The concept aims to capture a collective mood that acknowledges darkness without surrendering to it and is finding possibility in renewal, says VML.

The Future 100: 2026 report is based on a global survey across 16 markets and identifies 100 trends shaping global business and culture in the year ahead. It reveals that people are not merely coping with disruption, they are embracing it as a catalyst for fundamental changes in how they live, spend and connect, adds VML.

"Dystoptimism highlights that as old systems crumble, individuals, communities and innovators are building new, human-centered solutions. It's about designing for a better future, not just wishing for the past," says Emma Chiu and Marie Stafford, Global Directors, VML Intelligence and Co-Authors of The Future 100: 2026.

Looking for Enlightenment and Joy in Adversity

Exhausted by cycles of negativity, people are seeking experiences that elevate their spirits, enlighten and shift perspectives. Eighty-six percent of respondents are drawn to encounters that inspire awe or a renewed worldview, and are seeking travel, wellness, culture and retail experiences as catalysts for personal growth, says VML.

According to VML, key findings include:

  • transformative experiences and immersive wellness reflect the rise of retreats and environments built for deep personal journeys
  • resilience wellness reframes resilience as a learnable practice, blending emotional, physical and spiritual tools to help people adapt to turbulent times
  • nano trips illustrate how short and high-impact getaways are being used to find perspective or try on new identities, and
  • treatonomics highlight the rise in small indulgences, where regular pleasures become a survival strategy even as people cut back elsewhere.

AI's Growth From Tool to Collaborator

AI is a major force, both disruptive and enabling. Growing comfort with AI is reshaping how people are using it to reshape their realities while fiercely protecting what makes us human, says VML.

Key findings according to VML:

  • Generative realities and AI storyworlds trends show how AI enables the generation of adaptive worlds in real time, pointing to a future where entertainment, commerce and customer experiences are co-created with algorithms. 
  • Synthetic generation and "RelAItionships" evolved explore AI's increasingly intimate role in people's lives. From emotional companions to automated "employees", we're negotiating what it means to live and work alongside non-human counterparts. Almost half (49%) of gen Z say they have already formed a meaningful relationship with AI.
  • Trends such as truth literacy, omnisurveillance, digital intent and coded empathy show how governments, platforms, designers and brands are being pushed to rebuild trust and make AI more transparent and accountable, even as it's embraced as a creative and practical ally.

Human Connection Reigns Supreme

Even as digital and physical realities blend, the report finds that true human connection remains vital, says VML.

According to VML, the findings suggest:

  • In Hyperreality, online and offline culture fully intertwine — memes become physical products, digital language becomes everyday speech and luxury brands turn viral jokes into real-world objects. Yet across the report, people say they still prefer human contact when they're making decisions that matter.
  • Trends such as Social health and New rave scene highlight a surge in community driven spaces — from social wellness clubs and sober raves to neighbourhood "third places" that prioritise belonging over transactions.

"The brands poised for leadership in 2026 are those that can operate confidently in blended realities and navigate these myriad shifts in consumer behaviour," says Naomi Troni, Global Chief Marketing Officer at VML. "We must design for both the ambitious and anxious sides of consumers."

Across its 100 trends, The Future 100: 2026 aims to offer marketers, innovators and leaders a clear brief for the year ahead. For more insight on what this means for brands and marketers, read the full report here.

For more information, visit www.vml.com. You can also follow VML on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, or on TikTok. 

*Image courtesy of contributor