The article explains that 2026 is shaping up to be a defining year for artificial intelligence, driven less by flashy model releases and more by money, competition, and the rise of AI agents that can act autonomously. Companies like OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic are pouring massive resources into building systems that can plan, execute tasks, and generate real economic value, shifting the focus from chatbots to practical automation. This push is fueling an expensive arms race for talent, computing power, and enterprise customers, with profitability and sustainability becoming urgent concerns. The piece argues that the winners will be those who can turn advanced models into reliable, revenue-generating agents, while companies that fail to monetize quickly may struggle despite technical breakthroughs.
