What can we expect from AI in 2026? | The Current

AI's Pervasive Integration and the Hype Gap [00:00]

• Over 800 million people used CHBT weekly in 2025, highlighting AI's widespread, often unnoticed, presence in daily life.
• While AI didn't fully meet grand promises of solving intractable problems, it has become a foundational, invisible layer of technology.
• Significant investment in AI has occurred, but many companies are struggling to see a return on investment, indicating a "hype gap" that may lead to market corrections.

  "So, between the hype and the anxiety, what was AI's impact in 2025, and what can we expect from the technology in 2026?"

The Shifting Landscape of Work and Job Displacement [03:55]

• AI is not yet automating entire workflows but is influencing companies to prepare for disruption, often by shifting capital from labor to AI investment.
• Layoffs have occurred, not necessarily due to direct AI automation, but as companies slim down and prepare for AI's competitive impact.
• New roles, such as AI agent workflow builders, are expected to emerge, likely as independent contractor positions.
• Concerns are high regarding the structural implications for supporting workers through this transition, with historical parallels drawn to the industrial revolution.

"Um, so we saw this in in in some of the numbers mass layoffs across multiple firms. What we didn't see as overtly was things like the slowing down of hiring um and kind, you know, the the the mandates of coming back to work, these kind of subtle ways to slim down the workforce."

AI's Impact on White-Collar and Technical Roles [06:44]

• AI is increasingly targeting white-collar jobs, a departure from previous technological shifts that primarily affected manual labor.
• The pathway for computer science graduates is becoming less straightforward, as AI itself is a powerful tool for coders, potentially automating tasks for even skilled engineers.
• Public administration and government jobs are identified as areas with high exposure to AI impact, such as in benefits administration and immigration application processing.
• Canada lacks a national K-to-2 education program for AI, highlighting a gap in preparing the next generation.

"Um, and so this this kind of educational pathway isn't necessarily a direct uh success um for for everyone."

The Precarious Position of Early-Career Professionals [08:46]

• Competition for entry-level jobs is at an all-time high, exacerbated by widespread AI use in resume and application writing, making it harder to distinguish candidates.
• Some employers may ghost candidates or provide minimal feedback, leading to impersonal and dehumanizing hiring experiences.
• Young graduates are encouraged to continuously improve their skills using free resources from tech companies and institutions like the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute.
• A counterintuitive suggestion is to avoid over-reliance on AI for job applications to showcase unique creativity and skills.

"And so if everything kind of sounds the same, how are reviewers supposed to distinguish?"

AI's Disruption of Creative Industries and Copyright Concerns [10:41]

• Creative workers, including those in visual arts, music, and fashion, are highly exposed to AI due to tools like Sora and AI-generated music.
• Lower-resourced creators can leverage AI to streamline production, leading to new types of artists.
• Significant copyright challenges with AI have not been resolved, with potential implications for creators' rights.
• The rise of AI fashion models raises questions about the future for roles like makeup artists and producers.

"If you look to America, it seems like that won't be resolved. President Trump has already commented that that's not a part of the American agenda anymore."

Existential Risks and the Need for AI Safety [12:36]

• Prominent AI researchers like Jeffrey Hinton have warned of the potential for AI to pose existential threats to humanity, with some estimating a 10-20% chance of destruction.
• While hypothetical, the possibility of dangerous AI necessitates proactive preparation and the development of safeguards.
• Efforts are underway, including national AI safety testing in the US and a Canadian AI safety institute partnered with the UK, to test advanced AI models.
• Near-term concerns also include the potential for AI-powered weapons and cybersecurity breaches in a more securitized global landscape.

"But what I will say is if we think there's possibilities that these technologies could be more dangerous, um why would we not try and prepare for them and just build more safeguards in, right?"

Navigating the AI Bubble and Investment Divergence [15:17]

• The possibility of an AI investment bubble bursting is real, as significant investment may have outpaced current technological capabilities.
• A correction could occur due to breakthroughs in other companies or regions, or if investors become concerned about longer financial cycles for AI realization.
• The divergence between the technological cycle (which can take decades) and investors' expectation for returns can lead to market instability.
• A historical example of a rapid market shift occurred when China's AI advancements surprised American companies and investors.

"The reality that investors expect returns. Those two seem to be diverging and the result of that could be some form of a correction um in the next couple years."

The Promise and Revolutionary Applications of AI [17:00]

• AI is poised to drive significant progress in scientific discovery, such as developing new drugs for rare diseases.
• It can automate tedious tasks like document and contract review, benefiting small business owners and professionals.
• AI offers opportunities for creative industries, allowing creators to develop new forms of art through image and video generation.
• In Canada, AI applications are promising for advanced manufacturing, natural resources (mining, geological surveying), and space exploration.

"Oh, there's so many. This is the part I'm most excited about, right? I mean, think about scientific discovery of new drugs that could cure rare diseases."