The era of "AI theater" is ending as organizations move beyond flashy demos to embed AI into the core plumbing of their business workflows.
Key Highlights
- Operational Triage in Healthcare: In behavioral health, AI is moving from a "clinical oracle" to an operational tool used for intake and triage. It helps prioritize patients in urgent need while leaving final clinical decisions to human providers.
- The End of "Vibes-Only" Spending: CFOs are demanding tangible ROI within 6-12 months, killing off speculative projects that lack a clear data strategy or governance structure.
- Autonomous Commerce: Visa is piloting protocols that allow AI agents to securely shop and pay on behalf of consumers using cryptographic signatures to verify legitimate agents.
- AI on the Org Chart: Companies are redesigning teams to include AI as a digital teammate, creating new roles like AI risk stewards and prompt architects.
- Scaling Beyond Pilots: Success in 2026 belongs to those who move AI out of the lab and into everyday decision-making, focusing on accountability and integration rather than just the tech.
"Scaling AI is not only about selecting the right tools... it is about selecting the right use case and then aligning data, processes, and people behind it." — Frank Palermo, NewRocket.
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