As outlined at CES Unveiled in Amsterdam by Brian Comiskey, there are three megatrends that are fostering technology breakthroughs currently. These megatrends are ‘Intelligent Transformation’, ‘Longevity’, and ‘Engineering Tomorrow’. This article discusses these megatrends, and how they are reshaping the world today.

As a preface to his presentation, Comiskey commented: “Innovation doesn't occur in silos. Breakthroughs in one technology often influence the advances of another, because, like the humans they benefit, they're never just one thing.”

While these megatrends can be categorised into three segments, it doesn’t mean that they also don’t impact each other. And as technology continues to evolve, the trends will have crossover and change each other.

Intelligent Transformation

Digital transformation has continued to shift technology and innovation, and we have now entered the era of ‘intelligent transformation’. This wave of innovation has been brought about by the rise of AI and its increasing capabilities.

Within the realm of intelligent transformation sits all forms of AI, such as agentic AI, which marks a fundamental shift from AI responding to prompts, to AI taking initiative, vertical AI, where companies are making smaller, more specialised AI, and physical AI in the form of robots.

Comiskey discussed: “Our capabilities are changing the operations of enterprises, the functions of workers, and the lives of consumers. We are in the middle of a foundational need that will impact and improve millions of lives. But how does this transformation start? It begins with three key factors that define modern digital infrastructure and the technologies that help shape it.

“The first is security, which sees the latest advancement in cybersecurity that ensures data and other exchanges of information are encrypted and safe for continuous, uninterrupted communication. Data is the language through which intelligence operates, so cybersecurity offers trust for intelligent transformation to occur.

“The second is scalability. Cloud computing creates the infrastructure that makes innovation elastic and global. Intelligent transformation needs scalability from the Cloud to expand its impact across all verticals and across businesses of all sizes.

“Finally, simulation is how we transform data into intelligent action to allow both faster and smarter decision making. AI simulates human productivity to serve as the ultimate collaboration tool.”

Comiskey explained how this trend will be seen at CES: “At CES 2026, we'll see how it's shaping a critical evolution of the devices, hardware we love, into platforms that offer a highly higher degree of personalised features to revolutionise the individual user experience.”

Longevity

“We often talk about the future in terms of faster processors, smarter devices, and bigger data, but one of the most profound measures of progress is quality of life, and right now, technology is redefining our pursuit for improved quality of life, or longevity,” Comiskey explained.

The pursuit of longevity speaks to how we as humans can achieve longer, healthier, and smarter living. Advancements in sectors such as biotech and healthtech are creating the potentials for humans to live longer and healthier lives.

“At CES 2026, three breakthroughs will be key to watch: metabolic health, precision medicine, and remote care,” Comiskey explained.

In the realm of metabolic health, GLP-1s are taking the spotlight. They are surpassing their status as weight management tools and reshaping how the entire metabolic health ecosystem works, and innovators in markets such as diabetes, sleep apnoea, fitness, and even the food industry, are adapting their products to these drugs due to how wide-spread they already are.

Precision medicine is shifting the current one size fits all healthcare into a completely new era of healthcare. Data driven personalisation, advances in genomics, biomarker detection, and AI-powered analytics means we can forecast multiple health risks and tailor interventions long before any symptoms appear.

Breakthroughs in remote care underpin these breakthroughs.  Wearables, connected diagnostic devices, and telehealth platforms will extend continuous, proactive care beyond doctor’s visits, and make an active impact on lives.

Looking ahead as this trend develops, it is likely we will see entire ecosystems reform. Health will be ‘always on’ and tech will be the first and best line of defence. Comiskey said: “Health data is no longer locked in silos. Patients are becoming the executives of their own health, tracking everything from the heart rhythm to sleep quality in real time via dynamic and sleep wearables. This always on datafication of the consumer allows for deeper insights for them to make healthier decisions in the pursuit of longevity.”

We have already seen the rise in wearables, but what we about to see will be a whole new way that humans are taking control of their health.  

Engineering Tomorrow

The entire world is being transformed by emerging technologies, and is evolving to anticipate our needs. Innovations in the home continue to cement their role in offering a smarter way of living.

Comiskey explained: “First, AI personalisation is taking centre stage. Think of connected systems that don't just automate but anticipate lighting, climate, and even entertainment, tuned to individual rhythms, learning from daily habits to create ambient, intelligent environments.

“Second, the smart home is evolving into a home health hub. From smart mirrors to smoke detectors to even smart doorbells, smart home devices are increasingly viewed by consumers as critical.

“Third, energy customisation is reshaping sustainability and comfort. Smart panels and adaptive storage systems allow households to optimise energy use based on peak demand, renewable availability, and personal schedules; delivering resilience while lowering costs.

“Finally, security standardisation is arriving, maturing devices from firms like ADT now speak the same language, reinforcing privacy and physical wellbeing across the home network. When these elements work together, the result is a living space designed not just for convenience, but for longevity.”

But it isn’t just the home being transformed, it is the entirety of cultured living. From the content we consume to beauty to advertising. “It's about blending art, identity, and technology, where the tools we use every day don't just support our lives, they become a canvas for who we are.”

“At CTA, we see technology not just as a set of tools, but as the blueprint for building solutions to our greatest challenges and unlocking our biggest opportunities. Our final megatrend ‘engineering tomorrow’ is about some of these technologies offering breakthrough solutions that will reshape how we move, power, and even structure our world.”

We are in the process of technology completing overhauling the way we live. Tools that merge physical and digital environments allow consumers to adapt products, spaces, and experiences to reflect their individual tastes with greater precision.

The year ahead

It will be interesting to see how these megatrends evolve over the coming year. While each of these sectors have made their mark on the technology landscape, this will only continue to grow and shape the industry. Not only will these emerging trends be in the limelight, but the startups innovating within these spaces.

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