diff --git a/ptr/ptr.go b/ptr/ptr.go
index ea847fd3..0388eb21 100644
--- a/ptr/ptr.go
+++ b/ptr/ptr.go
@@ -46,11 +46,6 @@ func AllPtrFieldsNil(obj interface{}) bool {
 	return true
 }
 
-// To returns a pointer to the given value.
-func To[T any](v T) *T {
-	return &v
-}
-
 // Deref dereferences ptr and returns the value it points to if not nil, or else
 // returns def.
 func Deref[T any](ptr *T, def T) T {
diff --git a/ptr/ptr_go125.go b/ptr/ptr_go125.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e98243ed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ptr/ptr_go125.go
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+//go:build !go1.26
+
+/*
+Copyright The Kubernetes Authors.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package ptr
+
+// To returns a pointer to the given value.
+func To[T any](v T) *T {
+	return &v
+}
diff --git a/ptr/ptr_go126.go b/ptr/ptr_go126.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..26d5eddb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ptr/ptr_go126.go
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+//go:build go1.26
+
+/*
+Copyright The Kubernetes Authors.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package ptr
+
+// To returns a pointer to the given value.
+// Deprecated: Use new(T) instead.
+//
+//go:fix inline
+func To[T any](v T) *T {
+	return new(v)
+}