TechCrunch’s Equity team concludes 2025 and looks ahead to the upcoming year with their annual predictions episode! Hosts Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha, and Rebecca Bellan were joined by Build Mode host Isabelle Johannessen to examine the year’s most significant tech developments, from massive AI funding rounds that defied expectations to the emergence of “physical AI,” and offer their forecasts for 2026.
The discussion covered various subjects, including why AI agents did not meet expectations in 2025 (but are likely to in 2026), how Hollywood plans to resist AI-generated content, and the serious liquidity challenges facing venture capitalists.
Listen to the full episode to discover:
- Why world models are poised to be the next major advancement in AI and how they differ from large language models
- The end of “stealth mode” for AI startups and the emergence of alternative funding methods
- Predictions regarding regulatory turbulence surrounding AI policy and the implications of Trump’s recent executive order for startups
- Bold predictions on IPOs: Will OpenAI and Anthropic truly enter the public market in 2026?
- Rapid-fire forecasts including Johnny Ive and Sam Altman’s inevitable public separation, the revival of basic phones, and why everyone will soon identify as “AI native”
- What’s planned for Build Mode season 2: A deep dive into team building, recruitment, and finding co-founders
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