AI Business Trends 2026
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Description
Book Introduction
AI HORSE RUN
“Will you be led by technology, or will you lead the way as a rider?”
As we approach the end of 2026, anticipate the impact AI will have on your business and act accordingly!
AI is no longer an option.
Now, the gap in technology that effectively utilizes AI will determine business performance.
"AI Business Trends 2026" explores the cutting-edge trends in AI utilization that are transforming everything from individual work methods to organizational strategies and industrial paradigms.
This book presents 10 trends that will dominate 2026, selected by AI startup Upfall.
We deliver 10 insights that will lead the AI era next year, including 'AI independence', which means that we have entered an era where we can select and utilize tools on our own without the help of experts, 'popularization' of generative AI that has permeated our lives and culture, 'AI mix', a strategy to create new work value by combining various accessible AI tools and their functions, and 'multimodal', which integrates and analyzes not only text and images but also voice, video, and 3D.
Additionally, based on this trend, it provides specific examples of how companies are actually adopting AI and which industries are experiencing the fastest changes.
The final part also includes interviews with executives and experts from large corporations, revealing global leaders' perspectives on the future direction and insights of the AI industry.
While the previous work, "AI Business Trends 2025," mapped out key AI tools, this 2026 edition emphasizes that "how to utilize and coordinate" is the key to competitiveness, rather than "what technology you use." For leaders and practitioners eager to understand the changes in the AI era but unsure where to begin, this book will serve as the most realistic trend map for business survival.
“Will you be led by technology, or will you lead the way as a rider?”
As we approach the end of 2026, anticipate the impact AI will have on your business and act accordingly!
AI is no longer an option.
Now, the gap in technology that effectively utilizes AI will determine business performance.
"AI Business Trends 2026" explores the cutting-edge trends in AI utilization that are transforming everything from individual work methods to organizational strategies and industrial paradigms.
This book presents 10 trends that will dominate 2026, selected by AI startup Upfall.
We deliver 10 insights that will lead the AI era next year, including 'AI independence', which means that we have entered an era where we can select and utilize tools on our own without the help of experts, 'popularization' of generative AI that has permeated our lives and culture, 'AI mix', a strategy to create new work value by combining various accessible AI tools and their functions, and 'multimodal', which integrates and analyzes not only text and images but also voice, video, and 3D.
Additionally, based on this trend, it provides specific examples of how companies are actually adopting AI and which industries are experiencing the fastest changes.
The final part also includes interviews with executives and experts from large corporations, revealing global leaders' perspectives on the future direction and insights of the AI industry.
While the previous work, "AI Business Trends 2025," mapped out key AI tools, this 2026 edition emphasizes that "how to utilize and coordinate" is the key to competitiveness, rather than "what technology you use." For leaders and practitioners eager to understand the changes in the AI era but unsure where to begin, this book will serve as the most realistic trend map for business survival.
- You can preview some of the book's contents.
Preview
index
Recommendation
Prologue: 2026, the race has already begun.
PART 1) 2026: 10 Trends That Will Shape the AI Era
The AI Agent Revolution: AI Just Does It All (AI ⓐgent Revolution)
-Evolving from simple automation to intelligent agents.
Four core competencies are needed in the agent era.
-There are humans in the strategy of the agent era.
-Our three-stage evolution is not optional, it's essential.
-Let's develop a survival strategy for the agent era.
AI Independence: The Age of the One-Person Unicorn Has Arrived (AI ⓘndependence)
-One person now does the work that three people used to do.
How does a one-person unicorn understand and utilize AI?
-AI replicates as many experts as needed.
So now AI is turning labor into a service.
A fundamental shift in economic structure is coming, from function to value creation.
-The emergence of new jobs and business ecosystems
-Redefinition of human values
Opportunities and Challenges in the Era of AI Independence
AI Talent Wars: The Era of a Single Salary of 100 Billion Won (Wars for ⓗuman Resources)
Beijing is the heart of AI talent development.
Silicon Valley buys top stars with their salaries.
Meta's 20 trillion bet on superintelligence beyond AI
-But the secret to retention that money can't buy, like Antropic
On-device AI: The once-massive AI has moved into the palm of your hand (ⓞn-device AI)
Samsung is running, and Apple and Google are chasing after it.
