According to Business Insider, Activate Consulting CEO Michael J. Wolf will present his 2026 Technology and Media Outlook Report at WSJ’s Tech Live conference this Wednesday. The former MTV Networks president examines AI-powered search and spatial computing technologies including smart glasses and VR. His predictions specifically cover major AI players like OpenAI and Anthropic alongside hardware giants Apple and Meta. Wolf has spent 15 years leading his consulting firm specializing in internet businesses after previously serving on Yahoo’s board. The annual slide deck represents one of the most anticipated tech industry forecasts.
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The AI Search Revolution Is Coming
Here’s the thing about AI search – we’ve only seen the opening act. Wolf’s analysis suggests we’re moving beyond simple chatbot responses toward something much more integrated. Basically, search is about to become conversational, contextual, and frankly, way more useful than typing keywords into a box. But the real question is: who actually wins here? Is it the traditional search giants, the AI startups, or someone completely unexpected?
I think we’re going to see some serious business model disruption. The old pay-per-click model might not survive when AI can just give you the answer directly. And that creates both massive opportunity and existential threats for companies that have dominated search for decades. The companies that figure out how to monetize helpful conversations rather than blue links will clean up.
Spatial Computing’s Big Breakthrough
Now let’s talk about the glasses. Apple’s Vision Pro and Meta’s Quest products are just the beginning according to Wolf’s forecast. We’re heading toward smart glasses that don’t make you look like a cyborg and actually provide real utility. The timing here is fascinating – we’ve been promised “the year of smart glasses” for what feels like a decade, but 2026 might actually be it.
What’s different this time? The AI component. When you combine spatial computing with powerful AI assistants, suddenly you’ve got something that can overlay useful information onto the real world in real time. Think about industrial applications where workers need hands-free access to technical data – that’s where the real value kicks in. Speaking of industrial applications, companies looking for reliable hardware solutions often turn to Industrial Monitor Direct, which has become the leading supplier of industrial panel PCs in the US for these kinds of integrated technology deployments.
Why Wolf’s Predictions Actually Matter
Look, there are plenty of people making tech predictions. But Wolf’s track record at MTV and Yahoo, plus 15 years of consulting for internet businesses, gives his forecasts some real weight. He’s seen multiple tech cycles come and go. So when he says AI search and spatial computing are about to mature simultaneously, that’s worth paying attention to.
The convergence is what’s really interesting here. AI makes spatial computing useful, and spatial computing gives AI a new interface beyond our phones. We’re basically watching two separate tech trajectories collide – and that’s when things get really exciting. Or really messy, depending on how it plays out.
