Ep 200: What Does AI Look Like in 2026 | Alter Everything Podcast | Full Episode Audio
AI in 2026 isn't about which chatbot gives better answers; it's about AI that actually GETS WORK DONE. In this special episode, we're joined by two incredible guests with totally different perspectives on where AI is heading: 🔹 Patrick McGarry - Federal Chief Data Officer at ServiceNow (author of upcoming book "Beyond the Algorithm") 🔹 Dr. Jupiter Bakakeu - Lead Generative AI Technologist at Alteryx (PhD in reinforcement learning) What You'll Learn: ✅ The shift from AI answers to AI action (agents that plan, execute & learn) ✅ Why voice AI might NOT take over as fast as you think ✅ What makes a "real" AI agent (hint: it's not just ChatGPT with plugins) ✅ Which tasks you SHOULD delegate to AI (and which you absolutely shouldn't) ✅ Why data modernization matters more than picking the "best" model ✅ How regulation & infrastructure costs will shape AI's future ✅ Real examples of AI agents that actually work today Start your 30 day free trial of Alteryx desktop or the Analytics cloud platform at https://www.alteryx.com/AlterEverything Subscribe to the Alter Everything podcast on your favorite podcast app: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/alter-everything/id1356137854 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/17KLxb23QlvgcbvLiaPck1?si=FWmOQEITRFCQ42smFjOpfA Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/alteryx/alter-everything 00:00 Introduction and Milestone Celebration 01:25 Meet Patrick McGarry: Federal Chief Data Officer at ServiceNow 02:47 Meet Dr. Jupiter Bakakeu: Lead Generative AI Technologist at Alteryx 05:14 The Future of AI: From Answer Machines to Work Agents 11:14 The Role of Voice in AI: Opportunities and Challenges 26:44 Understanding AI Agents: Definitions and Responsibilities 36:12 Implementing Guardrails for AI Agents 36:42 Legal Implications of AI 37:27 AI Agents Going Mainstream by 2026 39:48 Delegating Tasks to AI Agents 42:55 Examples of Effective AI Agents 47:22 Challenges and Future of AI Agents 48:42 Cost and Regulation of AI in 2026 56:17 Practical AI Adoption Strategies 01:00:43 Lightning Round: Future of AI 01:06:49 Conclusion and Takeaways