The primary objective of this manuscript is to explore the latest advancements in gas-sensing technologies, with a particular focus on the utilization of activated carbons (ACs) and their hybrids. In recent years, the significant increase in air pollution has brought gas-sensing technologies to the fore. Consequently, gas sensors play a crucial role in monitoring air quality in various application fields, including industry, transportation, medicine and the environment. The development of highly selective and sensitive gas sensors using environmentally friendly materials has become a popular research topic. Carbon materials such as ACs, nanofibers, nanotubes and graphene show remarkable electrical, optical and mechanical properties that make them ideal components for the next gas sensor generation. ACs have become a material of growing interest for the design of sensitive layers for this application due to their physicochemical features such as a well-developed pore structure and high specific surface area, which provide abundant sites for gas adsorption and desorption. In addition, the surface of ACs can be easily tailored by using different additives and forming hybrids with other materials to enhance sensor performance. This comprehensive review surveys recent advances in the development and performance of different gas sensors based on these AC materials and their hybrids for various analytes. Sensing properties and corresponding mechanisms are also presented. Finally, the challenges and future directions for ACbased chemical sensors are discussed.