After years of software-first artificial intelligence development, the most disruptive innovations are now moving off screens and into the physical systems that power modern economies — from energy and healthcare to food and advanced materials — according to a report released on Tuesday at the 2026 Summer Davos forum in Dalian, Liaoning province, in Northeast China.

The report, entitled Top 10 Emerging Technologies of 2026, was co-published by the World Economic Forum and research publisher, Frontiers. It identifies 10 technologies that experts say are most likely to shape industry, policy and society over the next five years, ranging from next-generation clean energy and advanced materials to biotechnology, AI and quantum technologies.

According to Xinhua, the three-day forum, which opened on Tuesday, heard that many of the emerging technologies highlighted in the report are moving from the laboratory into power grids, hospitals and factories, and are expected to fundamentally change how economies operate.

A World Economic Forum technology specialist said the impact would depend on how governments, businesses and researchers work together on standards, ethics and governance, according to a Xinhua report in Chinese.

The report said the 10 emerging technologies are everything-to-grid energy, direct lithium extraction, passive radiative cooling materials, PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) destruction, precision fermentation, exosome drug delivery, personalized mRNA cancer vaccines, quantum simulation for drug discovery, world models and lattice-based cryptography.

Everything-to-grid energy systems would allow electric vehicles and smart buildings to act as distributed batteries, storing electricity and feeding it back to the grid on demand to enhance energy security and flexibility. Direct lithium extraction aims to replace slow evaporation ponds with engineered systems that can pull battery-grade lithium from salt flats in hours, while new passive radiative cooling materials can help keep buildings cool without consuming power, the report said.

PFAS destruction technologies focus on breaking down so-called “forever  chemicals” into harmless, natural substances to help secure clean drinking water.

In the food and bioeconomy sectors, precision fermentation is enabling companies to “brew” food ingredients and medicines, reducing pressure on land and water resources, while creating opportunities in high-value manufacturing, Xinhua said.

On the healthcare front, exosome-based drug delivery and personalized mRNA cancer vaccines are seen as promising tools to bring more precise and effective treatments to patients, building on rapid advances made during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the report.

According to Xinhua, the rise of world models and post-quantum tools such as lattice-based cryptography is raising new governance and security questions, experts at the forum warned.