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FluxTrends presents its trends for 2026 Navigating the Dark Forest

Flux Trends has announced ts flagship, The State We’re In 2026 trend briefing — entitled Navigating the Dark Forest.

15 Jan 2026

Flux Trends will present The State We’re In 2026” – Navigating the Dark Forest in February (Image source: © Marvin Zettl Unsplash

The insights and foresight think-tank, which is known for assisting companies in identifying disruptions that affect business models, will present the business trend briefing.

Presented by Dion Chang, founder of Flux Trends and a respected trend analyst, The State We’re In 2026 offers business leaders, strategists, consultants, and executives a comprehensive snapshot of where the world is heading, using the distinctive T.R.E.N.D.S. methodology.

The session identifies the six major trend pillars shaping the unfolding year and examines how organisations can anticipate disruption, build resilience, and thrive in complexity.

This year’s theme — Navigating the Dark Forest — uses a powerful metaphor to describe the fast-evolving business and socio-cultural landscape.

Drawing on insights into how digital platforms are becoming increasingly hostile and opaque, the briefing explores how this new reality impacts business strategy, community building, and risk.

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Key trends pillars

Key trends pillars highlighted in the briefing include:

Technology: When the Dead Internet Theory moves from fringe concept to lived reality, digital spaces become hazardous terrain.
Retail & Marketing: The need to learn to speak to AI reshapes engagement and commerce.
Economy: Slippery slopes in global and local economies demand adaptive strategies.
Natural World: Pre-emptive action on extreme weather risks becomes a competitive imperative.
Diplomacy: Digital sovereignty rises as nations and corporations recalibrate digital governance.
Socio-Cultural: A shift toward analogue and privacy as social values signals new expectations from communities and consumers.

Chahnging the world

“At Flux Trends, we believe that to change the world, you first need to understand it,” says Chang.

“In 2026, leaders must recognise that the digital landscape no longer guarantees openness or safety. It’s now a ‘dark forest’ where visibility and trust are scarce — and strategic foresight is essential.”