Join host Seth Robinson for the first episode of our 2026 outlook series on Trend Watch. In this episode, we move past the headlines and the "bubble" rhetoric to explore how Artificial Intelligence will genuinely influence the technology workforce and business landscape this year.

Seth breaks down the "tale of two AIs" currently creating tension in the market: the rapid adoption of AI as an individual productivity tool versus the complex, longer-term integration of AI as a scalable corporate asset. While consumer tools like ChatGPT have democratized access, businesses face unique hurdles in turning these capabilities into organizational value.

In this episode, we cover:
• The Dual Hype Cycle: Understanding why individual and corporate AI adoption operate on different timeframes and expectations.
• Barriers to Scale: Why cybersecurity remains the leading challenge, followed closely by data readiness and defining clear ROI.
• Human-AI Balance: How companies are striving to augment—not replace—workforce efforts to ensure accuracy and relevance.
• The Skills Gap: A look at the demand for AI fluency, the necessity of strong core skills, and why 80% of companies plan to invest in AI training in the coming year.

We also discuss CompTIA's AI framework and how skill domains like AI security and data interaction are weaving into every job role, from help desk to software development.

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