By Futurist Thomas Frey
The Bold Prediction That Might Be Half Right
Salim Ismail recently made a stunning prediction on the Moonshots Podcast with Peter Diamandis: “I think 2026 is going to see the biggest collapse of the corporate world in the history of business.”
The context: rapid AI advancements with models like GPT-5.2 automating knowledge work at superhuman speed and low cost, building on 1.1-1.17 million U.S. layoffs announced in 2025—the highest since the 2020 pandemic. Ismail, author of Exponential Organizations, argues companies failing to radically transform by scrapping legacy systems, adopting AI-native approaches, and reskilling workforces will face existential threats as adoption tips into panic mode.
Is he right? Probably not about “biggest collapse ever”—but he might be right about something more important: 2026 is when the gap between AI-adopters and AI-resisters becomes catastrophic.
Continue reading… “2026: The Year Corporate America Faces Its AI Reckoning (Maybe)”