How far will on-device AI evolve?
Just as PCs were, now is the era of widespread AI adoption.
AI Pivoting: Transforming into an AI-Driven Organization to Survive
Amazon Announces Massive Pivot to AI-Driven Organization
Notion establishes itself as an AI company through three pivots.
-To adopt a pivot strategy suitable for the AI era
AI Coexistence: Life Changes, Living with AI (ⓢymbiosis with AI)
UX is the key! Tesla rest areas aren't just for charging.
-Search is old-fashioned, browsers do the work now.
-UX begins with AI that remembers and technology that creates connections.
Generative AI Popularization: Who Will Be Left Behind?
AI for professionals is now accessible to the public.
The popularization of AI, starting with the Ghibli meme, is transforming everyday life and learning.
AI is entering the everyday lives of ordinary office workers.
-Prompt Engineer: The Emergence and Change of a New Job
-Is the popularization of AI an opportunity for everyone or a moment of disparity?
AI Mix: Mixing AI creates innovation (AI ⓡecombine Innovation)
K-pop Demon Hunters' success lies in their strategy of mixing virtual and real world.
Vinyl Records in the Streaming Age: The Paradoxical Coexistence of Analog and Digital
How to Mix AI: Two is Better than One
Multimodal AI: Artificial Intelligence Becoming Human-Like
Multimodal AI mimics human senses.
Multimodal AI is already permeating industries.
- Adapt quickly to how multimodal AI works.
Only companies that prepare for the golden time will survive.
Borderless DNA: A Borderless Company Grows
OpenAI's advances: AI services expand beyond boundaries.
NVIDIA's innovations become icons that break down the boundaries of AI infrastructure.
Change Your Organization's DNA: How to Create a Boundaryless Innovation Company
PART 2) AI Practical Use Guide 1
Introducing Generative AI to Improve Work Productivity
Genspark, an agent for GENZ that handles everything from homework to travel and calls.
- If you need a model of work automation and a competent colleague, Make
Becoming the strongest by strengthening AI's weaknesses, NotebookLM
The blue chip of the job market, replacing developers: Cursor AI.
Good AI? Claude, the exemplar of AI ethics.
Deepseek: Becoming the Center of the Global AI Ecosystem
- KLING AI, the pinnacle of AI-generated video quality.
Figma, the AI designer you command with your own hands
- Creating the first video-generated avatar, Character AI
Gemini, the AI benchmark for 2026
PART 3) AI Practical Use Guide 2
AI MIX Strategy to Improve Work Productivity
Mixing personalized recommendations with chatbots for e-commerce.
- Shorten the production process for movies and videos
Advancing Diagnosis with Predictive Models in Healthcare
Adding AI to Promotion and Personnel Management: Management? Human Resources (HR)
- Integrate schedule, accommodation, and flights, travel
- Connecting fan data and content, entertainment
- Fusing sensors and controls, robots
Redefining Performance with On-Device AI, Hardware
PART 4) Interviews with 4 Domestic and International Tech Leaders
AI Becomes Your Growth Partner | Jang Yu-shin
What Only Humans Can Do in the AI Era | Shin Jae-eun
Organizations and Power Coexisting with AI | Hyungjun Cho
The AI Era Is Coming, Connecting Senses Beyond Technology | Kim Ki-hong
Epilogue: What Technology Can't Change in the AI Era
Prologue: 2026, the race has already begun.
PART 1) 2026: 10 Trends That Will Shape the AI Era
The AI Agent Revolution: AI Just Does It All (AI ⓐgent Revolution)
-Evolving from simple automation to intelligent agents.
Four core competencies are needed in the agent era.
-There are humans in the strategy of the agent era.
-Our three-stage evolution is not optional, it's essential.
-Let's develop a survival strategy for the agent era.
AI Independence: The Age of the One-Person Unicorn Has Arrived (AI ⓘndependence)
-One person now does the work that three people used to do.
How does a one-person unicorn understand and utilize AI?
-AI replicates as many experts as needed.
So now AI is turning labor into a service.
