2025 was the year of agents, what's coming in 2026?

The podcast explores how AI is reshaping the workforce, with a focus on the development of new job roles centered around building and integrating AI systems such as RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) and orchestration layers. It underscores the growing importance of human-AI collaboration, where humans take on the role of guiding AI through strategic prompting and workflow management, acting as conductors in a complex technological symphony. The discussion highlights emerging opportunities in specialized AI solutions designed for particular industries, as well as the increasing presence of physical AI embedded in consumer devices. Additionally, it points to declining AI costs that are making AI more accessible to consumers and encouraging do-it-yourself innovation.

The podcast also touches on the trend of large AI models becoming more commoditized, leading to a fragmented AI ecosystem. This complexity has spurred a greater demand for system orchestration and adherence to regulatory standards such as NIST 601. As AI systems become more intricate due to regulatory and integration challenges, the podcast suggests that companies capable of simplifying these processes will be well-positioned for success in the evolving AI landscape.