supervision.

”2026 is the tipping point. AI must move from promise to evidence” – Michel Hoeijmans, Director at Improven

The most important AI trends for 2026 at a glance

1. AI agents are taking over work

We are moving from simple chatbots to smart digital colleagues who perform tasks independently. Think of planning projects, processing invoices or answering customer questions. We are moving from simple chatbots to intelligent agents who perform tasks independently: making plans, calling up tools, ticking off steps, providing feedback on results. Gartner expects that 40% of Enterprise apps in 2026 integrates such agents (at less than 5% in 2025). So things are moving fast.

2. Multimodal AI

AI no longer works with text alone. By 2026, modern systems will combine speech, images, video and documents. This ensures richer interactions and faster diagnosis Fast Company calls 2026 the year of multimodality; models such as GPT 4o and Gemini offer real-time voice + vision.

3. Reliable AI thanks to knowledge graphs

An important step is Explaining and checking AI output. This can be achieved by linking AI to knowledge graphs: structured business knowledge (concepts, relationships, rules). Scientific studies demonstrate quality gains, especially for complex questions. Enterprise trends show that hybrid architectures (LLM + knowledge graph) becoming the new standard

4. Legislation becomes reality

The EU AI Act is no longer a distant prospect. High-risk systems must comply by 2026. The penalties are substantial. Those who are compliant now will gain trust and speed. Falling behind will cost money and reputation. For organisations, this means: classify your AI applications, enter risk assessments turn off, and make a post-market monitoring plan ready.

5. AI on your own device

To improve speed, privacy and costs, AI is becoming more common local run: on laptops, phones and edge devices. Major suppliers such as Apple and Google are pushing you in this direction:

6. ROI over hype

Managers want proof, not promises. KPIs such as turnaround time, error reduction and customer satisfaction are becoming key indicators. Those who can demonstrate value will receive funding. McKinsey observes that successful companies focus on workflow redesign, clear KPIs (lead time, error reduction, NPS), and FinOps for AI costs.

7. Safety and governance

AI brings new threats: from data breaches to misuse of agents. Strong governance and security are used as a distinguishing feature.

At IMPROVEN We believe that AI only works when processes, people and governance are right. Our approach is simple, practical and auditable

How Improven responds to this

Improven is already responding to the AI trends of 2026 thanks to our existing expertise in process optimisation, project and portfolio management, data & analytics, and compliance. These foundations enable the safe and valuable implementation of AI. In this way, Improven assists organisations with AI Readiness & Compliance (EU AI Act and NIST), the redesigning workflows by AI agents, and setting up business cases to move from pilots to proven value. In addition, Improven offers data governance and data solutions for AI development, and strengthens it security and risk management to make AI applications robust and auditable.

Conclusion

2026 will be the year in which AI really makes a difference. Not through more tools, but through smart implementation, governance and a focus on value. Improven combines its core expertise with AI innovation to guide customers towards reliable, measurable and compliant AI transformation.