TLDR: A recent global study by the IEEE predicts that agentic AI, functioning as smart assistants, will achieve mass-market penetration among consumers by 2026. The survey of technology leaders highlights anticipated uses such as personal shopping and scheduling, alongside significant impacts on job augmentation and a surge in demand for AI-related skills.
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) has released findings from its ‘The Impact of Technology in 2026 and Beyond: an IEEE Global Study,’ indicating that agentic AI is poised for widespread consumer adoption by 2026. This comprehensive survey, conducted between September 11-17, 2025, gathered insights from 400 CIOs, CTOs, IT directors, and other technology leaders across major global markets including Brazil, China, Japan, India, the U.K., and the U.S.
Agentic AI, characterized as a ‘smart assistant’ capable of independent task execution while still requiring oversight, is expected to integrate into daily consumer life through various applications. Technologists foresee these AI agents serving as personal shoppers, schedulers, data privacy managers, and health monitors. A significant 96% of global technologists agree that innovation and adoption of agentic AI will continue at a rapid pace in 2026, driven by increased investments from both established enterprises and startups.
The study also delves into the broader societal and economic implications of this technological shift. More than half of the surveyed leaders (51%) anticipate that 26-50% of jobs across the global economy will be augmented by AI software in 2026. This transformation is expected to spur a ‘data analyst hiring boom,’ with 91% of respondents agreeing that the use of agentic AI to analyze vast amounts of data will grow, necessitating human expertise to verify accuracy, ensure transparency, and identify vulnerabilities.
In terms of infrastructure, nearly half of the technologists (49%) believe it will take 5-7 years to build the necessary global data center infrastructure to meet the escalating demands of AI development. The survey also identified the top skills critical for AI-related roles in 2026: AI ethical practices (44%), data analysis (38%), machine learning (34%), data modeling (32%), and software development (32%).
Complementing these predictions, market analysis indicates substantial growth in the AI agents sector. The global AI agents market, valued at USD 5.43 billion in 2024, is projected to surge to approximately USD 236.03 billion by 2034, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 45.82% from 2025 to 2034. This growth is largely attributed to the ongoing revolution in enterprise automation and the increasing emphasis on intelligent systems.
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Overall, the IEEE’s latest study paints a clear picture of an imminent future where AI agents are not just a business tool but an integral part of the consumer mass market, reshaping how individuals manage their daily lives and influencing the global job landscape.
