By Charlie Levin
With 2026 having recently arrived, it seems like, with it, a new era of technology is on its way as well. Over the past couple of years, breakthroughs have been made in many fields across the scientific and technological world, such as OpenAI, increasingly humanoid robots, and the optimization of the power of computer chips, which can only be expected to continue in the year to come. There are many new innovative technologies on the rise, from the furthering of the capacities of artificial intelligence, more realistic computer-generated content, and humanoid robots that can do everyday tasks. Even though these technologies may threaten the current economy, this is going to be a big year for artificial intelligence and major changes in society can only be expected.
For years — in fact, ever since artificial intelligence emerged — humans have been scared of a time far into the future, where AI surpasses human intelligence and societal changes become unpredictable. It was thought that this would not arrive for a long time, but now it seems like it is ever nearing. Singularity is a scary concept, as it makes it sound like humans will be rendered unnecessary to our own survival. Some scientists are saying that we will reach this landmark within the decade, citing AI’s increasing speech and translation capabilities as the main reason, as proposed in an article by Popular Mechanics. This is a very intriguing concept, and many advances prove that this may be the case.
AI is beginning to do everyday tasks, with companies such as Figure AI and Boston Dynamics starting to put out products. In a 60 Minutes segment, which aired on CBS on January 4th, 2026, their humanoid robot Atlas was featured. The segment displayed Atlas performing assembly-line tasks, which was its first time out of the lab. Needless to say, it is still a prototype and can be improved. While, as shown by the segment, it could perform various jobs with ease, its motion still needs to be programmed by humans. With still a long way to go, it is hard to tell where it will be at year’s end. However, this technology, not just Boston Dynamics’, is promising.
Figure AI is another prominent company in this realm, with a similar project. They boast humanoid robots designed to perform everyday chores at home, like Figure 3, a robot that is said by the company to “[take] care of household tasks like laundry, cleaning, and doing dishes, all autonomously.” Standing at 5’ 8”, it really does seem human, with the company’s promo video displaying the machine walking around performing the aforementioned tasks. Further, according to an article by Interesting Engineering, the robot has a human-like step, running in a way that mimics natural motion.
With the combination of ever-improving realistic robots and the accuracy of programming to determine and communicate messages, these robots are poised to take leaps and bounds in the year to come.
Another likely scenario for AI in 2026 has larger implications. With humanoid robots on the rise and a common sight in the near future, AI is going to start affecting every career from production, as will be the case with Boston Dynamics, to education and things like graphic design, with the improvement of generative AI. Universities all over the world are beginning to rely more and more on AI, with professors using them to write lesson plans or create assignments. According to insidehighered.com, California State University recently partnered with Microsoft, Google, and OpenAI, among other companies, and The Ohio State University began an initiative to promote student AI literacy, so as to keep up with the changing labor market. AI will take over the labor force, especially with the generation of content as it becomes indistinguishable from real, human-generated products. Thus, it is vital for students to adapt.
As society transitions into this new age and the singularity nears, 2026 is going to be a huge year in this journey. While it is impossible to predict exactly what will happen, it is certain that artificial intelligence will change our lives.