From cancer vaccines to quantum drug discovery: WEF names 2026's breakthrough technologies

The world's next wave of technological disruption may come less from artificial intelligence and more from breakthroughs in energy systems, biotechnology, healthcare and climate innovation, according to the World Economic Forum's (WEF) Top 10 Emerging Technologies of 2026 report.

Published in collaboration with scientific publisher Frontiers, the annual report identifies technologies that have moved beyond laboratory research and are approaching real-world deployment. While AI remains an important enabler, the report argues that some of the most transformative innovations are emerging in sectors tackling energy security, resource scarcity, healthcare and sustainability.

The 10 technologies to watch

The WEF's list of emerging technologies for 2026 includes:

• Everything-to-grid energy systems

• Direct lithium extraction

• Passive radiative cooling materials

• PFAS destruction technologies

• Precision fermentation

• Exosome drug delivery

• Personalized mRNA cancer vaccines

• Quantum simulation for drug discovery

• World models for AI

• Lattice-based cryptography

According to the report, these technologies were selected based on their scientific maturity, potential societal impact and ability to address major global challenges.

Energy transition dominates the list

Three of the ten technologies are directly linked to the global energy transition.

Everything-to-grid systems seek to transform electric vehicles, batteries and buildings into distributed energy assets capable of supplying electricity back to the grid. Direct lithium extraction could help secure critical battery materials while reducing water consumption and environmental impact. Meanwhile, passive radiative cooling materials promise to lower temperatures in buildings without consuming electricity, potentially reducing energy demand in hotter regions.

The report notes that energy resilience and resource efficiency are becoming increasingly important as countries attempt to balance economic growth with decarbonisation goals.

Healthcare and biotech gain momentum

Healthcare is another major theme.

Among the most closely watched technologies are personalized mRNA cancer vaccines, which are tailored to individual patients using the genetic profile of their tumours, and exosome drug delivery systems that use naturally occurring biological particles to transport therapies more precisely inside the body. Quantum simulation for drug discovery also made the list, reflecting growing expectations that quantum computing could accelerate pharmaceutical research.

Precision fermentation, which uses engineered microbes to produce proteins, food ingredients and industrial compounds, was also highlighted as a technology with the potential to reshape food and manufacturing supply chains.

Beyond AI hype

One of the report's most notable conclusions is that innovation is becoming increasingly personalised, distributed and resource-efficient.

"Many of these technologies are becoming more personal, designed around one patient or one context rather than a standardised whole. Many are becoming more distributed, producing food, energy and critical materials closer to where they are needed," the report said.

The inclusion of technologies such as PFAS destruction and lattice-based cryptography also highlights growing concerns around environmental remediation and cybersecurity in a future where quantum computing could threaten existing encryption systems.

For businesses and policymakers, the report offers a glimpse into where capital, research and regulation may increasingly converge over the coming decade. While AI continues to dominate headlines, WEF's latest technology outlook suggests the next industrial breakthroughs could emerge from the intersection of energy, biology and materials science.