Reactive to proactive: the tech trends that will shape 2026  

Innovation Strategist Thomas de Vos breaks down the game-changing moments of 2025 and the moves that will matter in 2026. 

Feb 23, 2026

Thomas De Vos, Innovation strategist, Empathy Lab
Gent, Belgium

From digital product passports to conversational commerce everywhere, 2025 put AI front and center in the customer experience. Yet, most applications still rely on us humans to make the first move. What changes when AI knows what we want... before we even ask?

On this episode of Empathy and the algorithm, Thomas de Vos looks back at the innovations that made 2025 such an exciting year for our agency, plus the opportunity for brands to move from reactive to proactive AI.

Tune in for an inside look at the tools we built, the risks we took and the creative firsts that followed, from virtual photo shoots to AI-powered video. Discover how brands are using AI to trial small moves with big upside, from synthetic focus groups to strengthening brand voice at scale. Looking ahead to 2026, find out how to prepare for AI that 'senses’ customer needs by strengthening your data foundations and investing in smarter analytics now.

Listen to the full episode here.

Contributor in this article

Thomas De Vos
Innovation strategist, Empathy Lab, Gent, Belgium