A fundamental shift in economic structure is coming, from function to value creation.
-The emergence of new jobs and business ecosystems
-Redefinition of human values
Opportunities and Challenges in the Era of AI Independence
AI Talent Wars: The Era of a Single Salary of 100 Billion Won (Wars for ⓗuman Resources)
Beijing is the heart of AI talent development.
Silicon Valley buys top stars with their salaries.
Meta's 20 trillion bet on superintelligence beyond AI
-But the secret to retention that money can't buy, like Antropic
On-device AI: The once-massive AI has moved into the palm of your hand (ⓞn-device AI)
Samsung is running, and Apple and Google are chasing after it.
How far will on-device AI evolve?
Just as PCs were, now is the era of widespread AI adoption.
AI Pivoting: Transforming into an AI-Driven Organization to Survive
Amazon Announces Massive Pivot to AI-Driven Organization
Notion establishes itself as an AI company through three pivots.
-To adopt a pivot strategy suitable for the AI era
AI Coexistence: Life Changes, Living with AI (ⓢymbiosis with AI)
UX is the key! Tesla rest areas aren't just for charging.
-Search is old-fashioned, browsers do the work now.
-UX begins with AI that remembers and technology that creates connections.
Generative AI Popularization: Who Will Be Left Behind?
AI for professionals is now accessible to the public.
The popularization of AI, starting with the Ghibli meme, is transforming everyday life and learning.
AI is entering the everyday lives of ordinary office workers.
-Prompt Engineer: The Emergence and Change of a New Job
-Is the popularization of AI an opportunity for everyone or a moment of disparity?
AI Mix: Mixing AI creates innovation (AI ⓡecombine Innovation)
K-pop Demon Hunters' success lies in their strategy of mixing virtual and real world.
Vinyl Records in the Streaming Age: The Paradoxical Coexistence of Analog and Digital
How to Mix AI: Two is Better than One
Multimodal AI: Artificial Intelligence Becoming Human-Like
Multimodal AI mimics human senses.
Multimodal AI is already permeating industries.
- Adapt quickly to how multimodal AI works.
Only companies that prepare for the golden time will survive.
Borderless DNA: A Borderless Company Grows
OpenAI's advances: AI services expand beyond boundaries.
NVIDIA's innovations become icons that break down the boundaries of AI infrastructure.
Change Your Organization's DNA: How to Create a Boundaryless Innovation Company
PART 2) AI Practical Use Guide 1
Introducing Generative AI to Improve Work Productivity
Genspark, an agent for GENZ that handles everything from homework to travel and calls.
- If you need a model of work automation and a competent colleague, Make
Becoming the strongest by strengthening AI's weaknesses, NotebookLM
The blue chip of the job market, replacing developers: Cursor AI.
Good AI? Claude, the exemplar of AI ethics.
Deepseek: Becoming the Center of the Global AI Ecosystem
- KLING AI, the pinnacle of AI-generated video quality.
Figma, the AI designer you command with your own hands
- Creating the first video-generated avatar, Character AI
Gemini, the AI benchmark for 2026
PART 3) AI Practical Use Guide 2
AI MIX Strategy to Improve Work Productivity
Mixing personalized recommendations with chatbots for e-commerce.
- Shorten the production process for movies and videos
Advancing Diagnosis with Predictive Models in Healthcare
Adding AI to Promotion and Personnel Management: Management? Human Resources (HR)
- Integrate schedule, accommodation, and flights, travel
- Connecting fan data and content, entertainment
- Fusing sensors and controls, robots
Redefining Performance with On-Device AI, Hardware
PART 4) Interviews with 4 Domestic and International Tech Leaders
AI Becomes Your Growth Partner | Jang Yu-shin
What Only Humans Can Do in the AI Era | Shin Jae-eun
Organizations and Power Coexisting with AI | Hyungjun Cho
The AI Era Is Coming, Connecting Senses Beyond Technology | Kim Ki-hong
Epilogue: What Technology Can't Change in the AI Era
Detailed image
Into the book
If 2025 was the 'Year of AI Independence,' 2026 will be the 'Year of Agent Collaboration.'
