In this episode of The AI Transition, we step away from the weekly headlines and look ahead to 2026. What are the most likely AI shocks coming next, and how prepared are we for their human impact?

We avoid the speculative hype or techno-optimism but focus instead on how AI may reshape work, identity, power, and economic stability faster than people and organisations can adapt.

We count down of our five biggest AI predictions, from #5 to #1 — exploring each one through a transition lens, focusing not on the technology itself, but on what it does to people.

· #5 – Humanoid Robots Go Mainstream

· #4 – Proto-AGI Becomes “Good Enough”

· #3 – The First Large-Scale AI-Attributable Disaster

· #2 – Digital Immigrants Arrive

· #1 – The AI Stock Market Bubble Pops

Throughout the episode, we explore why these shifts feel so destabilising, why resistance is growing, and why the real challenge ahead isn’t technological — it’s human.

If you’re a leader, coach, or professional trying to make sense of what AI means beyond the hype, this episode is for you.

As 2025 comes to a close, Stephen and Lauren take a look back at a "crazy" year of rapid transitions and massive technological shifts. In this episode of the AI Transition Podcast, they count down the top five events that defined the human side of the AI revolution—from the surprisingly high preference for AI mental health support to the "open source shockwave" that rebalanced global power.

In this episode, we discuss:

• #5 The Mental Health Frontier: Why 46% of people reaching out to helplines are finding comfort in AI first.
• #4 The Creative Explosion: How "Nano Banana" and new image generators put professional-grade tools in the hands of everyone from school kids to retirees.
• #3 The Workplace Standard: Why Copilot is becoming as common as a search bar, and the critical "word of caution" regarding workplace surveillance.
• #2 The Model Wars: How Google Gemini caught up to OpenAI, shifting us into a "multi-prong" competitive landscape.
• #1 The Global Shift: Why the rise of DeepSeek and open-source models means AI is no longer a USA-only game.

Join us as we navigate the triumphs, the tragedies, and the "messy middle" of our transition into an AI-driven world.

In this episode of The AI Transition, Stephen and Christiane explore why the same AI wave hits people so differently — and what that means for leaders and teams navigating rapid change.

Using the Extended DISC behavioural model, they break down the four distinct “surf styles” people use when AI disruption arrives:

• the drivers who charge toward the wave,
• the influencers who turn it into a beach party,
• the steadiness types who watch the tides for danger, and
• the compliance thinkers who analyse the wave to death.

You’ll hear how each style reacts when pressure spikes, why some freeze while others paddle hard, and what leaders can do to support everyone through uncertainty.
From over-promising optimism to analysis paralysis, this conversation reveals the real human reactions underneath the AI transition.

A practical, human-centred look at sudden change — and how understanding your style can help you ride the wave instead of getting wiped out.