2026 IT trends: driving growth through AI and green tech

January 19, 2026 3 min read

Training, automation, and sustainable IT strategies will define which businesses lead the digital transformation in 2026.

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Artificial intelligence, sustainability, and cybersecurity will cease to be mere tools and will become drivers of business value.

The decisions made today will determine which companies lead the market this year.

Latin America is preparing for 2026, a year in which technology will transition from an operational support function to the central axis of business value. Companies face a profound transformation: it is not just about adopting tools, but about reshaping how they work, protect their information, and generate impact.

Wilson Calderón, Associate Technical Director of ManageEngine LATAM, states:

”2026 will be defined by the deep integration of AI at all levels, the consolidation of cybersecurity as a pillar of resilience, and the adoption of sustainability as an unavoidable factor for profitability. Accordingly, ManageEngine presents the five IT trends that will directly impact business operations and growth in the region, shaping the future of technology management and strategy.”

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1. Democratization of AI Across the Enterprise

Artificial intelligence will solidify its role as the connective tissue of IT operations and business processes alike. This trend goes beyond system access: it aims to empower the entire workforce with “agentic AI” capable of executing complete workflows without human intervention.

This spans from ITSM evolving into predictive AIOps, where generative AI proactively resolves first-level incidents, to embedding analytics into non-technical departments for real-time decision-making.

Companies are migrating to unified platforms that integrate GenAI into network and cybersecurity management. This frees human talent from reactive operations and enables them to lead innovation strategies that generate direct value.

According to Gartner®, 70% of CIOs in Latin America will increase AI training investment by 2027, prioritizing programs tailored to the specific skills of their workforce.

2. AI-Native Development Platforms

Beyond AI usage, GenAI will redefine application development through autonomous, secure, and preconfigured environments. These platforms enable both expert developers and “Citizen Developers” to deploy AI-enabled solutions under strict governance frameworks.

However, Latin America faces a challenge: although the region accounts for 6.6% of global GDP and 8.8% of the world population, it receives only 1.12% of global AI investment, according to the Latin American Artificial Intelligence Index (ILIA).

The key will be integrating large language models (LLMs) and specialized models directly into internal processes via open APIs, leveraging existing IT infrastructure.

3. Total Digital Resilience and Preventive Cybersecurity as Core Strategy

Cybersecurity is moving beyond a protective layer to become the foundation of digital strategy. The focus shifts toward extended detection and response (XDR) and cybersecurity mesh architectures (CSMA) with adaptive Zero Trust.

Digital resilience ensures business continuity and active protection. IDC projects that by the end of 2025, 65% of organizations in Latin America will have prioritized investments in security systems with automation and autonomous response.

This will strengthen security posture through solutions that correlate real-time data and manage identity and access (IAM).

4. Cost Optimization and Cloud Governance (FinOps)

Cloud migration now demands financial efficiency and multi-cloud governance. FinOps is emerging as an essential practice to maximize cloud value. A cloud maturity study reveals that 70% of companies in the region lack visibility into cloud spending, resulting in budget overruns.

Unified observability platforms enable alignment of expenditure with delivered value, optimizing IT and Finance resources through granular visibility into performance and utilization.

5. Green Technology and Sustainable IT: The ROI of Purpose

Sustainability is redefining ROI, turning it into return on purpose (ROP). According to the World Economic Forum, digital technologies could reduce global emissions by 20% by 2050 in the most polluting sectors.

In Latin America, adopting Green Tech is not only an ethical choice but a competitive one: it optimizes resources and meets the expectations of international investors. Thus, technology becomes a key enabler for decoupling economic growth from environmental impact.

Lead or Adapt: Initiative Defines Success

IT trends for 2026 indicate that agility, security, and sustainability will determine business success. Integrating AI, cybersecurity, and business value will allow companies to ensure resilience and sustained growth in the coming years.