By the year 2028, advanced genetic engineering and gene therapy will transition into routine treatments for a wide variety of human diseases, heavily powered by breakthrough developments in artificial intelligence. This milestone is just one of many far-reaching predictions outlined in the newly released 2030 Technology Megatrends Report published by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
The comprehensive study signals a profound transition in the global technological landscape. According to IEEE Fellow Dejan Milojicic, who serves as the chair of the IEEE Future Directions Committee’s Industry Advisory Board—the governing body responsible for drafting the report—technology is evolving in a fundamentally different direction than it has in past decades.
"We are seeing a fundamental shift in how technology evolves," says Milojicic, who also works as a vice president at HPE Labs in Milpitas, California, as a Hewlett Packard Enterprise Fellow. "Artificial intelligence is no longer operating in a vacuum; it is now deeply connected to our energy, infrastructure, and physical systems."
The expansive report highlights 30 distinct breakthrough technologies categorized under five overarching "megatrends." These megatrends represent major technology shifts capable of reshaping entire industries and everyday human life for decades to come. Rather than focusing on isolated innovations, the report emphasizes collections of related technologies working in tandem.
To compile the data, the organization enlisted 166 leading experts spanning 38 countries and six continents, drawing talent from industry, academic institutions, and government bodies. These global experts carefully identified and graded the 30 breakthrough technologies across five core areas: artificial intelligence, energy, health, space, and physical AI. Each trend was rigorously evaluated against five specific criteria, including its likelihood of success, overall impact on humanity, technological maturity, market adoption rates, and the horizon to widespread adoption.
AI as a Common Thread Across Global Infrastructure
The central conclusion of the report is that artificial intelligence acts as the common thread binding all major technological megatrends together. Interconnected systems now dictate the pace of innovation, with AI serving as the primary driver behind this systemic web.
The analysis indicates that artificial intelligence is advancing at a velocity surpassing any previous technological revolution in human history, easily outpacing the industrial, electrical, and digital revolutions of the past. This blistering pace has successfully transformed artificial intelligence from a specialized computing tool into a foundational, general-purpose infrastructure.
However, this rapid evolution carries substantial risks and structural bottlenecks. The report’s authors explicitly point out that severe shortages in computing infrastructure and sustainable energy sources pose immediate constraints on the ability to scale up AI systems. Furthermore, the widespread deployment of the technology will inevitably require a massive reshaping of the global workforce.
Addressing workforce disruptions, Milojicic notes that workers have historically had to adapt to stay competitive, pointing out that corporate AI adoption is not an all-or-nothing proposition. Businesses must strategically determine when and how to apply these powerful tools rather than rushing blindly into deployment.
Achieving long-term success will demand a delicate balance between raw technical capabilities and a heightened focus on the human-AI relationship. Critical factors such as establishing institutional trust, ensuring data security, developing explainable algorithms, and crafting forward-thinking public policies will ultimately determine which AI-supported technologies successfully scale to meet societal needs.
Mary Ellen Randall, the 2026 IEEE president and CEO, emphasized the human-centric focus of the findings in an official news release. "This report shifts the conversation to something far more important: how these advances will intersect with one another to shape human lives," Randall said. "The data makes clear that trust, safety, and human connection must guide every major breakthrough in the decade ahead."
Health Care Emerges as a High-Impact Bet for Humanity
Among all the sectors evaluated in the study, personalized medicine scored the highest impact on human life, earning an impressive rating of 4.93 out of a possible 5 points from the panel of experts.
This exceptionally high score reflects the immense potential of AI-driven breakthroughs in personalized diagnostics and therapeutic treatments, largely spearheaded by innovative biotechnology startups. Within the next two years, the report’s experts predict that genetic engineering and gene therapy will become commonplace across various therapeutic areas.
Looking further ahead, the study projects that advanced, earlier disease diagnoses will successfully migrate out of controlled laboratory environments and become standard practice in day-to-day medical clinics within five years. In parallel, researchers are expected to achieve the capability to manufacture simple synthetic proteins. These molecules, engineered entirely from scratch rather than harvested from nature, will be tailored to perform specific jobs within the human body, such as tracking down and destroying tumors or supplying a missing metabolic enzyme.
Energy Sector Wakes Up to Meet Massive AI Power Demands
While health care technologies promise immense relief for patients, the energy sector faces an unprecedented crisis as the power demands of artificial intelligence rapidly outpace traditional generation capabilities. Modern tech infrastructure—encompassing massive data centers, complex telecommunications networks, and heavy computing hardware—already consumes an estimated 10 percent of all global electricity.
