Reading the Next Tech Cycle Through a Venture Lens

Technology - and AI in particular - is evolving at a pace that is increasingly difficult for organisations to absorb. Capabilities are advancing rapidly, but adoption is uneven. As the industry enters its next phase, the challenge is no longer about access to innovation, but about execution: how technology is implemented, where it delivers real value, and how it reshapes markets in practice.

To understand what lies ahead, we sat down with Sebastiaan Vaessen, Global Head of Strategy at Prosus, and Sandeep Bakshi, Head of European Investments at Prosus Ventures. Their global perspective and focus on Europe in particular offer a view of how technology is likely to be built, deployed, and valued as we kick off 2026.

What emerges is not a picture of slowing innovation, but of a more demanding cycle - one that rewards execution over experimentation, specialisation over generalisation, and real-world outcomes over theoretical potential.

1. The emergence of the AI implementation consultant

"In 2026, demand for consulting and engineering talent focused on AI implementation will rise exponentially."

As businesses race to adopt advanced AI systems, many are discovering that real-world deployment is far more complex than anticipated. In many cases, the hype around AI has outpaced practical results. Integrating AI into live environments requires navigating legacy infrastructure, fragmented data, regulatory constraints, and organisational complexity - challenges that models alone cannot solve.

As a result, organisations are increasingly turning to specialised consultants and forward-deployed engineers, similar to the ERP consultants of previous decades. Their role is to embed, customise, and operationalise AI solutions - ensuring that technology moves beyond pilots and proofs of concept to deliver tangible outcomes.

This shift is reinforcing the move toward domain-specific AI. Language models and applications tailored to sectors such as healthcare, law, finance, and manufacturing are better positioned to deliver accuracy, compliance, and value than general-purpose tools, accelerating sector-level transformation.

1. A new dawn as robotics takes a leap forward

"We're really on the cusp of a major breakthrough in robotics - think a 'ChatGPT moment' where people start using it and realise, 'this is magic".

Robotics is approaching a long-anticipated inflection point. The hardware is ready, and the software and use cases are rapidly catching up. By 2026, we expect a major leap forward, enabling robots that are more autonomous, self-adaptive, and capable of operating in real-world environments without extensive manual programming.

As a result, robotics will begin to move from impressive demonstrations to scalable, practical deployment - particularly across logistics, delivery, and service sectors. While this transition will be gradual, its economic implications will be significant.

The impact will be especially pronounced in food and parcel delivery. In high-labour-cost markets such as the US and Western Europe, 2026 is likely to mark the beginning of a broader shift toward robotic delivery solutions, driven by both cost pressures and operational efficiency.

1. The next wave of AI-driven companion super-apps

"The next wave of consumer super-apps will be AI-powered companions - virtual friends, assistants, and lifestyle managers - with massive engagement, especially among younger demographics."

AI companions are already gaining traction, and their role is expanding rapidly. By 2026, these applications are expected to become the primary top-of-funnel for data, engagement, and commerce.

Unlike traditional apps or platforms, AI companions function as persistent, conversational interfaces embedded directly into daily routines. As they deepen their role in users' lives, they will create new surfaces for e-commerce and consumer interaction, opening strategic opportunities for experimentation and platform development.

This shift signals a broader change in how consumers discover, decide, and transact - with the interface itself becoming relational rather than transactional.

1. The new luxury: human touch and authenticity

"As AI and automation proliferate, authentic, human experiences will become the new luxury market, especially for Western economies with the scale and wallet to pay for them."

As the world becomes more digital and synthetic, the value of real, tangible human interaction is rising. The more people engage with automated systems and companion apps, the more they appear to value creativity, presence, and imperfection.

By 2026, this dynamic is expected to create a premium on human-based services and experiences, and new business opportunities built around authenticity and emotional connection. Rather than rejecting technology, this represents a rebalancing - a clearer distinction between what machines should optimise and what people want to remain human.

1. Finally, Europe's tech renaissance gains momentum

Europe's tech ecosystem is entering a growth moment of its own. In 2026, a new generation of European tech champions - including companies such as Revolut, Spotify, and Zalando - will increasingly fuel innovation pipelines in much the same way PayPal once did in Silicon Valley. Their success is anchoring talent locally, encouraging founders to stay and build, and strengthening early-stage ecosystems across the region.

This momentum is compounding. More European startups are being built with global ambition from day one, and more are competing on the world stage. At its core, this shift is about leveraging successful companies as founder and talent incubators, aligning policy and investment with long-term company building, and creating a self-reinforcing loop of innovation and capital.

Looking ahead

Taken together, these predictions point to a technology landscape that is becoming more specialised, more operational, and more grounded in real-world outcomes.

With a presence across Europe, Latin America, India, and beyond, Prosus and Prosus Ventures operates at the intersection of multiple technology ecosystems - constantly learning from the world's leading tech markets and applying those insights across regions. From both a group strategy and venture investment perspective, these signals are shaping how Prosus and Prosus Ventures engage with founders and help build the next generation of globally relevant technology companies.