In this special edition of Techstrong Gang, Alan Shimel, Mike Vizard, Mitch Ashley, Chris Blask, and Kate Scarcella examine the state of the DevOps community following the release of the 2026 DevOps Dozen awards.

Alan, Mike, Stephen Fossket, and Hope Lynch explore the ethical implications of technology — especially AI — and the societal responsibilities that come with it. They discuss how rapid technological advancement can deepen inequality if left unchecked, and why accountability in tech companies matters more than ever. The conversation also examines privacy rights, the evolution of communication, and the search for meaningful leadership in an increasingly fragmented media landscape.

Alan, Mike, Jack Poller, Barbara Roos and Andi Mann dive into a $10 billion OpenAI deal with Cerebras that hinges on using alternative processors to run artificial intelligence (AI) inference engines before taking a look at the degree to which AI agents are being adopted without understanding the real cybersecurity implications.

Then the gang delves into the political ramifications of former CISA chair Jen Easterly being named the new CEO of the RSA Conference (RSAC).

Alan Shimel, Mike Vizard, Jon Swartz, Fred Wilmot, Gina Rosenthal, and Futurum Group analyst Guy Currier examine the merits of this year’s Techstrong Person of the Year award and what the selection says about leadership in the technology industry.

The discussion then turns to Apple’s decision to tap Google for AI support as it looks to improve Siri, a move that raises questions about platform strategy and competitive positioning. The episode closes with a look at the potential implications of a reported source code theft involving Target, highlighting ongoing cybersecurity and software risk concerns.

Alan, Mike, Jon and Teri Robinson dive into a Microsoft pledge, prompted by President Trump, to pick up the cost of electricity when building out data centers to run artificial intelligence (AI) applications. Then the gang delves into the implications of a Taiwan trade deal that calls for more TSMC semiconductor manufacturing plants to be built in the U.S. before taking a minute to acknowledge the great work cybersecurity professionals have been doing to protect us all.

Alan Shimel, Mike Vizard, Chris Blask, Kate Scarcella, Sid Nag and Dan O’Brien, president and COO of the Futurum Group, discuss a new protocol from Google designed to enable AI agents to conduct shopping transactions, highlighting how agent-based workflows are expanding beyond experimentation.

The gang then examines recent advances in AI coding, including how new tools are changing application development and DevOps practices. The episode wraps with a look at a U.S. Congress effort to secure funding for quantum computing research and development, underscoring the long-term strategic importance of quantum technologies.

Stephen Foskett, Mike Vizard, and JP Morgenthal, the Techstrong Gang takes stock of 2026 and examines how the year is actually unfolding. From AI and agentic systems to cloud infrastructure, rising cybersecurity pressure, and enterprise realities, the conversation focuses on what’s proving real, where friction is emerging, and which expectations are already being challenged.

Rather than forecasting what might happen, the panel looks at early signals, course corrections, and the practical implications for organizations navigating technology, economics, and regulation right now.

Alan Shimel, Mike Vizard, Mitch Ashley, Camberley Bates and Jack Poller discuss the state of DevOps in the age of artificial intelligence as 2026 gets underway, focusing on how workflows, tooling and team structures continue to change.The gang then asks where the promised AI jobs are before turning to the critical role identity plays in cybersecurity, an area that remains widely misunderstood as attack surfaces expand.#AI #DevOps #Cybersecurity #Jobs