Knowledge Management in 2026: Trends, Technology & Best Practice

Knowledge management has seen significant changes in the past 30 years, from document repositories to intelligent systems. And with it, so has the role of librarian or knowledge manager - shifting from storing and retrieving information to generating insights and sharing expertise.

However, the core problem remains the same - right knowledge, right person, right time.

In the past few years new technologies have been bubbling up and 2026 marks a turning point, when the advantages of tech will become impossible to ignore. So, here we’ll explore the key trends and which technologies will deliver the best outcomes in the years to come.

State of knowledge management in 2026

In 2026 knowledge management stands on a precipice - businesses can continue to keep it as a separate function or they can pull it into the strategic functioning of the organization to improve the flow of insight, understanding and expertise across the whole business.

Mounting pressures on productivity, and the stratospheric risk of legal tech - including AI and all the associated risks -  will make this year a turning point for many organizations. To keep the status quo or to begin to see knowledge as a strategic and operational asset.

Key Trends to watch out for in 2026

AI driven discovery

It’s impossible to discuss business trends in 2026 without AI entering the conversation. While many organizations are racing to implement AI across departments, knowledge management has a particularly natural alignment with the technology.

At its core, AI is designed to categorize, summarize, create connections, and extract insight - all longstanding responsibilities of knowledge teams. In 2026, AI-driven discovery will increasingly complement, and in some cases replace, traditional keyword-based searching. Semantic and natural-language search may allow users to ask more nuanced questions and receive more relevant, contextual responses.

Crucially, this is not about replacing knowledge professionals. Instead, AI will handle the heavy lifting of discovery, freeing knowledge teams to focus on higher-value work: applying expertise, adding context, and delivering insight that supports better decision-making.

From repositories to knowledge ecosystems

In the past few decades, law libraries have moved away from being pure repositories. Already information is being pulled in from multiple sources - internal, external, licensed and open - and the focus is on aggregating and connecting key data to deliver informed insights from reputable sources to those who need it.

As we move through 2026, this approach will become more deeply embedded, with a growing emphasis on the interconnectedness of knowledge across organizations. Rather than asking users to navigate multiple systems, knowledge will be woven together behind the scenes - linked by context, metadata, and relevance. 

The focus shifts from where information lives to how it moves, enabling faster, more confident decision-making and reducing the friction between research, insight, and action.

Trust, Governance and Explainability

The rise of AI has led to an increase in scrutiny on sources, provenance and bias. Following some very public embarrassments, organizations are clear that they cannot simply trust the information they are given, and must understand that the source is trustworthy.

That’s why trust and explainability will take center stage in 2026 - business will want to know how conclusions have been reached. They want to see the workings. Any AI-supported work needs to have clear audit trails.

This shift places knowledge professionals in a critical role as stewards of trust. Curation, validation, and governance are no longer optional add-ons - they are central to the credibility and success of any AI-supported knowledge initiative.

Embedding the Human Factor

AI can help with a lot, but it cannot replace human judgement. In 2026, successful organizations will be looking at how they can train their teams to ensure AI is used effectively while focusing on using their people for critical thinking and expertise. Guardrails will need to be put in place around AI, and knowledge teams will need to be reassured about what their role looks like moving forward. AI will not replace people, it will elevate them - the best organizations will spell that out.

It is important to work on culture as AI and efficiency tech becomes more normalized. There can be a lot of fear, and forward thinking firms will consider this and actively work to create a culture where people feel comfortable sharing their knowledge and working with others. As knowledge management becomes more strategic, knowledge teams will become the connective tissue within the organization.

Best Practice for Knowledge Management in 2026

The most effective KM strategies in 2026 will share a few key principles:

• Start with use cases, not tools. Focus on the decisions and workflows that matter most, and build from there.
• Balance automation with human expertise. AI increases access to insights, but people ensure quality, relevance, and trust.
• Design for transparency and governance. Make sources clear, outputs explainable, and ownership explicit.
• Measure impact, not activity. Move beyond usage metrics and focus on outcomes such as time saved, risk reduced, and decision quality improved.

The Evolving Role of Knowledge Professionals

As knowledge management becomes more embedded and strategic, the role of the knowledge professional continues to evolve. In 2026, they act as connectors - bridging technology, content, and people. They bring context to data, challenge assumptions, and ensure that knowledge remains reliable, ethical, and useful.

AI literacy, data awareness, and stakeholder engagement will become increasingly important skills, alongside the core principles of curation and expertise that have always defined the profession.

Looking Ahead

Knowledge management in 2026 is smarter, more connected, and more central to organizational success than ever before. The organizations that thrive will be those that move beyond hype, invest thoughtfully, and recognize that technology delivers its greatest value when paired with human insight.

The challenge remains the same - right knowledge, right person, right time - but the tools to meet it have never been more powerful.