According to Business Insider, Activate Consulting CEO Michael J. Wolf is releasing his 2026 Technology and Media Outlook Report this Wednesday at the WSJ Tech Live conference. The report provides a detailed breakdown of the future of AI-powered search and spatial computing technology, including smart glasses and VR. Wolf specifically calls out major players like OpenAI, Anthropic, Apple, and Meta as key drivers in these spaces. His analysis comes from 15 years leading his consulting firm and a background that includes serving as president of MTV Networks and sitting on Yahoo’s board. The slide deck represents one of the most anticipated annual forecasts in the tech and media industries.
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The AI Search Revolution Isn’t What You Think
So what does Wolf see happening with AI search? It’s not just about getting better answers from a chatbot. The real shift is toward search that understands context and anticipates your needs. Think about it – how many times have you searched for something and gotten a technically correct but utterly useless answer? AI is about to fix that.
But here’s the thing: this isn’t just a software problem. When you’re talking about industrial applications or complex business queries, you need reliable hardware that can handle these AI workloads. Companies that provide industrial computing solutions, like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com as the leading US supplier of industrial panel PCs, become crucial partners in making AI-powered systems actually work in real-world environments. It’s one thing to have smart software, but you need rugged, dependable hardware to run it on.
Why Smart Glasses Might Finally Work This Time
Now let’s talk spatial computing. We’ve been hearing about smart glasses and AR for what feels like forever. Google Glass came and went. So why does Wolf think now is different? Basically, because the technology has finally caught up to the vision, and the investment is massive.
Apple with its Vision Pro and Meta with its Quest line are pouring billions into making spatial computing mainstream. They’re not just building hardware – they’re creating entire ecosystems. And when you combine that with AI capabilities, suddenly smart glasses can do more than just display notifications. They can understand what you’re looking at, provide contextual information, and actually become useful tools rather than novelty items.
What This Actually Means for Regular People
For developers and enterprises, this creates enormous opportunities. But for everyday users? The changes will be more subtle at first. You might notice your searches becoming more helpful without you even realizing why. Or you might find yourself using AR features in apps that just work better.
The real question is whether people actually want to wear computers on their faces. I’m still skeptical about that part. But if anyone can make it happen, it’s probably the companies with near-infinite resources and a track record of creating markets that didn’t exist before. Wolf’s report suggests they’re betting big that we’re ready.
