The IEEE 2030 Technology Megatrends Report outlines how artificial intelligence is set to accelerate breakthroughs across health, energy, physical systems, and space, and urges leaders to keep human trust and safety at the center of innovation.
By 2028, genetic engineering and gene therapy are expected to be used more widely to treat a range of illnesses, driven by AI-enabled discovery and clinical decision tools, according to the IEEE 2030 Technology Megatrends Report.
Dejan Milojicic, an IEEE Fellow who chairs the IEEE Future Directions Committee’s Industry Advisory Board, said AI has moved from a standalone technology to one that is tightly coupled with energy, infrastructure, and physical systems. Milojicic, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise Fellow and vice president at HPE Labs in Milpitas, California, described AI as a general-purpose foundation that now underpins many emerging capabilities.
The report identifies 30 breakthrough technologies clustered into five megatrends, defined as sets of related technologies with the potential to reshape industries and daily life for decades. The findings draw on input from 166 experts from 38 countries across six continents spanning industry, academia, and government, who scored each technology on likelihood of success, impact on humanity, maturity, market adoption, and time to adoption.
AI as a common thread in the IEEE 2030 Technology Megatrends Report
Interconnected systems power the megatrends, with AI linking them together. The report notes AI is advancing faster than prior industrial, electrical, or digital revolutions, effectively becoming core infrastructure.
The experts caution that scaling AI faces headwinds, including limited computing infrastructure and energy supply, and that adoption will require workforce reshaping. Milojicic said adaptation has always been part of staying competitive and that organizations should decide where and when AI adds value rather than pursuing all-or-nothing deployments.
Long-term progress depends on technical capability as well as the human-AI relationship. Trust, security, explainability, and policymaking will determine which AI-supported systems achieve scale, the experts said.
IEEE President and CEO for 2026 Mary Ellen Randall said the analysis shifts attention to how advances will intersect to shape human lives, adding that trust, safety, and human connection should guide major breakthroughs in the coming decade.
Health care is a high-impact bet
Personalized medicine received the highest impact score in the study, at 4.93 out of 5, for its potential to improve human health outcomes.
The report points to AI-driven progress in diagnostics and therapeutics, propelled by biotechnology startups. Within two years, the experts expect genetic engineering and gene therapy to be used across therapeutic areas.
Within five years, earlier disease detection is projected to move from research settings into routine clinical practice. Researchers are also likely to manufacture simple synthetic proteins that can perform targeted functions in the body, such as attacking tumors or replacing missing enzymes, according to the report.
Energy wakes up for AI
Rising power demand from AI is outstripping the energy sector’s ability to respond. Technology infrastructure including data centers, networks, and computing hardware already consumes an estimated 10 percent of global electricity, according to the report’s announcement.
The experts predict that energy storage capacity will double in developed countries within two to three years.
Milojicic said the energy industry has seen limited breakthrough innovation since the eras of Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla. He noted that data centers can ramp up in milliseconds while power systems take months, and he said governments will need to reassess power generation strategies to meet demand.
The report references the Jevons paradox, suggesting that efficiency gains in AI chips will increase overall consumption as organizations deploy more hardware to build larger frontier models. Experts expect data centers to draw as much electricity as grids can provide, leaving little to no surplus.
Physical AI moves the fastest
Physical AI refers to intelligence embedded in machines that sense and act in the world, including robots and autonomous vehicles. What began as “hyper-automation and robotics,” a blend of software automation and physical machines, was consolidated into a single physical AI megatrend by the advisory board.
The experts rate human-AI interaction as having the shortest adoption horizon among the 30 technologies, at two to three years. They also see physical AI as having the highest chance of technical advancement among the megatrends over the next four years.
“The data makes clear that trust, safety, and human connection must guide every major breakthrough in the decade ahead.” —Mary Ellen Randall, 2026 IEEE president and CEO
Smarter, more efficient robots are expected to cut energy use significantly within two years. Communication between people and AI systems, whether androids or other devices, is forecast to shift from text prompts to mostly audio and video instructions within two to three years.
Factory androids are expected to incorporate tactile and haptic feedback within two to five years, enabling them to sense contact and adjust grip or force. In the same period, bio-inspired skin, tissues, and sensors are projected to advance, giving robots touch perception that more closely resembles human sensation.
Space is just getting started
Space technology in the report spans satellite communications, in-space manufacturing, launch systems, and related infrastructure. It ranks as a lower-profile megatrend today due to its current maturity level, not its long-term potential.
Milojicic noted that satellite communications are practical and draw attention, but the category remains small compared with AI. He expects space to grow in prominence as terrestrial communications and transportation press into new frontiers that benefit from space-based systems.
Near-term developments highlighted in the report include semiconductor manufacturing that incorporates space-built components and more affordable reusable rockets. Looking ahead, clean energy generation in space and the commercialization of orbital debris removal are identified as technologies to watch over the next decade.
What’s next?
The report calls for academia, industry, governments, and professional associations to coordinate action.
To build the workforce, the experts recommend partnerships with professional organizations for training, a revival of apprenticeships in chemistry, physics, and other physical sciences, and treating AI infrastructure across computing, data, and energy as a long-term strategic asset.
They also urge expanding access to affordable, high-quality STEM education and AI literacy.
Governments are encouraged to lead on policy and to create reintegration programs for workers displaced by AI.
Professional bodies such as IEEE are advised to develop new AI-enabled products and services, reinforce safety and data governance standards, and provide a platform for collaboration among industry, academia, and policymakers.
The report includes guidance for end users, content creators, investors, and corporate leaders on strategies to thrive in an AI-centric future. The throughline across all recommendations is to prioritize the human-AI relationship.
Sophia A. Muirhead, IEEE executive director and chief operating officer, said progress should be judged by more than speed of development and deployment. She emphasized that whether retraining the workforce or integrating AI into daily life, the success of these megatrends depends on strengthening human well-being and public trust.
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