Spatial Analytics in 2026: What's Changing?

AI, cloud-native tools, and evolving skills are significantly transforming the spatial analytics industry as it approaches 2026, with insights drawn from over 200 geospatial experts. AI, while not replacing spatial analytics, serves as a force multiplier by automating repetitive tasks, allowing experts to focus on critical aspects like question formulation and decision-making, although organizational adoption is uneven. Cloud-native spatial analytics has become essential, with 68.5% of organizations conducting their analyses in the cloud, yet tool fragmentation hinders integration and efficiency. Geospatial expertise is increasingly valuable, with challenges in hiring prompting organizations to empower non-experts through self-service tools and AI-driven systems to extend expert knowledge. These trends suggest a future where spatial analytics is deeply embedded in strategic decision-making, necessitating a focus on operationalizing analytics with robust data security and integration.