Beyond the AI Hype: Four Shifts That Will Shape 2026

Artificial intelligence is dominating headlines, and for good reason. But much of what we’re seeing right now feels inflated: rapid-fire product launches, bold claims, and a growing chorus of skeptics warning that we may be in an AI bubble.

They’re not wrong to ask hard questions. But they’re also missing something important.

Because underneath the noise, something real is happening. AI is starting to become infrastructure, not a shiny new feature, but a set of tools reshaping how work gets done. And the companies that understand that distinction are pulling ahead. Automating repetitive tasks. Speeding up insight. Making better decisions, sooner.

There is no question that those who ignore AI will be unable to keep up.

Here are four shifts already underway that I believe will shape the business landscape in 2026:

1. AI Moves from Talking to Doing

We’ve moved past the chatbot phase. The next wave of AI is orchestration. It will quietly schedule meetings, surface relevant data, route deliveries, and reconcile reports, in real time, with minimal prompts.

The best implementations won’t be flashy. They’ll be deeply embedded. They’ll make work feel smoother, faster, and less fragmented. That’s the real opportunity.

At Geotab, we’ve already seen significant jumps in productivity by automating routine processes, not because we added “AI” to our website, but because we put it to work inside the business.

This is the difference between AI as a tool and AI as a strategy. If it’s central to how your systems talk to each other, how your team makes decisions, how your operations flow, it will make you faster than your competitors. And that advantage compounds.

2. The Economy Will Feel Like a Recession and a Boom—At the Same Time

2026 won’t fit neatly into any one economic narrative. Some sectors will stall. Others will surge. Costs will rise in some areas, fall in others.

Freight is a perfect example. Margins are tighter, demand is softer, but trucks still need to move. And the fleets that are embracing connected data, predictive maintenance, and AI-powered routing are delivering more with less.

This is the story of modern productivity: pressure met with precision. The companies that adapt will find real opportunities where others see only constraints.

3. Autonomy in Freight Will Accelerate Fast

Most conversations about autonomous vehicles still focus on robo-taxis. But the most immediate and scalable use case might be in long-haul trucking.

Autonomous freight pilots are already running, safely, repeatedly, and with growing economic clarity. These systems are well-suited for fixed routes, highway driving, and predictable logistics patterns. And once the cost curve tips, adoption won’t be slow.

Autonomy is closer than ever. Those prepared for it will reshape their margins.

4. The AI Race Will Be Won on Data

The most valuable AI won’t be the one with the flashiest model. It will be the one trained on the best data.

Think of AI as an engine. The model is the mechanics. But the fuel is data. And if your data isn’t structured, accurate, and connected to the actual work being done, your engine won’t run.

At Geotab, we collect over 100 billion data points per day from connected vehicles around the world. That scale matters, but what matters more is how we refine it. Understanding anomalies. Spotting inefficiencies. Training AI systems that can make decisions in the field.

What to Do Next

If you’re waiting for the hype to settle before acting, you’ll be too late.

The gap between those who build now and those who delay is growing, and it won’t be easy to bridge.

So don’t get distracted by the noise.

• You must personally and urgently develop expertise in using AI.
• Look at where AI can reduce friction inside your business.
• Make your data cleaner, more connected, and more usable.
• Move with urgency, and stay grounded in what works.

In an increasingly complex environment, treating AI as an operational partner, powered by reliable data, is what will separate the leaders from the laggards.