VML – The Future 100, 2026

Summary

The report explores emerging trends and cultural shifts shaping the year 2026.

It highlights a "dysoptimistic" future characterized by acknowledging darkness but refusing despair, emphasizing resilience, creativity, and transformation. Key themes include entropism, apocalyptic glamor, synthetic generation, treatonomics, transformative experiences, hyperreality, AI storyworlds, and the enduring importance of human connection despite technological advances. The report serves as a guide to navigating and understanding these metamorphic cultural currents.

Region: Global

Published: February 2026

Author(s): VML

Language: English

Tech drivers: AI Metaverse & Web3 Mobile Quantum Computing Robotics Social Media

Social drivers: Diversity and equality Inclusivity Mindfulness Pandemics Sustainability and ethics

Geopolitical drivers: Economic conditions Political instability and conflicts Workforce availability

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