ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Marty Puranik, founder and CEO of Atlantic.Net, a global cloud infrastructure provider specializing in security and compliance, shares his top ten predictions for 2026, with an eye toward AI, cybersecurity, and the evolving infrastructure landscape. These predictions offer insight for tech leaders balancing enormous innovation with growing pressure for security, resiliency, and adaptability.

1. Physical Data Centers Become National Security Assets

Data centers are now more critical than ever, says Puranik. "AI-driven data centers could become targets because of negativity around AI—especially if people perceive AI as replacing jobs." Modern facilities deploy multi-layer defenses, but Puranik warns that data centers hosting AI workloads must be treated similarly to power plants or telco hubs. In the past, we saw cyberattacks target U.S. water utilities, and as AI grows, security protocols will escalate. "AI workloads introduce higher stakes," he notes, and successful attacks could mean widespread economic disruption, driving new standards and separating 'AI-critical' from 'general-purpose' sites.

2. Splitting Cloud Workloads

Puranik predicts organizations will intentionally segment traditional, lower-risk workloads away from high-value AI operations. "A significant attack on an AI hub could 'be a pretty big deal, similar to the shift we saw after 9/11," he says. Mission-critical operations will require new redundancy measures, influencing global compliance and data sovereignty strategies.

3. The Rise of 'Agentic AI Networks'

2026 will see agentic AI—networks of AIs collaborating and reasoning—expand rapidly. "It's a change in traffic patterns, throughput requirements, and what's considered valuable," explains Puranik. Today's cloud is built for low-latency, but agentic AI demands throughput, not latency. "Imagine an AI in an ambulance coordinating with an emergency room's AI," he says, highlighting the need for secure, privacy-centric data enclaves designed 'compliant-by-design.'

4. GPU Market Fragmentation

The global AI boom has spotlighted a critical bottleneck: GPUs. Today, there is a heavy reliance on a single chip maker. This has made them one of the most valuable companies in the world, but this demand is unsustainable. 

"OpenAI's insatiable demand for chips is a prime example," Marty says. "AMD chips are very capable, especially at inference, but they lack another company's traction and validation." He predicts a major diversification in chosen hardware platforms by 2026. "AMD gets in the game in a big way, while OpenAI retains optionality by not being singularly reliant on another company." 

5. Rethinking Cybersecurity 'From First Principles'

Puranik criticizes the industry's habit of 'fighting the last war.' "Start with the basics—define what you're trying to protect and why." He urges regular reviews, measurable metrics, robust backup checks, and third-party audits: "Cybersecurity is a moving target—threat actors are always adapting." Proactive, adaptable security frameworks are essential as threats evolve faster each year.

6. AI Inequality Drives a Social Divide

An 'AI-driven intelligence divide' could fuel inequality, predicts Puranik. "If the best models are reserved for the most affluent, we'll see a new form of stratification." Bridging this gap will be a policy focus, echoing net neutrality debates. Vendors enabling open, affordable AI access will lead the charge as regulators and the public push for ethical data policies and broad inclusivity.

7. Healthcare AI Must Be 'Compliant-by-Design'

Healthcare AI must prove itself not just in smart models but in strict compliance. "The real challenge isn't the model itself—it's ensuring the entire data pipeline is compliant," Puranik stresses. With HIPAA and global privacy laws, institutions must architect cloud and AI infrastructure to embed privacy and security from the start, enabling new AI-driven diagnostics and patient care without risking sensitive data.

8. AI-Driven Misinformation Becomes a Top Threat

AI's power to fabricate and spread disinformation will intensify, warns Puranik. "AI can generate and disseminate all kinds of disinformation, especially on social media—and if it's effective, it could destabilize society." Expect 2026 to bring government policies and new safeguards such as digital watermarking and provenance standards like C2PA, as the tech world works to maintain public trust.

9. AI Models Will Specialize

Massive, general-purpose models won't solve every challenge. "It's not about one model doing everything—it's about the right models doing their part efficiently," says Puranik. He points to trends like DeepSeek, which break problems into specialties, expecting modular frameworks to become standard for large-scale deployments.

10.The Talent War: From Knowledge to Adaptability

AI-driven automation is shifting hiring priorities. "By 2026, the real talent war won't be for the person with the longest list of certifications—it will be for the 'passionate doer' who thrives in chaos," Puranik explains. Adaptability, curiosity, and courage to adopt new tools or sunset legacy systems will matter most, as the pace and uncertainty of technology surpass static credentials.

About Atlantic.Net
Founded in 1994, Atlantic.Net is a privately held global cloud infrastructure provider with customers in over 100 countries, known for delivering secure, compliant, on-demand and customizable hosting solutions. With decades of experience, Atlantic.Net is one of the world's most trusted and experienced hosting providers, offering 24/7 U.S.-based support. Specializing in security, compliance, and customer service, Atlantic.Net serves a diverse range of industries with solutions including HIPAA-compliant hosting and PCI-compliant hosting, backed by bare metal servers, dedicated hosting, GPU hosting, colocation, and its award-winning Cloud Platform. Operating from eight strategically located data center regions across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Asia, Atlantic.Net powers mission-critical workloads for organizations worldwide. For more information, visit Atlantic.Net or connect with us on Facebook, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, and YouTube.

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SOURCE Atlantic.Net