What’s Inside

2025 was wild. 12 months that redefined what “AI-powered” really means. As we close the year, let’s pause, reflect, and look ahead to the biggest shifts coming in 2026.

If 2025 was about prompts, 2026 is about proof.

Whether you’re just getting started or scaling across the enterprise, now’s your moment to think bigger, move faster, and build smarter.

2025 in Review: The Hits, Big Surprises & a Few “Wait, What?!” Moments

2025 didn’t just add a new gear, it shifted into warp speed. AI moved from hype to hands-on. Reasoning models, Deep Research, and “vibe coding” went from cool demos to daily tools.

But let’s be honest, most companies leave the year still in pilot mode, realizing that becoming AI-first isn’t about buying tools; it’s about transforming leadership, which isn’t as easy as it sounds.

What really happened:

  • AI Search leveled up, but Google held the crown.
    Search is now “ask → get answers,” even if most still start on Google.

  • Musk made real moves.
    xAI and Grok went from side projects to serious contenders.

  • Apple’s AI reveal? Still loading…
    Apple stayed surprisingly quiet in 2025 with more reorgs than reveals. Will 2026 finally bring the big AI moment?

  • Generative video hit mainstream.
    Sora + Veo turned creators into studios, and forced everyone else to keep up.

  • Reasoning models got real.
    “Deep Research” marked the shift from autocomplete to actual comprehension. Suddenly, AI wasn’t guessing, it was reasoning.

  • The workforce quietly evolved.
    2025 became the year AI started editing the org chart with fewer openings, smarter roles, and a quiet push to do more with less

  • The AI bubble didn’t pop, it matured.
    Compute is the new gold. The smart money’s betting on infrastructure, not hype.

  • “90% of AI pilots fail.” The viral MIT headline wasn’t entirely wrong as most companies still treat AI like a traditional SaaS rollout instead of a transformation.

2025 proved AI isn’t a side project, it’s the new infrastructure layer for how work gets done.

Question:

❝

What was your “holy #!@$” AI moment in 2025?
(Hint: If it involved a prompt that saved you 5 hours, that counts.)

Listen to the podcast where Adam & Andy revisit their 2025 predictions in AI & Business, breaking down the biggest shifts, surprises, and lessons from the year.

2026 Predictions: Scale, Scrutiny, and the Post-Truth Curve

If 2025 bent the curve, 2026 breaks the mold.

AI moves from experiment → infrastructure and is rewriting how we lead, hire, govern, and create.

Here’s what we see ahead:

  • CEOs get ranked by AI fluency. Boards will literally ask, “How AI-smart is our leadership team?”

  • No AI winter, just AI weather. Expect turbulence, not collapse.

  • AI becomes a top-3 U.S. midterm issue. Jobs, safety, and federal vs. state regulation push AI into the political spotlight.

  • The anti-AI and pro-human movements both grow. You’ll see “made without AI” labels alongside AI-enhanced hits in music, video, and marketing.

  • We enter the everyday post-truth internet. Can you spot a fake? Most people can’t tell real from synthetic. Deepfakes hit politics, influencers, and casual social posts.

  • Agents go pro. 2026 is the year copilots start owning outcomes. “Do this next” becomes “Done.” (In 2026, Forum3 will be at the forefront of this evolution, helping leaders unlock this shift from experimentation to dependable agents so stay tuned!).

  • ChatGPT remains the default at work, amid real multi-player pressure. OpenAI will continue to lead, but Microsoft (Copilot), Google (Gemini), Anthropic (Claude), and xAI win meaningful wedges.

  • Voice gets (finally) good. Apple + Gemini deliver a seamless Siri experience, voice usage will surge, and we’ll almost ditch the keyboard.

  • 2026 sees the first wave of AI devices. Expect ambient assistants (glasses, wearables) and at least one Jony Ive/OpenAI device announcement.

  • Robots roll out (literally). Wheels before legs, autonomous driving goes mainstream, and humanoids arrive later.

  • Employment: no cliff, but the mix changes. Hiring slows in certain roles, and more “AI + Human” hybrid teams (Head of Agents, AI PMO, AI Risk). Replacement accelerates in ’27–’28.

  • Culture catches up. Expect documentaries, hearings, and dinner-table debates about truth, work, and creativity in the AI age.

Listen to the podcast as Adam & Andy share and debate their top predictions for what’s ahead in AI for 2026.

How AI Redefined Leadership and What’s Next

2025 tested leaders more than any year since the dawn of digital transformation. AI didn’t just change workflows, it changed expectations of leadership itself.

Executives who once delegated innovation suddenly had to model it. Boards began asking tougher questions: Where does AI sit in your strategy? What’s the ROI? Who’s accountable?

The most effective leaders moved fast from curiosity to conviction. They built AI councils, rewrote decision frameworks, and learned to pair intuition with intelligence, using AI as a thought partner, not just a tool.

By year’s end, the leadership gap was undeniable:

  • Some organizations were still running pilots.

  • Others were building entire operating systems around AI.

2026 will widen that gap even further. The next year isn’t about proving AI works, it’s about proving you can scale it, govern it, and lead with it.

We’d Love Your Input

As we move into 2026, we’d really love your input. What moved forward? What stalled? What’s top of mind for next year?

Take the 3-Minute Survey — and get a complimentary copy of
AI First: The Playbook for a Future-Proof Business and Brand.

Stay Curious. Stay AI-First.

Forum3 | Helping leaders build AI-First organizations that grow, adapt, and win.

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