At Work with The Ready

40. Our 2026 Predictions: Expect the Unexpected


Listen Later

As 2025 comes to a close, AI hype is still everywhere, workers are feeling the strain of constant change, and organizations are quietly reorganizing who (or what) does the work. We’re ending the year with some big questions: What happens to the “middle” of organizations? How do humans fit into increasingly AI-driven systems? And where does real value—human and otherwise—get created?


With only a few days left until the new year, Rodney Evans and Sam Spurlin look ahead to how AI, jobs, and organizational life will shift in 2026—from real white-collar displacement and the rise of internal org-design teams to employees quietly choosing AI over difficult human teammates.


--------------------------------


Ready to change your organization? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Let's talk.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


Get our newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


Follow us:

  • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
  • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
  • --------------------------------


    Mentioned references:

    • "⁠US military met recruiting goals ahead of schedule"
    • "AI workslop"
    • "Steam game marketplace, AI labeling"

    • 00:00 Intro + Check-In: What’s a reflection you have on 2025?

      03:44 Prediction 1: Hype cycle around AGI will break

      05:03 Prediction 2: 2026 is tipping point for white collar AI job disruption

      09:53 Prediction 3: Demand for internal OD teams increases

      12:11 Prediction 4: People will start choosing AI over their coworkers for collab

      15:04 Prediction 5: Divide between legacy orgs and AI-native micro orgs will grow

      17:48 Prediction 6: New premium on human-crafted products and experience

      21:57 Wrap up: Leave us a review, and see you in 2026


      Sound engineering and design by Taylor Marvin of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Coupe Studios⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

      ...more
      View all episodesView all episodes
      Download on the App Store

      At Work with The ReadyBy Rodney Evans and Sam Spurlin

      • 5
      • 5
      • 5
      • 5
      • 5

      5

      183 ratings


      More shows like At Work with The Ready

      View all
      Hidden Brain by Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

      Hidden Brain

      43,534 Listeners

      The Knowledge Project by Shane Parrish

      The Knowledge Project

      2,695 Listeners

      Coaching for Leaders by Dave Stachowiak

      Coaching for Leaders

      1,475 Listeners

      HBR IdeaCast by Harvard Business Review

      HBR IdeaCast

      179 Listeners

      How to Be Awesome at Your Job by How to be Awesome at Your Job

      How to Be Awesome at Your Job

      1,037 Listeners

      Worklife with Adam Grant by TED

      Worklife with Adam Grant

      9,135 Listeners

      Inside the Strategy Room by McKinsey & Company

      Inside the Strategy Room

      177 Listeners

      At The Table with Patrick Lencioni by Patrick Lencioni

      At The Table with Patrick Lencioni

      1,132 Listeners

      The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos by Pushkin Industries

      The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos

      14,403 Listeners

      A Bit of Optimism by Simon Sinek

      A Bit of Optimism

      2,228 Listeners

      ReThinking by TED

      ReThinking

      619 Listeners

      We Can Do Hard Things by Treat Media and Glennon Doyle

      We Can Do Hard Things

      41,659 Listeners

      Fixable by TED

      Fixable

      222 Listeners

      HBR On Leadership by Harvard Business Review

      HBR On Leadership

      173 Listeners

      What Now? with Trevor Noah by Trevor Noah

      What Now? with Trevor Noah

      4,306 Listeners