TeamViewer predicts emotionally aware enterprise AI

TeamViewer has set out a series of predictions for enterprise artificial intelligence in 2026, with data governance, workforce change, energy supply, and emotionally aware systems among the themes highlighted by Chief Product & Technology Officer Mei Dent.

The company stated that organisations are already utilising AI agents for routine internal tasks. It pointed to examples such as ordering IT equipment, managing system access, and resolving basic IT issues without the need for human intervention.

Data governance

"Data governance will determine which organisations successfully deploy AI agents at scale and which get left behind," said Mei Dent, Chief Product & Technology Officer at TeamViewer.

TeamViewer described a near-term shift from the use of agents in discrete tasks towards broader adoption across business processes. The company noted that this change depends on how organisations structure data access, controls, and accountability, as well as how they redesign workflows for automation.

Dent also argued that the constraints on the wider use of autonomous agents no longer sit primarily with the underlying technology. She stated that organisations instead face obstacles in business process transformation, workflow design, and the internal cultural shifts required for employees and managers to accept new ways of operating.

"The technology is ready," said Dent.

In this framing, the critical work lies with governance frameworks, process mapping, and change management. TeamViewer positioned AI agent adoption as a strategic organisational programme rather than a standard IT rollout.

Workplace skills

The company also addressed the ongoing debate regarding job security and the impact of automation on professional roles. Dent predicted that the concept of "AI-proof careers" will weaken as organisations shift their focus towards the synergy between human talent and software.

"Through 2026, the narrative around 'AI-proof careers' will be recognised as fundamentally flawed," said Dent.

She argued that businesses should focus less on identifying roles that can withstand automation and more on broadening access to specialised tools. In her view, AI lowers the barrier to entry for advanced tools, making them more accessible across a wider employee base.

"We shouldn't be thinking about careers being replaced by AI – the future is human plus AI, not versus AI," Dent stated.

TeamViewer noted that this shift will place a greater emphasis on training and internal governance. The company suggested that organisations will need to instruct employees on how to effectively collaborate with AI tools and critically evaluate their outputs. This introduces the concept of staff acting as "AI orchestrators", where individuals guide systems and verify results rather than treating AI outputs as final.

Energy constraints

Dent also pointed to rising energy demand as AI training and usage expand. She said more data centres will be required, and scrutiny will increase over where those facilities sit and what energy sources they draw on.

"The AI energy crisis will force a fundamental reckoning across every industry - not just one sector or segment," said Dent.

TeamViewer cited an estimate that around 60% of the energy consumed by data centres currently comes from fossil fuels. It said this creates pressure on organisations that want to scale AI while also meeting environmental commitments.

"AI training and consumption will require more data centres, and the locations and energy sources of those data centres will come under intense scrutiny," said Dent.

The company also linked energy supply with data residency and regional regulation. It noted that organisations may find that AI features and deployments vary by geography, as local energy constraints, carbon commitments, and sovereignty requirements shape what is feasible in different markets.

"With approximately 60% of the energy consumed by data centres today coming from fossil fuels, companies will be forced to choose between AI capabilities and environmental commitments - a tension that will drive innovation at an unprecedented pace," Dent stated.

Emotional signals

A fourth area in Dent's outlook focused on what she described as progress in AI systems that respond to emotional cues and social context.

"In 2026, we'll see the emergence of AI systems capable of adapting to emotional sentiment, cultural context, and the subtle dynamics that make human interaction effective," said Dent.

She pointed to potential use in customer support and internal employee services, suggesting that systems could infer engagement or disengagement from behavioural patterns, such as the speed at which a user moves through tasks.

"Imagine a customer support agent that adapts to the culture, the emotional sentiment, and the communication preferences of a customer or employee," said Dent.

TeamViewer said businesses should test such systems for more than accuracy. It said companies should consider whether AI tools respond appropriately to emotional context, and how they embed human values into system design.

"There are softer things we can pay attention to around happiness and engagement that machines can process much faster and much more consistently than human workers," said Dent.

Dent said energy supply, governance and change management will shape how far and how fast enterprise AI spreads across workflows in 2026, alongside product shifts that place more weight on emotional context and communication style.