At Work with The Ready 40. Our 2026 Predictions: Expect the Unexpected
34 snips
Dec 29, 2025 As 2025 wraps up, the discussion pivots to how AI will reshape the workforce in 2026. A slowdown in the AI hype cycle is expected, leading to real white-collar job displacement. Companies will increasingly form internal design teams to adapt to constant change. Interestingly, employees might prefer collaborating with AI over challenging human colleagues. A divide is predicted between traditional organizations and agile, AI-native micro teams, highlighting a premium on human-crafted offerings.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
AI Hype Will Normalize
- The AI hype and AGI speculation will calm and AI will be treated like a normal disruptive technology.
- That shift lets organizations focus on practical uses instead of breathless futurism.
White-Collar Displacement Nears A Tipping Point
- 2026 will be the tipping point where white-collar displacement becomes widely visible.
- The middle of many organizations will be carved out, causing wage pressure and role shifts.
Real-World Signals Of Job Shifts
- Rodney cites concrete signals like military recruitment meeting goals and surges in waste management applicants.
- These shifts suggest people are preemptively moving toward stable, non-AI-threatened roles.