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

In this start-of-year FC episode, Chris and Daniel break down what really mattered in AI in 2025, and what to expect in 2026. They explore the rise of AI agents, the practical reality of multimodal AI, and how reasoning models are reshaping workflows. The conversation dives into infrastructure and energy constraints, the continued value of predictive models, and why orchestration (not just better models) is becoming the defining skill for AI teams. The episode wraps with grounded 2026 predictions on where AI systems, tooling, and builders are headed next.

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Creators and Guests

Chris Benson
Host
Chris Benson
Cohost @ Practical AI Podcast • Principal AI / Autonomy Research Engineer specializing in fully autonomous UxS swarming with embodied intelligence.
Daniel Whitenack
Host
Daniel Whitenack
CEO @Prediction Guard & cohost @Practical AI podcast
2025 was the year of agents, what's coming in 2026?
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