The TechCrunch Equity team is concluding 2025 and preparing for the upcoming year with their annual predictions episode! Hosts Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha, and Rebecca Bellan, joined by Build Mode host Isabelle Johannessen, analyzed the year’s most significant tech developments—from massive AI funding rounds that exceeded expectations to the emergence of “physical AI”—and shared their forecasts for 2026.
The group discussed a wide array of topics, including why AI agents didn’t live up to their hype in 2025 (but are likely to do so in 2026), how Hollywood will push back against AI-generated content, and why venture capitalists are facing a severe liquidity crunch.
Listen to the full episode to discover:
- Why world models represent the next significant 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 instability surrounding AI policy and the implications of Trump’s recent executive order for startups.
- Hot takes on IPOs: Will OpenAI and Anthropic actually go public in 2026?
- Rapid-fire predictions, including Johnny Ive and Sam Altman’s inevitable public separation, the return of