Tech Outlook 2026: What Higher Ed Tech Leaders Expect this YearKey Takeaways AI will move from experimentation to institution-wide strategy. In an open call last month, we asked higher education technology leaders for their predictions on how the tech landscape will change for colleges and universities in the coming year. Not surprisingly, artificial intelligence looms large on the horizon — but advancements in ed tech, data integration, and workforce readiness also remain key topics. Artificial Intelligence Will Go Beyond the Pilot Phase"Vendors are rapidly embedding AI into almost every layer of higher education software. — Curtiss Barnes, CEO, 1EdTech"By 2026, higher education will be operating in a multi-AI-model world.