Beyond individuals utilizing AI, it will evolve to a stage where agents collaborate with each other to automate complex tasks.
In this era, 'agent orchestration', the ability to coordinate multiple agents and make them work together, is becoming more important than simple prompting ability.
--- p28, from “Agent Revolution: AI Just Does It All”
AI independence refers to the phenomenon whereby a single person can now use various AI tools to accomplish tasks that previously required a team or company to accomplish.
Over 300 AI use cases have already been reported globally, and PwC projects that AI will add a potential $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030.
Most of these powerful AI tools are free or very inexpensive.
Google AI Studio has made the Gemini model available for free to anyone, including developers, students, and researchers.
Representative AI tools such as ChatGPT and Claude can be fully utilized with a subscription for around 20,000 won per month.
--- p34, from "AI Independence: The Era of the One-Person Unicorn Has Arrived"
The reason this competition is taking place is because there is a dire shortage of ‘top AI talent.’
Just 15 years ago, there were fewer than 1,000 AI experts who are now receiving global attention, and at the time, it was considered an unpopular major.
On the other hand, hiring of general developers and engineers is actually decreasing due to the proliferation of automation tools such as AI coding assistants.
Competition in the AI industry is no longer simply about hiring, but rather about attracting top talent.
--- p51, from "AI Talent War: The Era Where a Single Person Earns a Hundred Billion Won"
Change doesn't stop at declarations.
In the field, each department and employee is actively building AI capabilities through workshops, in-house training, experimental projects, and practical application.
Internal innovation also continues.
For example, in logistics networks, AI is actively utilized in core operational areas such as AI-based inventory allocation, demand forecasting, and logistics robot efficiency.
This is having concrete effects, such as lowering service costs and increasing delivery speed.
For a large global organization like Amazon, the scale and complexity of change are bound to be significant.
That's why the strategy Amazon chose was a bold pivot to transform into an "AI-centric organization."
In this way, Amazon is internalizing the startup spirit of rapid, flexible innovation throughout its organization, thereby securing AI-based future competitiveness and making continuous change a reality.
--- p68~69, from “AI Pivoting: Survival depends on transforming into an AI-centric organization”
Now, with the help of AI, anyone with an idea can create a great presentation.
What's really important is to experience various AI services firsthand and find the tool that best suits you.
And the key tip for practical AI utilization is to consistently train and utilize the selected AI according to your work style and purpose.
--- p138., from "Genspark, an agent for GENZ that solves everything from homework to travel and calls"
Of particular note is China's strength in AI patents.
Since 2013, it has been the country with the most AI patents in the world, filing approximately four times more patents than the United States as of 2022.
This is also a signal that quantitative growth and qualitative change are being achieved simultaneously.
Beyond individuals utilizing AI, it will evolve to a stage where agents collaborate with each other to automate complex tasks.
In this era, 'agent orchestration', the ability to coordinate multiple agents and make them work together, is becoming more important than simple prompting ability.
--- p28, from “Agent Revolution: AI Just Does It All”
AI independence refers to the phenomenon whereby a single person can now use various AI tools to accomplish tasks that previously required a team or company to accomplish.
Over 300 AI use cases have already been reported globally, and PwC projects that AI will add a potential $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030.
Most of these powerful AI tools are free or very inexpensive.
Google AI Studio has made the Gemini model available for free to anyone, including developers, students, and researchers.
Representative AI tools such as ChatGPT and Claude can be fully utilized with a subscription for around 20,000 won per month.
--- p34, from "AI Independence: The Era of the One-Person Unicorn Has Arrived"
The reason this competition is taking place is because there is a dire shortage of ‘top AI talent.’
Just 15 years ago, there were fewer than 1,000 AI experts who are now receiving global attention, and at the time, it was considered an unpopular major.
On the other hand, hiring of general developers and engineers is actually decreasing due to the proliferation of automation tools such as AI coding assistants.
Competition in the AI industry is no longer simply about hiring, but rather about attracting top talent.
--- p51, from "AI Talent War: The Era Where a Single Person Earns a Hundred Billion Won"
Change doesn't stop at declarations.
In the field, each department and employee is actively building AI capabilities through workshops, in-house training, experimental projects, and practical application.
