In 2025, we witnessed a fascinating array of inventions, from humanoid robots to the peculiar phenomenon of AI girlfriends. Now, as we look toward 2026, the Nesta research foundation’s experts are unveiling the global innovations and trends poised to redefine our world.

The anticipated developments for 2026 are as diverse as they are impactful. Among them, the concerning rise of ‘sand theft auto’ and the implications of space-born babies are capturing attention. These topics highlight the breadth of issues emerging at the intersection of technology and society.

Researchers caution that some advancements, particularly the integration of artificial intelligence into government operations, hold the potential to fundamentally alter societal structures. This prospect invites both excitement and apprehension as we ponder the implications of such profound change.

On a more practical level, innovations like anti-pothole technologies and personalized bus routes promise to enhance daily life, offering improvements in convenience and comfort. These developments aim to address everyday challenges with creative solutions.

Closer to home, the interest of technology companies in incorporating advertisements within our living spaces poses significant privacy and data protection concerns. This trend raises important questions about how far these technologies might intrude into our personal lives.

Meanwhile, closer to home, tech companies’ interest in placing advertisements inside our homes raises serious questions about privacy and data protection.

Laurie Smith, Head of Mission Discovery at Nesta, says: ‘If 2026 is anything like last year, it will be full of developments – both mundane and extraordinary.

‘That could make a profound change to our everyday lives and lead to new ways of thinking.’

One of the biggest technology trends of 2025 was the acceleration of the new space race.

Both the US and China, and rival billionaires Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, ramped up efforts towards establishing a permanent human presence on the moon and beyond.

However, Nesta warns that 2026 will be the first year that humanity needs to seriously consider what happens if a baby is born in space.

Last year, researchers from Kyoto University showed that mouse egg and sperm cells could survive in space and go on to produce healthy offspring.

Meanwhile, Dutch Biotech startup Spaceborn United launched the first miniature lab for in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and embryo processes into orbit.

Yet, while Elon Musk continues to promote the idea of human colonies on Mars, there are serious risks that low gravity and high radiation could cause developmental defects for any space babies.

Additionally, there is a pressing question of what nationality, if any, a baby born in space could be awarded.

Space cannot be owned by any nation, so babies born in space risk becoming stateless without a new legal framework.

Mr Smith told the Daily Mail: ‘Before humans can think about living in space, we will need to understand all the implications of this – perhaps even one day needing to understand the implications of giving birth there.

‘The first person to give birth in space might be a while away, but looking into how our bodies react to this is an important first step.’

On the other hand, a more grounded concern for the coming year is the alarming rise in global sand theft.

While sand might seem uninteresting, it is the primary ingredient in virtually all construction and infrastructure, from concrete to the silicon chips in your smartphone.

This makes sand the second-most consumed resource on Earth, creating a thriving black market for illegally mined sand.

Researchers estimate that the illegal sand market is worth between $200 billion and $350 billion (£149-261 billion) worldwide.

In Indonesia, police uncovered an illegal sand mining operation in the Mount Merapi National Park, estimated to have produced $134 million (£100 million) of revenue over two years.

Meanwhile, researchers believe that around 15.5 million cubic metres of sand are illegally removed from Vietnam’s Mekong Delta every year.

Around the world, sand mining has increased flood risks in Uganda, destabilised and rerouted major rivers in India, and sparked a boom of deadly organised crime across Asia.

In 2026, Nesta predicts that the growing demand for sand will lead to even more uncontrolled mining unless urgent action is taken.

However, after a year dominated by the meteoric rise of AI, 2026 is also likely to be driven by the actions of the biggest tech giants.

Nesta warns that AI is likely to take an increasingly prominent role in the top roles of government.

In Albania, for example, the government appointed the world’s first ‘AI minister’, named Diella, to its cabinet.

Although AI has the potential to improve government efficiency, critics have raised concerns that replacing human decision makers with computers could make governments less accountable.

In another worrying development, Nesta researchers suggest that our homes could become the ‘new frontier’ of digital advertising in 2026.

In 2025, Samsung announced that it would start showing adverts on some of its new fridge models in the US and that it plans to put ads on ‘every screen in the connected home’.

Nesta warns that this ‘crosses a line into private spaces and everyday tasks’ and could turn our private homes into commercial zones.

However, not every 2026 trend has the potential to be as problematic, and many may actually improve our lives in noticeable ways.

Emerging ‘data unions’ could allow individuals to take collective ownership of their data and pull power back from the big tech companies.

While advances in quantum navigation could exploit the fundamental forces of physics to help planes and ships make safer journeys. 

In the coming year, Nesta also claims that new inventions could pave the way for innovations in pothole-preventing technology.

Currently, the UK faces a pothole repair backlog estimated to cost £16.3 billion, with pothole-related breakdowns increasing by 25 per cent in the last year.

However, innovative materials such as graphene – atom-thick grids of carbon atoms – have the potential to make roads more durable and better able to resist heat.

Meanwhile, in Hertfordshire, robotic repair units are already being trialled to patrol the roads and fix cracks as soon as they appear.

In the coming year, these developments could finally turn the tide in the UK’s war against the pothole epidemic.

Likewise, traffic innovations using technology could soon make your commute even easier.

Mr Smith says: ‘If British transport authorities were to consider bus routes, they could look to Shanghai, where last year they extended the rollout of its ‘Dingzhi’ system of customised bus routes.

‘There, passengers propose new bus routes via an online platform. Once a route meets a minimum demand threshold – typically of 15-20 passengers per trip – it is approved and can start within days.’