Crystal ball gazing: What the future holds for Scotland's tech scene

2025 was a rollercoaster of a year for technology in Scotland. Here at Holyrood Connect, we touched on everything from new online regulations to advancements in agricultural technology and of course, the ever-present role of artificial intelligence (AI).

But what will 2026 bring? To find out, I’ve pulled on a range of interviews and expert sources from throughout the year to see what the future could hold for Scotland’s technology scene. 

The role of AI data centres 

Data centres are a huge deal in Scotland, with tremendous potential to grow as a significant economic driver. There are currently 16 data centres in Scotland, with that number predicted to grow as the need for AI computing power increases.

Scotland is seen as an ideal place to host these data centres, as the national grid generates more renewable electricity than it consumes, providing an abundant power source to run data centres. Scotland’s cold climate is also a draw, as the energy costs of cooling the vast servers that make AI possible are reduced.

I spoke to Karen Meechan, chief executive at ScotlandIS, the membership organisation for Scotland's digital technology industry, about the growth of the sector and the risks it could pose in the future.

“When you look at our energy sector and what Scotland produces, combined with how AI will impact the need for computing power, we absolutely need to look at that data centre space,” says Meechan. “But it's also about creating that momentum around what else we can do in Scotland that doesn't just create a nation that is full of data centres.”

I believe we will continue to see data centres pop up around Scotland, the conditions are perfect here and the drive to capitalise on an industry that doesn’t show any signs of slowing down is high. But I do share Meechan’s concerns about Scotland becoming a nation of data centres, where the work to develop AI systems is done in Scotland, but the result of that work is exported out of the country. 

Space, the final frontier 

Space is cool. That’s a fact. It sits at around -270 degrees Celsius, with balmy weather not on the cards for a long, long time. Perhaps that’s why Scottish space firms are pushing hard to get up there, I can’t imagine it’s much different to a mild night in Dalwhinnie.

Jokes aside, the Scottish space sector is booming right now. Since 2016 the number of Scottish space firms has nearly doubled, jumping from 132 to 246 by 2023, with the sector now employing over 8,000 people.

To find out more about the sector I spoke to Scotland’s business minister Richard Lochhead, who emphasised the potential for the industry. 

“The space sector is incredibly important for Scotland's future. In economic terms, [we’re] talking about a highly innovative, deep tech sector that employs people on really good wages and has a lot of potential to grow exponentially in the decades ahead,” Lochhead said. “Clearly as a growing economic sector, that brings huge benefits to Scotland as a country.”

I agree with Lochhead here: I think space in Scotland could be the next big thing. We are perfectly positioned for launch and the expertise is already here, in rocket companies like Skyrora and Orbex. The question of sovereign launch capability is the key though, without that, Scotland’s space sector will struggle to get off the ground. 

Cyber gets serious 

2025 has proved that the threat of cyberattacks has never been greater than right now. It really seems like everyone is a target and I don’t see that changing any time in the future, as criminals get smarter and more ruthless. 

To learn a bit more about the sector I spoke to Maggie Titmuss, chair of the National Cyber Resilience Advisory Board (NCRAB) for the Scottish Government.

“Any company or public sector body that doesn't have minimum standards of basic cyber hygiene is a target,” says Titmuss. “So, if everybody is a target, it's not just that cybercrime is something that's only going to happen to other people. It's really a question of when, not if, a cyberattack happens to them.” 

Titmuss’s words are backed up by recent data published by GCHQ’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), that says the number of "highly significant" cyberattacks in the UK rose by almost 50 per cent since 2024. The review outlines that these “highly significant” attacks are targeted to disrupt the workings of central government, the operations of essential services and significantly impact a large proportion of the population or economy.   

I agree with Titmuss, as cybercriminals get more sophisticated and use AI systems to generate their attacks, the impact of cybercrime can only continue to grow as a threat in Scotland. 

That is just a small snapshot of the potential held within the Scottish tech economy, but I guess we will have to see what 2026 brings, who knows, we may see Scottish astronauts yet!