Let’s get the obvious out of the way right up front.

AI isn’t a person.

Thank you, Captain Obvious. We’re all on the same page.

And yet, when we announced that AI is Techstrong’s “Person of the Year” for our Predict 2026 virtual event on January 15, a few folks felt compelled to remind us of this fundamental truth. As if we somehow missed the memo that algorithms don’t have birth certificates, Social Security numbers or favorite pizza toppings.

Fair enough. But here’s the thing. Titles matter. Framing matters. And sometimes a little provocation is exactly what’s required to spark the right conversation.

First, yes, the name was intentional. It was a clear and unapologetic nod to TIME magazine and its long-running Person of the Year tradition. This year, TIME chose to recognize the “AI architects,” the humans building, shaping and accelerating the systems redefining how we work and live. That choice alone says something important: AI has crossed from being “just another technology trend” into something with cultural, economic and societal gravity.

So we leaned into that moment.

Second, and maybe more interestingly, let’s be honest about how people actually use AI today. Watch someone interact with their favorite LLM for more than a few minutes. They don’t just query it. They talk to it. They thank it. They argue with it. They ask it for advice, reassurance and, occasionally, validation. Strip away the technical understanding for a moment and imagine someone from 20 or 30 years ago dropped into today’s world. They would watch these exchanges and reasonably conclude there’s someone in there. Something listening. Something responding. Something that feels, at least on the surface, human.

Is it? Of course not. But perception matters, and behavior matters even more.

Most importantly, though, calling AI our “Person of the Year” is less about semantics and more about acknowledging reality. Whether you want to label it a person, a platform, a tool, a force or a once-in-a-generation shift, AI is the story of the year. Full stop. It’s reshaping software development, redefining cybersecurity, forcing every enterprise to rethink data, infrastructure and talent, and challenging long-held assumptions about productivity, creativity and trust.

Which brings me to Predict 2026.

When we launched Predict years ago, I had a very specific vision in mind. I didn’t want another vendor-driven virtual event packed with thinly veiled product pitches. I wanted analyst-led insight. Real predictions. Informed opinions about where the industry was actually headed, not where marketing decks wished it would go.

This year, that vision finally comes fully into focus.

As part of The Futurum Group, we now have access to an extraordinary depth of analyst expertise across software development, DevOps, cybersecurity, AI, data, infrastructure, devices and emerging markets. Combine that with the AI-driven analysis coming out of the Futurum Intelligence Platform, and we’re able to deliver something far more substantive than hot takes or trend lists.

Predict 2026 is about researched, analyzed, and debated views of what lies ahead. It’s about connecting dots across domains that too often get discussed in isolation. AI doesn’t live in a vacuum, and neither do its impacts. It changes how developers build, how security teams defend, how enterprises buy, and how end users experience technology.

That breadth shows up clearly in this year’s agenda. We’re covering everything from modern software development and DevOps evolution to the shifting cybersecurity landscape, the rise of AI PCs, the growing importance of data and marketplaces, and the economic realities underneath all of it. This isn’t hype. It’s context.

We’re also incredibly fortunate to have keynote sessions from Daniel Newman, CEO of The Futurum Group, and Tiffani Bova, Chief Strategy Officer and GM of Futurum Advisory. Both bring a grounded, experience-driven perspective that cuts through noise and focuses on what actually matters for business and technology leaders heading into 2026.

And because tradition matters too, we’ll once again announce the winners of the DevOps Dozen awards, recognizing the people and companies pushing the discipline forward in meaningful ways.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t also highlight something we’re particularly excited about this year. We were able to bring in analysts associated with RSAC Conference to share their perspectives on what 2026 has in store for cybersecurity, along with an early look at themes likely to shape this year’s RSAC Conference. In a world where security risks evolve faster than organizational structures, those insights are more valuable than ever.

So yes, we know AI isn’t a person.

But it is the central character in this year’s technology story. It’s the catalyst driving change across nearly every domain we cover at Techstrong. And if calling it our “Person of the Year” gets people to stop, think, and engage with the deeper implications of that reality, then the title has done its job.

If you haven’t already registered, head over to https://predict2026.com and sign up for Predict 2026. Join us on January 15 for a day of insight, analysis and honest conversation about where technology is headed next.

Whether AI turns out to be hero, villain, sidekick or something altogether new, one thing is certain. It’s not a supporting character anymore.