Inside the Top Cybersecurity Trends for 2026

AI is accelerating. Threats are evolving. And the pressure on cybersecurity leaders has never been higher.

In this episode of ThinkCast, we explore the trends shaping 2026 — where AI adoption, agentic systems, and mounting regulation are pushing security programs to their limits and forcing CISOs to rethink how they operate and where they invest.

Gartner experts Chiara Girardi and William Candrick break down the most critical shifts, from AI-powered social engineering and behavior risk, to automation in the Security Operations Center (SOC), postquantum urgency, and securing AI agents through modern identity strategies.

 

You'll learn:

• Why AI is breaking traditional security awareness models
• How SOC teams must evolve without losing critical skills
• What "harvest now, decrypt later" means for your data
• How identity is becoming the control plane for AI agents

 

Dig deeper:

• Watch the Top Trends in Cybersecurity for 2026 webinar
• Download the full Top 8 Trends in Cybersecurity breakdown
• See why Gartner is the world authority on AI
• Try out AskGartner for more AI-powered insights