Skip to content
Menu
Menu

These are the predictions for 2026, according to AI

We asked Perplexity to adopt four voices – tarot card reader, astrologer, feng-shui master and I-Ching sage – and give us predictions for next year

ARTICLE BY

PUBLISHED

ARTICLE BY

PUBLISHED

It’s the time of year when pundits and analysts sharpen their pencils and make their bets on what’s next. We decided to skip the spreadsheets and ask a different kind of forecaster: an AI, specifically Perplexity. 

Our prompt to Perplexity was simple: what does 2026 hold for business, geopolitics, sport, and the arts? The twist: each reply had to come through one of four ancient lenses – tarot, feng-shui, Western astrology, and the I-Ching.

[See more: Top global search trends 2025: What the world cared about most]

The result is a set of prophecies equal parts poetic and plausible, where Fire Horses share billing with market cycles and Saturn gets a say in economic policy. Treat this not as a trading guide but as a conversation between modern intelligence and timeless intuition. Even algorithms, it seems, enjoy a little divination between data points.

1. Business

These are the predictions for 2026, according to AI
In 2026, success may come less from perfect plans and more from collaboration and reinvention

Tarot card reader

The Wheel of Fortune turns again in 2026, and its spin favours those who ride disruption rather than resist it. The cards whisper of the Magician – technologies weaving themselves into commerce so seamlessly they shimmer like sleight-of-hand. Old empires will crumble not in ruin but in reinvention; expect mergers that feel like arranged marriages designed in heaven, though a few lovers’ quarrels will follow.

Feng-shui master

In the Year of the Fire Horse, business qi will gallop swiftly. Fire warms fortune but also burns waste – false prosperity will be cleared away. Companies honouring balance between innovation (yang fire) and trust (yin earth) will flourish. The flow favours eastward collaborations: sustained dialogue between Asian design and Western craft, with green ventures as the most auspicious direction.

[See more: Here are five unique New Year traditions from around the world]

Western astrologer

Uranus, still stirring Taurus, overturns the notion of stability – tangible assets and money itself are redefined. When Jupiter meets Gemini midyear, talk becomes currency: communication-based economies, like AI media platforms and micro-learning services, sparkle. Caution: Saturn in Pisces demands ethics in every contract – deceivers will find their illusions popped.

I-Ching master

Hexagram 49, Revolution (Molting), governs the marketplace. The old husk must fall for new skin to prosper. Business leaders should act with righteous timing: swift yet moral. The text advises transforming “with clarity of purpose and inner sincerity,” not greed. The wise merchant will embrace sustained change rather than chasing passing fortune.

2. Geopolitics

The year ahead could be shaped by quiet shifts, sudden reversals, and yet enduring reforms
The year ahead could be shaped by quiet shifts, sudden reversals, and yet enduring reforms

Tarot card reader

The Tower looms – a symbol of crumbling structures – yet out of chaos comes the Star, a sign of renewed ideals. Major powers will flirt with shock events: unexpected alliances, public reckonings. Amid uncertainty, youth movements channel the Fool – bold, disruptive, naïvely wise – transforming protest into policy.

Feng-shui master

The world’s map resembles a ba gua mirror, reflecting an imbalance between north (judgment) and south (compassion). Until the turn of the lunar year in February, the Wood Snake’s energy brings strategy and stealth; expect secret diplomacy to yield more results than loud declarations. Water and metal regions – Europe and East Asia – must cleanse their qi through open flow, or conflict stones will block the current.

[See more: Here are five of the world’s weirdest Christmas traditions]

Western astrologer

In 2026, Jupiter’s deep transit awakens collective power: citizen movements, digital sovereignty, and new models of shared security. Old hierarchical empires lose magnetism. Mars retrograde in Leo stirs performative politics – drama will dominate headlines, yet reforms born beneath it endure.

I-Ching master

Hexagram 11, Peace, alternates with Hexagram 12, Stagnation – a dynamic balance. Nations may glimpse harmony through cooperation, then slip back into division. True peace requires tending “the small things:” everyday diplomacy, cultural respect. The oracle teaches: when yin and yang commune freely, the world breathes easily; when they isolate, the breath tightens.

3. Sports

These are the predictions for 2026, according to AI
From underdogs to unforgettable moments, 2026 might reward resilience over reputation

Tarot card reader

The Chariot charges ahead – a year of record-breaking and resurrection. Expect triumphs from underdogs and the return of a fallen hero. The energy of Strength suggests athletic grace rooted in resilience, not aggression. The crowd’s collective emotion becomes a kind of magic: the real game is spiritual as well as physica

Feng-shui master

Speed and stamina resonate with the Fire Horse’s rhythm. Athletes attuned to breath (metal element) and flow (water) will master endurance. Sports rooted in harmony – martial arts, yoga-inspired movement, precision play – rise in popularity. Cluttered venues or misaligned timing of major events invite disharmony; organisers should consult the lunar cycles.

[See more: Top 6 unconventional Christmas movies]

Western astrologer

Saturn in Aries favours versatility: multi-discipline champions, hybrid events, even AI-assisted coaching. Chiron in Taurus demands meticulous training regimens and exact nutrition. The stars reward those who merge science with soul, while scandals fade quicker than usual – cosmic forgiveness for athletes ready to evolv

I-Ching master

Hexagram 26, Taming the Power of the Great, speaks of harnessed strength. Athletes who discipline passion with humility will prevail. “Accumulating virtue builds momentum” – it is endurance, not explosion, that wins the race. The way of sport mirrors the Tao: balance stillness and motion, ego and team

4. Art & Culture

Creativity in 2026 may thrive in unexpected places – where comfort, curiosity and reinvention meet
Creativity in 2026 may thrive in unexpected places – where comfort, curiosity and reinvention meet

Tarot card reader

The Empress blesses creativity – lush, sensory, and healing. Collective art blooms in community gardens and digital realms alike. Yet the Moon cautions: illusion and authenticity will duel under her silver light. Art that soothes and reveals truth will captivate hearts; art that manipulates will fade like mist.

Feng-shui master

As the Wood Snake yields to the Fire Horse, luminous expression is favoured. Vibrant reds, iridescent screens, and fluid architecture channel auspicious energy. The creative qi moves southeast, favouring collaborations between verdant ecosystems and urban design – expect art that merges nature’s pulse with technology’s sparkle. Keep southeast corners uncluttered to invite inspiration.

[See more: Planning to limit alcohol this holiday season? Here are 5 pointers]

Western astrologer

Jupiter’s move into Leo keeps imagination vast and empathy rich. Virtual reality and cinema reach mythic scales; AI becomes both muse and mirror. Yet with Saturn nearby, boundaries reassert: the age of infinite content meets the hunger for craft. The artist who edits wisely thrives.

I-Ching master

Hexagram 61, Inner Truth, presides. Culture turns inward to rediscover sincerity. “The superior person speaks through music and movement,” says the oracle – a reminder that beauty is moral as well as visual. Art will serve humanity’s rebalancing, restoring faith where logic falters.

Looking forward

Taken together, the “AI oracles” of 2026 suggest a year shaped by reinvention rather than revolution — a period when balance, sincerity, and a touch of bold design thinking outshine bluster. The message that hums through technology, tarot cards and trigrams alike? Keep your compass steady, travel light, and stay attuned to quiet shifts beneath the noise.

Because whether you’re steering a company, a country, or a creative project, the smart move next year might simply be to clear the desk, open a window, and leave space for luck to find its way in.

Send this to a friend