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Hope you had an awesome Christmas and Hanukkah.

I'm probably on my couch right now, surrounded by toy parts, instruction manuals in 47 languages, and cold coffee. Living the dream.

Wrote this over the past week. Drop your own predictions in the comments—I want to hear what you're seeing.

One more thing: I put together an Annual Reset & Review document to help you look back on the year and plan for 2026. My wife loves these things. She's probably shocked reading this that I actually made one.

2026 is about to get weird. See you in the new year.

Welcome to the annual tradition of putting our reputation on the line.

Predictions are a fool's errand. We know it. You know it.

And yet here we are—staring into the crystal ball, squinting hard, pretending we see something other than our own reflection.

But that's what makes it fun.

Grab your beverage of choice. Suspend your disbelief. Let's talk about what 2026 might have in store.

Some of these are calculated bets. Others are pure vibes. One involves cargo shorts.

Let's ride.

The robots aren't coming for your job. They're coming for your intern's job.

In 2026, we predict major corporations will begin deploying autonomous AI agents that handle 40-60% of tasks previously done by junior analysts, copywriters, and customer service reps. These aren't chatbots answering "Where's my package?" They're digital employees with task lists, deadlines, and probably better attendance records than most of us.

The ripple effect? The first serious legislative push for "AI displacement insurance"—essentially unemployment benefits for people replaced by software. It's going to get weird, folks.

Not a gimmick. Not a tech demo. An actual, honest-to-god movie—with AI-generated visuals, voice acting, and score—hits theaters and people pay to see it.

Will it win an Oscar? Probably not. Will it trigger an existential crisis in Hollywood and at least three think pieces titled "Is This Even Art?" Absolutely.

The Academy will convene an emergency committee. Unions will protest. Your film school friend will have opinions. Meanwhile, a 19-year-old with a laptop will be in pre-production on the sequel.

AI has changed how consumers shop, but people still drive decisions. Levanta’s research shows affiliate and creator content continues to influence conversions, plus it now shapes the product recommendations AI delivers. Affiliate marketing isn’t being replaced by AI, it’s being amplified.

Download the full report

One of the top five social networks is going to have a Very Bad Year.

We're not talking about a slow decline or a "pivot to video." We're talking about a catastrophic, 90-day user exodus triggered by a massive data breach, surprise regulatory action, or a viral cultural backlash that makes everyone suddenly remember they never actually liked being on there.

These platforms feel invincible until they aren't. Ask MySpace. Ask Vine. Ask anyone who built their entire business on a single algorithm.

The lesson, as always: diversify your digital real estate.

The holdouts are running out of excuses—and money.

By the end of 2026, legal sports betting will be nearly universal across the U.S. The remaining states will capitulate under budget pressures, lobbying, and the awkward reality that their residents are already betting anyway (just in less regulated ways).

The real prediction within the prediction? The NFL formally partners with sportsbooks to open in-stadium betting lounges. You'll be able to place a live bet on the next play while waiting in line for a $17 beer. Progress.

While NASA's Artemis program faces another delay (supply chain issues, budget negotiations, the usual), China successfully puts taikonauts on the lunar surface.

This isn't about "winning" the space race in some Cold War nostalgia sense. It's about narrative. Whoever plants the next flag controls the story of humanity's future in space—and that story has geopolitical, economic, and cultural implications for decades.

Expect this to dramatically reshape U.S. space policy priorities. Suddenly, that Moon base won't feel so optional.

Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro—these aren't just medications anymore. They're a cultural phenomenon.

By 2026, we predict GLP-1 drugs will reach 15%+ adoption among American adults. And when that many people fundamentally change their relationship with food and body size, entire industries have to adapt.

Fast food chains will overhaul menus (smaller portions, repositioned "premium" options). Clothing retailers will recalibrate sizing across the board. The "athleisure bubble" might finally burst.

Hot take: this will be the most significant shift in American consumer behavior since smartphones.

A major individual content creator—YouTuber, podcaster, or newsletter writer—takes their media company public. And it works.

This isn't some celebrity vanity project. It's a legitimate business with diversified revenue streams, a loyal audience, and the kind of margins that make traditional media executives weep into their spreadsheets.

The "one-person media empire" becomes a recognized asset class. Investment banks start hiring analysts who actually understand what "subscriber churn" means. Your parents finally stop asking when you're going to get a "real job."

The robotaxi revolution won't happen everywhere at once. It'll happen in one place first—and that place will probably be Phoenix, Austin, or Miami.

We're talking true saturation: where hailing a driverless car becomes the default, not the novelty. Where teenagers don't bother getting driver's licenses because, why would you?

Every other city will scramble to catch up. Taxi unions will lobby. Insurance companies will panic. And the rest of us will watch YouTube videos of empty cars navigating traffic and feel vaguely unsettled about the future.

A limited Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) pilot rolls out in select U.S. cities.

On paper, it's just a test—a way to modernize payments and explore programmable money. In practice, it reignites every debate about financial privacy, government overreach, and the future of cash.

Crypto enthusiasts will say "told you so." Privacy advocates will raise alarms. Your uncle will post something on Facebook about the "mark of the beast." It's going to be a whole thing.

And finally, a prediction that requires no economic modeling or geopolitical analysis—just vibes.

In 2026, TikTok discovers dads. Not in a mocking way. In an aspirational way.

New Balance sneakers? Cool now. Cargo shorts? Ironically chic. Aggressive lawn care and strong opinions about thermostat settings? Chef's kiss.

The "Dadcore" aesthetic goes fully mainstream. Stanley releases a limited-edition tumbler designed specifically for suburban fathers. It sells out in 4 minutes. Resale prices hit $300.

Your father, who has dressed exactly the same way since 1997, will feel a rare and confusing sense of cultural relevance. Let him have this.

Will all of these happen? Of course not. That's not the point.

Predictions aren't about being right. They're about paying attention—about forcing yourself to think through the trends, the tensions, and the absurdities that shape where we're headed.

Some of these will age like wine. Others will age like milk left in a hot car. Either way, we'll be here in 12 months to take inventory.

See you in 2027. Wear your cargo shorts with pride.

What's your boldest prediction for 2026? Hit reply and let us know.

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