To combat this crunch, the report’s experts predict that energy storage capabilities will double within developed countries over the next two to three years.
Milojicic points out that the global energy industry has remained relatively dormant for decades, seeing very few breakthrough innovations since the pioneering days of Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla. This historical stagnation contrasts sharply with the agility of the digital world.
"Data centers can ramp up within milliseconds, yet it takes months for the power and energy sector to ramp up," Milojicic explains. "The governments of various countries will have to rethink their approach to power generation to stay ahead of demand."
Compounding the crisis is a phenomenon known as the Jevons paradox—the economic principle stating that technological efficiency gains tend to increase overall resource consumption rather than reduce it. As AI semiconductor chips become increasingly energy-efficient, organizations will simply deploy larger volumes of hardware to build even more massive frontier models. Consequently, data centers will draw as much power as regional power grids can possibly supply, leaving virtually no surplus for other consumers.
Physical AI Accelerates Toward Rapid Adoption
In contrast to the slow-moving energy sector, physical AI represents the fastest-moving megatrend in the entire study. Physical AI encompasses intelligent systems embedded directly within machinery capable of sensing and acting upon the physical world, including advanced industrial robots and fully autonomous vehicles. The category was originally termed "hyper-automation and robotics" by researchers before being streamlined into a single physical AI megatrend by the Industry Advisory Board.
The expert panel determined that human-AI interaction boasts the shortest adoption horizon of any of the 30 scored technologies, estimated at just two to three years. Furthermore, physical AI was judged to possess the highest probability of dramatic technical advancement over the next four years.
Smarter, significantly more efficient robots are projected to substantially reduce overall energy consumption within the next two years. Furthermore, communication methods between humans and artificial intelligence—whether operating through an advanced android chassis or another smart device—will transition away from traditional text-based commands and shift predominantly toward natural audio and video instructions within a two-to-three-year window.
Within the manufacturing sector, androids equipped with advanced tactile and haptic feedback capabilities are expected to emerge within two to five years. This sensory upgrade will enable robots to physically feel what they are touching and dynamically adjust their grip strength or physical force in response. Parallel advancements in bio-inspired skin, synthetic tissues, and specialized sensors will mature over the exact same timeframe, granting robotic systems a level of physical perception that closely mirrors human touch.
Space Technology Prepares for Expansion
Although space technology occupies a lower profile in the public consciousness, the report makes it clear that the sector is primed for significant growth. In the context of the study, space technology encompasses much more than rocket launches and planetary exploration; it spans satellite communications, in-space manufacturing, advanced launch infrastructure, and orbital logistics.
The lower profile of the space sector is not indicative of lagging innovation, but rather reflects its current stage of industrial maturity. "It’s not lagging," Milojicic notes. "It’s the current state of maturity. People are talking about satellite communication right now because it’s very cool and practical. But it’s a small segment compared to the attention AI gets."
Milojicic remains confident that the space sector will command much greater prominence in the coming years as terrestrial communication and transportation networks increasingly push their boundaries into orbit.
The report highlights two critical space technologies lingering on the near horizon: semiconductor manufacturing utilizing specialized components built entirely in microgravity, and more affordable, reusable rockets. Additionally, the study identifies clean energy generation in space and the commercialization of orbital debris removal as vital technologies to watch over the coming decade.
Shaping the Future of Humanity
To navigate these sweeping technological transformations successfully, the IEEE report urges close, coordinated collaboration between academic institutions, private industry, government regulators, and professional organizations.
To cultivate a well-trained workforce, industry leaders must partner directly with professional societies to establish targeted training programs and revive traditional apprenticeships in the physical sciences, such as chemistry and physics. Businesses are also strongly encouraged to treat AI infrastructure—including computing power, data pipelines, and energy supplies—as a long-term strategic asset.
Additional recommendations include expanding public access to affordable, high-quality education covering STEM subjects and foundational AI competence. Meanwhile, governments are expected to take the lead in formulating sensible public policies and implementing reintegration programs designed to support workers displaced by automation.
Professional associations like the IEEE are advised to develop innovative products and services leveraging AI, strengthen global safety and data governance standards, and function as neutral platforms for cross-sector collaboration. Similar strategic guidance is offered throughout the report for end users, content creators, investors, and corporate leadership.
Underpinning every recommendation in the report is a singular, guiding principle: humanity must never lose sight of the human-AI relationship.
"As a public charity dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity, IEEE believes progress must be measured by more than technology development and implementation speed," said Sophia A. Muirhead, IEEE executive director and chief operating officer. "Whether retraining the global workforce or integrating AI responsibly into daily life, the success of these megatrends depends on ensuring innovation strengthens human well-being and public trust."
