Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
AI isn’t “over” in 2026, but it may be entering its prove-it phase.
In this episode of Today in Tech, Keith Shaw sits down with futurist Mike Bechtel to unpack what’s actually likely to happen next: a cooling of the financial hype, a sharper focus on measurable business value, and a fast-moving shift from AI that generates information to AI that takes actions through personal agents.
They also dig into why big companies struggle to move fast, why “making bad processes faster” is a trap, and why the pendulum is swinging back from cloud-only thinking toward decentralization and edge computing — with security and cryptography becoming the must-watch story as agents connect to more of your life.
Topics covered:
* Will 2026 bring an AI backlash or hype correction?
* AI’s “prove-it year”: measuring faster vs better vs altogether new
* Personal agents and the “last micron” problem
* Why agents raise security stakes (and why cryptography matters)
* The return of decentralization: cloud maturity + edge acceleration
* Beyond screens: AR, smart glasses, and “reality coming online
* ”The big bets: longevity biotech and fusion energy
#todayintech #technology #predictions #businesstech
Follow TECH(talk) for the latest tech news and discussion!
----------------------------------
Keith Shaw
linkedin.com/in/shawkeith
SUBSCRIBE: youtube.com/@CWTECHtalk
TIKTOK: tiktok.com/@todayintechpodcast
AI isn’t “over” in 2026, but it may be entering its prove-it phase.
In this episode of Today in Tech, Keith Shaw sits down with futurist Mike Bechtel to unpack what’s actually likely to happen next: a cooling of the financial hype, a sharper focus on measurable business value, and a fast-moving shift from AI that generates information to AI that takes actions through personal agents.
They also dig into why big companies struggle to move fast, why “making bad processes faster” is a trap, and why the pendulum is swinging back from cloud-only thinking toward decentralization and edge computing — with security and cryptography becoming the must-watch story as agents connect to more of your life.
Topics covered:
* Will 2026 bring an AI backlash or hype correction?
* AI’s “prove-it year”: measuring faster vs better vs altogether new
* Personal agents and the “last micron” problem
* Why agents raise security stakes (and why cryptography matters)
* The return of decentralization: cloud maturity + edge acceleration
* Beyond screens: AR, smart glasses, and “reality coming online
* ”The big bets: longevity biotech and fusion energy
#todayintech #technology #predictions #businesstech
Follow TECH(talk) for the latest tech news and discussion!
----------------------------------
Keith Shaw
linkedin.com/in/shawkeith
SUBSCRIBE: youtube.com/@CWTECHtalk
TIKTOK: tiktok.com/@todayintechpodcast