Internal innovation also continues.
For example, in logistics networks, AI is actively utilized in core operational areas such as AI-based inventory allocation, demand forecasting, and logistics robot efficiency.
This is having concrete effects, such as lowering service costs and increasing delivery speed.
For a large global organization like Amazon, the scale and complexity of change are bound to be significant.
That's why the strategy Amazon chose was a bold pivot to transform into an "AI-centric organization."
In this way, Amazon is internalizing the startup spirit of rapid, flexible innovation throughout its organization, thereby securing AI-based future competitiveness and making continuous change a reality.
--- p68~69, from “AI Pivoting: Survival depends on transforming into an AI-centric organization”
Now, with the help of AI, anyone with an idea can create a great presentation.
What's really important is to experience various AI services firsthand and find the tool that best suits you.
And the key tip for practical AI utilization is to consistently train and utilize the selected AI according to your work style and purpose.
--- p138., from "Genspark, an agent for GENZ that solves everything from homework to travel and calls"
Of particular note is China's strength in AI patents.
Since 2013, it has been the country with the most AI patents in the world, filing approximately four times more patents than the United States as of 2022.
This is also a signal that quantitative growth and qualitative change are being achieved simultaneously.
--- p195., from “Becoming the Center of the Global AI Ecosystem, DeepSeek”
Publisher's Review
Technology is pouring in, but what matters is its use!
The fastest and most realistic AI trend map for 2026.
By 2026, the success or failure of your business will depend on how well you leverage and orchestrate AI.
Now that the new competitive edge is not the technology itself, but rather the way it is utilized, businesses and individuals cannot afford to postpone their choices.
There is a significant gap in productivity, efficiency, and growth rates between companies that have already actively adopted AI and those that have not.
Therefore, what we need now is not a flashy technological outlook, but rather AI utilization strategies and trends that can be applied immediately in the real world.
"AI Business Trends 2026" outlines 10 trends that must be noted amidst these changes.
The ten trends selected by the author—AI agent revolution, AI independence, AI talent war, on-device AI, AI pivoting, AI coexistence, popularization of generative AI, AI mix, multimodal AI, and borderless DNA—are not technological forecasts, but rather the direction of practical changes already underway in global corporate settings.
This means that it will become a key driving force that will define future global business.
A Preview of 10 AI Business Trends for 2026
- AI agent revolution: Beyond simple automation, it evolves into an ‘intelligent companion’ that sets goals, makes decisions, and executes them on its own.
- AI Independence: The era of the one-person unicorn has begun, where anyone can choose and utilize tools without the help of experts.
- AI talent war: Competition is intensifying as global companies offer aggressive salaries and conditions to secure key AI talent.
- On-device AI: AI, which used to be dependent on the cloud, is now integrated into personal devices such as smartphones and PCs, becoming a part of our daily lives.
- AI Pivoting: Instead of maintaining existing strategies, companies are attempting to transform their organizations and business models to be AI-centric.
- AI Coexistence: With technological innovation, social discussions surrounding the relationship between humans and AI are intensifying.
- Popularization of generative AI: It will completely permeate popular culture and daily life, including memes, content creation, and everyday tasks.
- AI Mix: A ‘combination strategy’ that creates new value by combining various AI tools and functions becomes the core of competitiveness.
- Multimodal AI: Technology expands beyond text and images to integrate analysis and creation of voice, video, and 3D.
- Borderless DNA: Only ‘borderless companies’ that break down boundaries between countries, industries, and organizations will survive and grow.
Of particular note are the rich global and domestic case studies and interviews with global tech leaders.
Hear the strategies and insights of global leaders from Amazon, SK, Google, and KAIST through in-depth interviews, and gain new insights into organizational management in the AI era.
These examples and voices offer readers not just perspectives, but actionable solutions.
While the previous 2025 edition presented a map of various generative AI tools and their applications, this edition of "AI Business Trends 2026" focuses on "how to utilize and combine them" rather than "what to use."
In this era of AI independence and popularization, where AI tools are mixed and utilized, and where multimodal AI is permeating not only text but also images and videos, readers will discover through this book how AI is transforming individual tasks, team collaboration, and even entire organizations.
