AI 2026: The Predictions Are Wild. Some of Them Might Be Right. (Part 1)

We do this once a year: a dedicated episode on artificial intelligence and what it means for your financial life. And every year, the material is big enough for a two-parter. Part 1 is the orientation: what's happening with AI right now, our honest reactions to some crazy predictions, and our biggest takeaways for adapting to these turbulent times. We're not AI experts. We're a CFP® and a 40+ year investment advisor making sense of what we're seeing through the lens of our work, our experiences, and our long-term approach. In this episode: What each of us has noticed in our daily lives over the last 12 months Why this technological moment feels different from any change that has come before it The predictions being made by those closest to the technology Why one prominent CEO says we're in the "hard takeoff" right now and wakes up to an AI breakthrough every morning, and how to evaluate a claim like that without either dismissing it or panicking The counternarrative: the more measured voices pushing back on the extreme predictions, and what approach to take What the mind-boggling investment numbers and record-breaking IPOs say about where we are in the cycle Part 2 covers your money, your career, your mindset, and what to actually do. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so it lands directly in your feed in two weeks. Check out our previous episodes on AI: AI in 2025: What's New, What's Next, and What It Means for You, Part One AI in 2025:  What's New, What's Next, and What It Means for You, Part Two 2024 - Navigating the AI Revolution: Insights for Investors and Workers, Part One 2024 - Navigating the AI Revolution: Insights for Investors and Workers, Part Two 2023 - Are You Prepared for the AI Revolution?