December 26, 2025 News
TechCrunch Equity Podcast Predicts AI Agents Will Mature and Transform Industries in 2026
TechCrunch's Equity podcast hosts discussed major tech developments from 2025 and made predictions for 2026, focusing on AI funding, physical AI, and AI agents. They noted that AI agents underperformed expectations in 2025 but predicted significant advancement in 2026, while also discussing concerns about AI-generated content in Hollywood and venture capital liquidity challenges.
Skynet Chance (+0.01%): The prediction of AI agents maturing in 2026 suggests incremental progress toward more autonomous AI systems, which could marginally increase concerns about AI control and alignment. However, this represents expected evolutionary progress rather than a sudden capability breakthrough that would significantly alter risk profiles.
Skynet Date (+0 days): The anticipated maturation of AI agents in 2026 and continued mega-funding rounds suggest steady acceleration of AI capabilities deployment. The modest negative score reflects incremental speedup in autonomous AI systems entering practical use, though not dramatically faster than the expected trajectory.
AGI Progress (+0.01%): The discussion of AI agents approaching practical viability and the rise of "physical AI" indicates progress toward more general and embodied AI systems. The acknowledgment of significant AI funding continuing suggests sustained investment in advancing capabilities toward more general intelligence.
AGI Date (+0 days): The prediction that AI agents will fulfill their promise in 2026 after underperforming in 2025, combined with ongoing mega-funding rounds, suggests acceleration in practical AI deployment. This indicates the pace toward AGI-relevant capabilities may be slightly faster than previously expected, though tempered by the noted 2025 delays.