This book will serve as a compass for business strategy for leaders who want to understand the direction of the AI era but are unsure where to start. It will also serve as a practical guidebook for practitioners seeking immediate application in their work.
Above all, it is noteworthy that the author's profound message—"Technology is merely a tool; what matters is people and experience"—encourages readers to view the dawn of the AI era not simply as a technological innovation, but as a "human-centered business innovation."
In 2026, the race has already begun.
Will you fall behind or will you take the lead?
"AI Business Trends 2026" is a must-have survival strategy book for all leaders and practitioners navigating the AI era.
The fastest and most realistic AI trend map for 2026.
By 2026, the success or failure of your business will depend on how well you leverage and orchestrate AI.
Now that the new competitive edge is not the technology itself, but rather the way it is utilized, businesses and individuals cannot afford to postpone their choices.
There is a significant gap in productivity, efficiency, and growth rates between companies that have already actively adopted AI and those that have not.
Therefore, what we need now is not a flashy technological outlook, but rather AI utilization strategies and trends that can be applied immediately in the real world.
"AI Business Trends 2026" outlines 10 trends that must be noted amidst these changes.
The ten trends selected by the author—AI agent revolution, AI independence, AI talent war, on-device AI, AI pivoting, AI coexistence, popularization of generative AI, AI mix, multimodal AI, and borderless DNA—are not technological forecasts, but rather the direction of practical changes already underway in global corporate settings.
This means that it will become a key driving force that will define future global business.
A Preview of 10 AI Business Trends for 2026
- AI agent revolution: Beyond simple automation, it evolves into an ‘intelligent companion’ that sets goals, makes decisions, and executes them on its own.
- AI Independence: The era of the one-person unicorn has begun, where anyone can choose and utilize tools without the help of experts.
- AI talent war: Competition is intensifying as global companies offer aggressive salaries and conditions to secure key AI talent.
- On-device AI: AI, which used to be dependent on the cloud, is now integrated into personal devices such as smartphones and PCs, becoming a part of our daily lives.
- AI Pivoting: Instead of maintaining existing strategies, companies are attempting to transform their organizations and business models to be AI-centric.
- AI Coexistence: With technological innovation, social discussions surrounding the relationship between humans and AI are intensifying.
- Popularization of generative AI: It will completely permeate popular culture and daily life, including memes, content creation, and everyday tasks.
- AI Mix: A ‘combination strategy’ that creates new value by combining various AI tools and functions becomes the core of competitiveness.
- Multimodal AI: Technology expands beyond text and images to integrate analysis and creation of voice, video, and 3D.
- Borderless DNA: Only ‘borderless companies’ that break down boundaries between countries, industries, and organizations will survive and grow.
Of particular note are the rich global and domestic case studies and interviews with global tech leaders.
Hear the strategies and insights of global leaders from Amazon, SK, Google, and KAIST through in-depth interviews, and gain new insights into organizational management in the AI era.
These examples and voices offer readers not just perspectives, but actionable solutions.
While the previous 2025 edition presented a map of various generative AI tools and their applications, this edition of "AI Business Trends 2026" focuses on "how to utilize and combine them" rather than "what to use."
In this era of AI independence and popularization, where AI tools are mixed and utilized, and where multimodal AI is permeating not only text but also images and videos, readers will discover through this book how AI is transforming individual tasks, team collaboration, and even entire organizations.
This book will serve as a compass for business strategy for leaders who want to understand the direction of the AI era but are unsure where to start. It will also serve as a practical guidebook for practitioners seeking immediate application in their work.
Above all, it is noteworthy that the author's profound message—"Technology is merely a tool; what matters is people and experience"—encourages readers to view the dawn of the AI era not simply as a technological innovation, but as a "human-centered business innovation."
In 2026, the race has already begun.
Will you fall behind or will you take the lead?
"AI Business Trends 2026" is a must-have survival strategy book for all leaders and practitioners navigating the AI era.
GOODS SPECIFICS
- Date of issue: October 21, 2025
- Page count, weight, size: 396 pages | 714g | 152*224*24mm
- ISBN13: 9791164848188
- ISBN10: 1164848186
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