What We Got Right and Wrong About AI

What this episode covers

On Wednesday’s show, the DAS crew wrapped up the year by reflecting on how AI actually showed up in day to day work during 2025, what expectations missed the mark, and which changes quietly stuck. The discussion focused on real adoption versus hype, how workflows evolved over the year, where agents made progress, and where friction remained. The crew also looked ahead to what 2026 is likely to demand from teams, especially around discipline, systems thinking, and operational maturity.Key Points Discussed2025 delivered more AI usage, but less transformation than headlines suggestedMost gains came from small workflow changes, not sweeping automationAgents improved, but still require heavy structure and oversightTeams that documented processes saw better results than teams chasing toolsAI fatigue increased as novelty wore offReal value came from narrowing scope and tightening feedback loops2026 will reward execution, not experimentationTimestamps and Topics00:00:19 👋 New Year’s Eve opening and reflections00:04:10 🧠 Looking back at AI expectations for 202500:09:35 📉 Where AI underdelivered versus predictions00:14:50 🔁 Small workflow wins that added up00:20:40 🤖 Agent progress and remaining gaps00:27:15 📋 Process discipline and documentation lessons00:33:30 ⚙️ What teams misunderstood about AI adoption00:39:45 🔮 What 2026 will demand from organizations00:45:10 🏁 Year end closing and takeawaysThe Daily AI Show Co Hosts: Andy Halliday, Brian Maucere, Beth Lyons, and Karl Yeh

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