February 2026
The Pistoia Alliance has launched its 2026 Lab of the Future Survey, now running for the fourth consecutive year and continuing to serve as a leading benchmark for technology adoption and investment trends across life sciences R&D.
Conducted in partnership with Open Pharma Research, organisers of the Lab of the Future Congress Boston and Europe, the annual global survey tracks the adoption of emerging technologies and the evolving skills required to enable innovation and collaboration in modern laboratories.
2025 Findings: Building Foundations Before Scaling AI
Results from the 2025 survey highlighted a clear industry shift toward strengthening digital foundations, even as artificial intelligence remains a top strategic priority.
AI/ML continues to dominate investment plans:
- 77% of respondents expect to use AI/ML within the next two years
- 64% ranked AI/ML as their number one investment area
However, actual AI/ML usage remained largely static year-on-year, indicating that many organisations are still putting the necessary infrastructure in place before scaling adoption.
Cloud adoption continues to grow:
- 80% of responding labs now use cloud technologies
This steady increase is likely driven by instrument vendors transitioning software to cloud-based platforms, combined with reduced security concerns and greater recognition of the scalability and accessibility benefits.
ELNs are now the most widely adopted lab technology:
- Usage rose to 81%, up from 66% in 2024
This sharp increase may reflect platform renewal cycles and reinvestment in modernised systems. Organisations increasingly recognise that robust, digitised data foundations — capturing data at source — are essential to enable AI and advanced analytics.
Emerging Technology Hype Cools
The survey also revealed a more pragmatic approach to innovation. Compared to 2024, adoption and expected use of several emerging technologies declined:
- Digital twins adoption fell from 23% to 17%
- Expected use of quantum computing in the next two years dropped from 20% to 18%
- Expected use of wearables decreased from 41% to 35%
The findings suggest companies are prioritising scalable, practical technologies such as ELNs and cloud platforms over experimental solutions.
Take Part in the 2026 Survey
With more than 200 global respondents participating each year, the Lab of the Future Survey has become a trusted industry benchmark. The 2026 edition will continue to track how laboratories are investing, evolving and preparing for AI-enabled R&D.
Life sciences organisations are encouraged to participate and help shape the next benchmark for the future of the lab.
Complete the 2026 survey here.Access the full 2025 survey results here.