4 Technologies That Missed the Cut for MIT Technology Review’s 2026 Breakthroughs List
By Amy Nordrum | December 8, 2025
Each year, the newsroom at MIT Technology Review embarks on the challenging yet engaging task of selecting the top technological breakthroughs that are poised to define the future. In 2026, the official breakthroughs list is set to be released on January 12. Ahead of that, the editorial team has shared a fascinating glimpse into their deliberations by highlighting four promising technologies that, despite considerable progress and potential, did not make the cut this year. These technologies are worth watching but require more time or maturation before being deemed genuine breakthroughs.
1. Male Contraceptives: Progress, Yet a Work in Progress
For decades, male contraceptive options have been limited primarily to condoms and vasectomies. However, new treatments aiming to broaden male contraceptive choices are making strides. Among them are two products by the company Contraline currently in clinical trials. One is a daily topical gel applied to the shoulder or upper arm designed to suppress sperm production; the other is a device that physically blocks sperm during ejaculation. Kevin Eisenfrats, Contraline’s CEO, has even been recognized on the Innovators Under 35 list for his work.
Another development is a once-daily male contraceptive pill in early-stage trials, being developed by YourChoice Therapeutics. Despite this promising pipeline, these treatments still require several years of successful clinical testing before they could become widely accessible. Thus, while exciting, male contraceptives are not yet ready for breakthrough status in 2026. —
2. World Models: The Next Frontier in AI, But Not Quite There
World models have recently surged to the forefront of artificial intelligence research. These models, trained on videos or spatial data, aim to generate 3D virtual worlds from simple prompts—worlds that incorporate fundamental physical laws such as gravity. Potential applications include immersive game design and enhanced robot navigation and understanding of physical environments.
The field is expanding rapidly, with major figures like AI pioneers Yann LeCun and Fei-Fei Li entering the arena. Li’s startup, World Labs, released its first iteration of a world model recently, while Google unveiled its large-scale Genie 3 model earlier this year. Despite the buzz and strong momentum, it remains somewhat unclear what precisely defines a world model, and the technology is still nascent. The MIT Technology Review team believes it is too soon to designate world models as a formal breakthrough, but this is a space to watch closely.
3. Proof of Personhood: Tackling Identity in an AI-Dominated Era
As AI technologies advance, distinguishing real humans from sophisticated digital avatars or AI agents acting online is becoming increasingly difficult. Hyperrealistic avatars can now be generated with minimal data using accessible equipment, raising concerns about identity verification on the internet.
This challenge has spurred interest in “proof of personhood” credentials—digital tokens that confirm a user’s human identity during critical online actions, such as banking or voting. Initiatives led by OpenAI, Microsoft, Harvard, and MIT are working on tokens that link to government-issued identification and use cryptographic methods to verify authenticity.
Various ambitious projects, including World ID by Sam Altman’s startup Tools for Humanity, employ novel approaches like biometric verification. Yet, with multiple competing systems still in development and none having achieved widespread adoption or universal standardization, the MIT Technology Review editors decided it was premature to classify proof of personhood as a breakthrough in 2026. —
4. The World’s Oldest Baby: A Milestone Rooted in IVF and Adoption Norms
In July 2025, MIT Technology Review senior reporter Jessica Hamzelou shared a remarkable story about the “world’s oldest baby” — an infant born from an embryo frozen for over 30 years. This achievement underscores advances in in vitro fertilization (IVF), particularly improved thawing techniques for frozen embryos.
In addition, the growth of embryo adoption agencies—organizations that facilitate the donation of stored embryos—has played a crucial role, encouraging broader use of long-frozen embryos. While the record-setting birth is impressive, this accomplishment is seen more as a reflection of evolving societal practices and norms rather than a disruptive technological breakthrough. Therefore, it did not make the breakthrough list for 2026. —
Looking Ahead
The 2026 breakthroughs list from MIT Technology Review promises to showcase the 10 most pivotal technologies expected to have a profound impact in the coming years. The four technologies highlighted above were seriously considered but ultimately set aside this year, either due to the early-stage nature of their development or the need for further validation.
As always, MIT Technology Review will continue to monitor these and other emerging technologies closely. Readers are encouraged to watch for the official breakthroughs announcement on January 12, 2026. —
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