While the adoption of artificial intelligence is in full swing, the issue of security remains in the background. According to Claire Lebarz, CTO at Malt, this dynamic could well change by 2026. Between rapid growth and security needs, the future of AI raises essential reflections for companies and industry experts.
The 3 key facts not to be missed
- The growth of AI projects on the Malt platform jumped by 230% in 2024.
- 2026 could mark a turning point towards more secure and experimentally developed AI.
- Companies are reorganizing their technical teams to integrate roles dedicated to AI and security.
Accelerated adoption of AI
Malt, a freelance management platform in Europe, is observing an unprecedented increase in artificial intelligence projects. In 2024, these projects indeed experienced a growth of 230%. Claire Lebarz, CTO of Malt, explains that this trend illustrates organizations’ desire to explore and expand the use of AI in their operations.
However, this rapid adoption of AI is not without challenges. The rapid development of AI technologies increases the “attack surface,” making systems more vulnerable to prompt injections and other uncontrolled actions by AI agents.
Security challenges
A concerning observation is that security awareness is not keeping pace with AI adoption. Although cybersecurity projects have increased by 35% based on Malt’s figures, Claire Lebarz points out that these investments remain insufficient. Security must be integrated from the development of AI with particular attention to governance, compliance, and model behavior.
Frameworks for AI agents are generating a lot of interest, but their deployment in companies is still limited. Companies must coordinate their cloud infrastructure, security, and workflows to fully benefit from AI agents.
Reorganization of technical teams
With the emergence of AI, the landscape of technical teams is evolving. Companies are looking for profiles capable of combining expertise in product, data, and infrastructure, while emphasizing security. This need translates into strong demand for roles such as AI engineers and AI project managers.
Claire Lebarz also predicts a change in traditional job descriptions. Roles focused solely on the backend could disappear in favor of small autonomous full-stack teams, integrating data skills from the start.
Towards a secure and experimental future of AI
According to Claire Lebarz, 2026 will be the year when AI will be both more secure and experimental. Companies will need to engage in a learning phase to make AI agents reliable and controllable before their use in production. This period of experimentation is essential for developing long-term autonomous systems.
Innovations in the organization of technical and product teams should also multiply, pushing towards greater autonomy and a reduction in hierarchical levels within companies.
Background on Malt
Malt is a European freelance management platform that connects 90,000 clients with 900,000 active freelancers. Founded in 2013, the company quickly established itself as a major player in the field of independent work in Europe. By focusing on innovation and the adoption of cutting-edge technologies like AI, Malt continues to evolve to meet the changing needs of companies and freelancers in a constantly transforming digital world.
