Episode #80 - Year in Review and Predictions for 2026 with Jen Lehner

This podcast episode features Jen Lehner, an AI strategist and consultant, and we review the accuracy of our tech and social media predictions for 2025 while looking ahead to the emerging trends of 2026.

The conversation covers the ethical dilemmas of AI video generation, viral marketing successes like the "death" of the Duolingo mascot, and the potential for AI agents to handle personal tasks like grocery shopping and app building.

• (3:00) - Reviewing 2025 Predictions: Jen Lehner reflects on her successful predictions regarding AI content, wearables, and agentic AI, while Daniel notes that while he was wrong about YouTube Shorts replacing TikTok, he correctly identified the rise of "social media burnout" as a major topic.
• (10:00) - The Sora Controversy and AI Ethics: A major discussion point is the "fail" of AI video tools like Sora allowing users to recreate deceased individuals (e.g., Martin Luther King or Elvis), raising concerns about legacy, dignity, and the lack of consent from families.
• (18:00) - "Vibe Coding" with Lovable: Daniel and Jen Lehner discuss Lovable, an app-building tool that allows users to create functional apps simply by describing them—a concept known as "vibe coding". Daniel shares how he used it to build a camera app to help him take better photos of his wife.
• (24:00) - The "Death" of Duo the Owl: The hosts break down Duolingo’s viral marketing campaign involving the staged "death" and community-led resurrection of its mascot, which successfully drove 1.5 million users back into the app to save him.
• (31:00) - Wearable Tech & Privacy Struggles: Jen Lehner describes using AI digital notetakers that record and summarize entire days of conversations. However, she notes the ethical "guilt" of not being able to inform every person she encounters, such as a pharmacist, that they are being recorded.
• (35:00) - 2026 Social Media Predictions: Jen Lehner predicts an explosion in live-selling auctions via apps like Whatnot, where young sellers are already making millions through fast-paced, high-scarcity sneaker sales.
• (37:00) - The Analog Shift: Daniel’s wife, Lauren, suggests a counter-trend for 2026: a move toward "analog" social experiences where people host "no phone parties" to prioritize raw, genuine connection over glamorized digital lifestyles.
• (38:00) - The Future of AI Agents & Robots: Jen Lehner anticipates the rise of agents that can autonomously order groceries via Instacart and home robots capable of tasks like unloading a dishwasher.
• (40:00) - OpenAI’s Move into Hardware: Daniel highlights OpenAI’s collaboration with designer Johnny Ive to create a computing experience intended to be "less socially disruptive than the iPhone".
• (44:00) - AI in Podcasting: Looking at 2026, Jen Lehner predicts the rise of AI personas or "synthetic voices" that will source, curate, and record entire podcast episodes autonomously.

Links:

Jen Lehner: https://jenlehner.com/

Front Row Daily Briefing: https://jenlehner.com/flash/