The shift from widespread enthusiasm to pragmatic consolidation defines 2026 as a year of strategic decisions, not technical promises. Far from sensational headlines, technology and telecommunications are entering their most solid phase: profitability, sustainability, functional regulation, and measurable adoption.
This analysis reviews five trends that not only shape this year’s tech landscape, but are already generating tangible impacts on operations, investment, and corporate strategy.
1️⃣ European regulation: real interoperability in mobile AI
The European Union has taken a decisive step by requiring Android to allow third-party artificial intelligence to be integrated into its core. This measure, beyond fighting monopolistic practices, redefines competition at a deeply technical and functional level.
After the Digital Markets Act (DMA) came into force, Google opened its native AI API to European developers, allowing assistants like Alexa or startup AI models to integrate directly into the operating system. In Germany, Deutsche Telekom is already testing alternative AI assistants on Android, which could reduce dependence on a single provider and foster local innovation.
According to the European Commission, by the end of 2026 at least 35% of Android devices sold in the EU will include pre-installed third-party AI options, compared to less than 5% in 2024. This radical change accelerates real innovation by forcing dominant players to compete on functional quality and opens the market to more diverse solutions tailored to local needs.
Source: European Commission opens proceedings for Google to comply with Digital Markets Act (DMA)
2️⃣ Efficiency and sustainability: the new telco focus
After years of focusing on the “next G,” mobile operators are recalibrating their message: the priority is no longer just more speed, but operational efficiency and economic sustainability.
For example, Telefónica Spain announced the final shutdown of its 3G network in 2025, achieving a 15% reduction in annual energy consumption and freeing up resources for 5G and fiber. Vodafone reported that network automation with AI reduced critical incidents by 22% and optimized spectrum use, generating over €120 million in operational savings last year.
In Brazil and Mexico, América Móvil and TIM have launched “green networks” pilots to reduce the carbon footprint of mobile infrastructure, with preliminary results of up to 18% lower emissions per site. Additionally, agreements like the one between Orange and MásMóvil in Spain, to share infrastructure, will save more than €450 million over three years.
Efficiency and sustainability are no longer just talking points: they are key metrics in strategic decision-making and in how investors and regulators value operators. Data traffic and the proliferation of connected devices have grown exponentially in mature markets like Spain, where 5G already accounts for nearly 20% of total traffic and its rollout reaches 94% of the population.
Source: Vodafone completes 3G shutdown in the UK
3️⃣ AI: real maturity vs expectations
In 2026, the industry is beginning to diagnose what tech experience has taught for decades: “hype” ends when real benefits are weighed against costs.
In European banking, BBVA and Santander report that after investing over €300 million in AI between 2022 and 2025, real returns are concentrated in areas like fraud detection and process automation, with efficiency improvements of 12% and customer response time reductions of 18%. However, the promise of doubling global productivity has not materialized; many experimental projects have been canceled or refocused.
In telecom, AT&T and Telefónica report that only 9% of their AI initiatives have scaled to mass production; the rest remain in pilot phase or have been discarded for lack of measurable impact. This has led to stricter project evaluation, prioritizing those with clear cost-benefit and scalability metrics.
According to McKinsey, 67% of companies that invested in AI between 2023 and 2025 have adjusted their expectations and now require quarterly results and business metrics before approving new investments.
This forced maturity is transforming corporate culture: AI is no longer a glamorous experiment but a strategic tool, subject to the same profitability and efficiency criteria as any other technology. Although more than $600 billion USD has been spent on AI infrastructure in recent years, most companies have seen efficiency improvements of only 10–15% in specific tasks, far from doubling global productivity.
Source: AI in telecommunications — global market and growth projections
4️⃣ Selective investment and new models in telecom
The telecom sector continues to explore new applications, but AI adoption is advancing cautiously: around 41% of operators are exploring AI tools, and only 22% are actively piloting them in production.
Cases like Telia Company in the Nordics, which implemented AI for predictive network management (reducing service interruptions by 30% and optimizing preventive maintenance), or Claro in Latin America, which integrated AI in customer service (25% reduction in resolution times and 17% increase in user satisfaction), show real potential.
The global telecom analytics market, valued at $9.26 billion USD in 2025, is projected to grow to over $10.59 billion in 2026 and toward $34.84 billion by 2035, with a CAGR of ~14%.
The transition from pilot to production is the main operational challenge. Operators that manage to scale AI projects from pilot to mass operation will capitalize better on investment and gain competitive advantage. Analytics and smart operations concentrate the largest structural investment.
Source: AI in Telecommunication Market Size 2025-2034
5️⃣ IT and telecom spending: expansion with purpose
Aggregate sector growth is not uniform, but the demand for robust connectivity, cloud services, and digital transformation continues to drive global tech investments to historic levels. Global IT spending is projected to reach $4.25 trillion by the end of 2025, with 14% growth—the largest expansion in nearly three decades.
In Asia-Pacific, China Mobile and Reliance Jio have announced joint investments of over $8 billion in 5G networks and data centers for 2026, aiming to support the growth of cloud services and AI applications. In Europe, Deutsche Telekom and Orange have increased their digital transformation budgets by 19% over 2024, prioritizing cloud infrastructure migration and cybersecurity.
In Latin America, IT and telecom spending exceeded $120 billion in 2025, driven by banking digitalization, e-commerce, and remote education. According to IDC, 62% of Latin American companies plan to increase their technology investment in 2026, especially in automation and data analytics solutions.
These moves consolidate the perception of technology as an economic engine and reinforce investment in network infrastructure, data centers, and integrated digital services globally. Technology is no longer a perceived cost but a tangible competitive lever.
Source: Gartner: global IT spending to exceed USD 6 trillion in 2026
Conclusion: from hype to maturity
The developments we are witnessing are not passing trends, but structural changes in how technology and telecommunications are organized globally.
For industry leaders, the key in 2026 will be to identify which trends can become sustainable competitive advantages and which require immediate adjustments in strategy, investment, and talent. Market maturity demands a shift from experimentation to disciplined execution, with a focus on measurable results and operational resilience.
Signals for leaders:
- Prioritize projects with clear return and scalability metrics.
- Foster alliances to share risks and accelerate innovation.
- Invest in digital talent and data analysis capabilities.
- Adopt a proactive regulatory vision to anticipate changes.
In summary, 2026 is the year when technology and telecommunications cease to be a promise and become a real lever for growth and differentiation. Infrastructures consolidate, economic models are refined, and technology becomes a real asset for sustainable growth.
📚 Recommended reading
- McKinsey — The state of AI: navigating the maturity curve
Global analysis on real AI adoption, scalability, and return on investment. - GSMA — The Mobile Economy 2025
Global overview of the economic impact, efficiency, and sustainability of the mobile sector. - Omdia: Telecoms Trends to Watch 2026
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