Next year, artificial intelligence (AI) will become even more integrated into everyday life, although not without nuances. From banking assistants able to recognize frustration in a customer’s voice, to connected ambulances that transmit video and medical data in real time, advances promise faster, more personalized and even potentially life-saving services.
But this transformation will also require a digital infrastructure to match: with reliable, secure and low latency connectivity. This is anticipated by DE-CIX, the global operator of Internet exchange points (IX), which has presented its predictions and technological vision for 2026.
1. Emotional AI transforming banking
In 2026, the financial sector will experience an unprecedented transformation driven by emotional artificial intelligence. A new generation of adaptive systems will allow more human interactions, capable of detecting signs of stress, doubt or frustration in customers’ voices in real time. It is estimated that this market will reach 7.7 billion euros in 2030.
The evolution of the European regulatory framework is also redefining access to financial data. The PSD2 Directive requires banks to provide secure interfaces – typically APIs – to allow access to certain data when authorized by the customer, which has driven collaboration with fintechs and new providers. The future Open Finance framework will further expand this exchange.
However, this opening coincides with the entry into force of the AI Act, which classifies emotional AI as a high-risk technology in certain uses, imposing strict transparency, auditing and data protection requirements. In this context, having a sovereign interconnection infrastructure will be essential to ensure that financial, biometric and emotional information is processed and shared securely and under European control.
2. AI-powered real-time medicine
The healthcare field will experience a decisive leap in 2026 thanks to AI. Connected ambulances will stream high-resolution video, while AI-based traffic systems will clear routes for emergency vehicles. Data from wearables and AI-powered medical records will reach doctors before the patient even enters the hospital, speeding diagnoses and improving care.
Governments and healthcare facilities are expanding their pilot programs into large-scale initiatives, driving a medical connectivity market that will grow from around €88 billion in 2024 to more than €334 billion in 2030. This growth is supported by 5G networks, B5G, satellite communications and a more distributed digital health infrastructure.
3. Autonomous AI will transform the industry
Autonomous artificial intelligence will go from being an auxiliary tool to becoming the axis that orchestrates industrial processes from start to finish. From predictive maintenance to fully automated production lines, AI will enable personalized goods to be manufactured at scale through intelligent 3D printing.
This model supports the trend towards industrial relocation and hyperlocal microfactories, which reduce costs, risks and carbon footprint by bringing production closer to the consumer. Even space exploration, with autonomous 3D printing projects on the Moon, shows how a decentralized infrastructure will redefine the industry of the future.
AI-Ready Infrastructures
As AI is incorporated into areas such as banking and healthcare, algorithms alone will not be enough: a robust infrastructure that connects them will be crucial. Ultra-low latency, secure data exchange and seamless integration of fibre, mobile and satellite networks will be essential to ensure instant and reliable services.
In 2026, the need to process data close to where it is generated (edge computing) will grow, with micro data centers located next to the points of information creation—in cities and industrial areas—to enable real-time exchanges.
For DE-CIX, this means innovating in the area of interconnection. Ivo Ivanov, CEO of DE-CIX, highlights that “companies will increasingly bring their processing capabilities closer to data sources, and microcenters will multiply in urban and industrial environments. The combination of fiber, mobile and satellite networks in an interconnected mesh will be key.” These solutions will enable you to create a data infrastructure ready for AI workloads of any scale.
Ultra-low latency, secure data exchange and seamless integration of fiber, mobile and satellite networks will be essential to ensure instant and reliable services
With its AI-IX initiative, DE-CIX offers secure and efficient access for AI workloads, facilitating the creation of sovereign infrastructures and private user groups separate from the public network.
As autonomous AI is integrated into all sectors, demand for edge interconnection, distributed GPU clusters and dynamic orchestration will accelerate in 2026. In this context, interconnection will be the foundation on which the next generation of AI-powered business models will be built, supported by an infrastructure capable of guaranteeing speed, security and operational autonomy for companies and organizations.
