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This past year brought a whirlwind of technology breakthroughs and workforce shifts. From agentic AI redefining how enterprises (and their employees) operate to tariffs reshaping global market dynamics, 2025 has been nothing short of a rollercoaster. And as we look ahead, 2026 is already poised to deliver another year of bold momentum and meaningful change.
Here are the trends I expect to be top of mind for business and revenue leaders in the year ahead:
AI won’t replace humans, it will elevate them
There was a lot of talk early on about AI replacing people. What we've learned is that the most powerful outcomes come when AI empowers people, not replaces them. In sales, for example, AI isn’t there to close deals; it’s there to manage the administrative load, provide real-time insights, and help sellers be more strategic and human in every interaction.
This shift is also accelerating a move from intuition-based decision-making to truly data-backed choices. AI gives sellers and leaders clearer visibility, enabling them to act with more precision rather than relying on “how it’s always been done.”
As AI handles more of the heavy, manual lift, it becomes a force multiplier by freeing reps to focus intensely on selling, building trust, and nurturing relationships. At the same time, sellers will carry a greater responsibility to verify AI outputs and ensure accuracy. In 2026, we will see the rise of the AI-augmented seller, which will quickly become the new standard for high performance.
Agentic AI is the next frontier
The biggest trend carrying into 2026 is the momentum behind the rise of agentic AI. Forward-looking vendors are moving beyond simple automations toward proactive, autonomous agents that can deliver multi-step outcomes with little human intervention.
We’re already seeing this in our own products, where AI agents can build and deploy applications for sales practitioners from just a simple prompt. It’s a fundamental shift that will redefine both how we build software and how customers experience it.
AI becomes the invisible layer powering sales
In the year ahead, AI will transition fully from a standalone tool to the embedded intelligence layer behind every part of the sales lifecycle. Instead of AI existing as an optional capability or an add-on, organizations will rely on it as the connective tissue between workflows, systems, and teams.
AI will reduce or eliminate team handoffs altogether, with many of the manual, back-and-forth steps now happening instantly and behind the scenes. With fewer bottlenecks and more consistent data, companies will operate with far greater precision and agility.
Ultimately, enterprises are looking to AI to become more predictive, more effective, and more aligned with strategic objectives.
Workplaces will continue evolving
Workplace norms will also continue to evolve. The biggest change will be the complete acceptance of hybrid work, where remote and in-office are equally prioritized, and the debate on which is better finally fades. Companies will instead focus on designing spaces and systems that support collaboration, community, and intentional connection.
At the same time, the definition of “productivity’’ will keep changing. It will be less about hours logged and more about measurable outcomes and business impact. With AI helping employees focus on strategic, high-value work, that shift will happen even faster.
In this new environment, sales and revenue leaders will set the pace, ensuring AI is used productively and responsibly, while fostering a culture of continuous learning. Employees will need the tools and mindset to adapt and grow, especially as human-AI collaboration becomes part of everyday work.
Ready to turn AI from hype into real impact?
Discover how Xactly’s all-in-one AI-powered revenue performance solutions help organizations turn data into action and drive sustainable growth: https://ai.xactlycorp.com/
