Infrastructure has long been the backbone of modern societies, encompassing roads, bridges, energy grids, and transportation systems.

However, rapid technological advancements are redefining what constitutes infrastructure, expanding it to include digital elements like data centers, fiber-optic networks, and AI-driven services.

According to McKinsey & Company, addressing global infrastructure needs will require approximately $106 trillion in investments by 2040, with digital infrastructure accounting for $19 trillion of that total.

This shift is driven by technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), advanced connectivity, and robotics, which promise to enhance efficiency, sustainability, and resilience while introducing new challenges like power constraints and cybersecurity risks.

Drawing on analyses from McKinsey, Gartner, Deloitte, and other sources, I’ve sought to examine how these developments will transform infrastructure in 2026 and the years ahead.

I’m fortunate to participate in McKinsey’s Global Panel and both the questions they ask, and the early access to reports, has been helpful to me in understanding trends and possible futures for the industry.

As we start a new year it felt like a good time to take a look ahead.

The Rise of AI and Digital Integration

It won’t surprise you to read that AI is at the forefront of infrastructure transformation. It is already enabling predictive maintenance, real-time optimization, and autonomous operations.

Traditional infrastructure assets, such as rail systems and airports, are increasingly augmented with AI tools that monitor performance and predict failures.

As an example, AI-powered predictive maintenance in rail networks can improve fleet reliability by about 15% and reduce costs by 20%, while in airports, it optimizes baggage-handling systems to minimize downtime and staffing needs.

McKinsey’s Technology Trends Outlook 2025 highlights AI as a foundational technology with surging adoption, where interest and innovation scores have nearly doubled since 2020, driven by $124.3 billion in equity investments in 2024.

This integration extends to data centers, which are exploding in demand due to AI workloads. Global AI applications are projected to increase data center requirements by over 50% by 2030, prompting major tech companies like Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft to invest more than $400 billion in 2025 alone for expanded capacity.

However, this growth exposes infrastructure vulnerabilities, including power shortages and network bottlenecks.

Deloitte’s Tech Trends 2026 report emphasizes the “AI infrastructure reckoning,” where organizations are shifting to hybrid models, combining cloud for elasticity, on-premises for consistency, and edge computing for low-latency processing, to manage escalating compute costs and demands.

Furthermore, agentic AI, systems that autonomously plan and execute tasks, is emerging as a game-changer. McKinsey notes its rapid growth, with job postings surging 985% from 2022 to 2024, potentially acting as virtual coworkers in infrastructure management.

Gartner identifies multiagent systems as a top trend for 2026, where modular AI agents collaborate on complex tasks, enhancing automation in sectors like energy grids and transportation networks.

Advancements in Compute and Connectivity

Another accelerating trend is that the compute and connectivity frontiers are reshaping infrastructure by enabling faster, more reliable networks and decentralized processing.

McKinsey’s outlook points to advanced connectivity technologies, including 5G/6G and low-Earth-orbit satellites, which have seen $44.2 billion in investments in 2024, facilitating seamless integration across infrastructure verticals.

These developments support edge computing, which distributes workloads to reduce latency and improve security, essential for real-time applications in smart cities and autonomous systems.

Application-specific semiconductors are another key driver, optimizing chips for AI and other workloads to enhance efficiency and power management.

Gartner highlights AI supercomputing platforms as critical for breakthroughs in model training, though they require governance to control costs and ensure scalability.

In transportation, 5G-enabled edge data centers optimize operations, such as crew planning in rail systems, potentially trimming labor costs by 10-15%.

Immersive-reality technologies, blending augmented and virtual reality with AI, are also impacting infrastructure design. McKinsey reports growing interest in these tools for applications like remote monitoring and training in hazardous environments, such as power plants or construction sites.

Deloitte notes the convergence of AI with physical systems, exemplified by robotic deployments in warehouses and factories, which demand robust, adaptive infrastructure to support intelligent automation.

Sustainability, Energy, and Mobility Transformations

Technological developments are accelerating the shift toward sustainable infrastructure, particularly in energy and mobility.

McKinsey’s analysis underscores the future of energy and sustainability technologies, with $223.2 billion in equity investments in 2024, focusing on clean energy, electrification, and resilient systems.

Data centers, for example, are increasingly integrated with renewable energy sources and microgrids to address power constraints, as AI-driven demand strains traditional grids.

In mobility, autonomous vehicles and drones are set to revolutionize transportation infrastructure.

McKinsey estimates that autonomous truck pilots could generate $600 billion in revenue by 2035 across key regions, leveraging low-latency digital networks to mitigate driver shortages.

Gartner’s physical AI trend brings intelligence to robots and smart equipment, impacting operational infrastructure in logistics and urban planning.

Deloitte’s report on AI going physical highlights examples like BMW’s autonomous factory navigation, which enhances efficiency and requires infrastructure upgrades for sensor integration and data processing.

Quantum technologies and bioengineering also hold promise, though at earlier stages. McKinsey notes quantum’s potential for secure networks and sensitive sensors in infrastructure monitoring, while bioengineering could lead to sustainable materials for construction.

Challenges and Security Considerations

While promising, these advancements introduce significant challenges. McKinsey warns of scaling issues, including talent shortages, regulatory hurdles, and infrastructure bottlenecks like insufficient grid access for data centers.

Deloitte emphasizes the “great rebuild,” where legacy systems must be modularized and governed to support AI-human teams, with only 1% of IT leaders reporting no major changes.

Cybersecurity is paramount, as digital integration heightens vulnerabilities. Gartner advocates for preemptive cybersecurity, confidential computing, and AI security platforms to protect data and maintain trust.

Geopatriation, shifting workloads to regional clouds, starts to address geopolitical risks, ensuring compliance and resilience.

Deloitte’s AI dilemma underscores the need for machine-speed defenses across infrastructure layers.

Conclusion

So how can we sum things up?

Well it seems clear that technological developments are poised to fundamentally alter infrastructure, making it more intelligent, interconnected, and sustainable. This is happening already.

And we can see that from AI-optimized maintenance to hybrid compute models and physical robotics, these changes are and will drive economic growth and efficiency. But there’s a but, they will need substantial investments and strategic planning.

As McKinsey suggests, stakeholders must pursue cross-vertical integrations and responsible innovation to navigate constraints and unlock potential.

When all is said and done, it is by embracing these trends, that we can build resilient infrastructure that supports a digital future, fosters connectivity and prosperity from 2026 through 2040 and beyond.

References

Deloitte. (2025). Tech Trends 2026. https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/topics/technology-management/tech-trends.html

Gartner. (n.d.). Top 10 strategic technology trends for 2026. https://www.gartner.com/en/articles/top-technology-trends-2026

McKinsey & Company. (2025a). The infrastructure moment. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/infrastructure/our-insights/the-infrastructure-moment

McKinsey & Company. (2025b). McKinsey technology trends outlook 2025. https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/tech-and-ai/our-insights/the-top-trends-in-tech

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