MIT Technology Review has released its 25th annual list of breakthrough technologies, highlighting innovations from sodium-ion batteries to hyperscale AI data centers. Executive editor Amy Nordrum noted: "There's lots of interest in AI today, for good reason, but this list also highlights important biotech, space, and climate advances."
The 2026 list includes: sodium-ion batteries as cheaper lithium alternatives, AI coding tools now writing 30% of Microsoft's code, next-gen nuclear reactors with compact designs, hyperscale AI data centers, and commercial space stations like Vast Space's Haven-1 launching in May 2026.
Biotech breakthroughs include personalized gene-editing treatments (baby KJ became the first recipient at 7 months old), embryo screening for genetic traits, and extinct genome databases for medical research. The list also features AI companions raising safety concerns and mechanistic interpretability research for understanding AI model behavior.