Tis the season when tech leaders rub their crystal balls

Leaders from Dell, Microsoft, Salesforce, ServiceNow, and Snowflake have released their 2026 predictions for AI in the workplace, and they agree that safeguards for AI agents and ROI are the top priorities for their customers.

Dell CTO John Roese sees the future of AI living on premises where organizations have more control over security, governance, and cost. He said AI tools like agents and chatbots have been rushed into production without sufficient policies in place.

“This is not just risky; it’s unsustainable,” he writes. “By 2026, the demand for robust frameworks and private environments to ensure stability and control will be undeniable. Running models locally—on-premises or in controlled AI factories—will become the norm to provide a stable foundation and insulate organizations from external disruptions. But this is more than a prediction. It’s an urgent appeal.”

While Roese said solid ROI has begun to emerge among large ...