In this episode of SHI's Research Breakdown, host Victoria Barber is joined by SHI colleagues Brad Pollard, Field CTO, and Marc Yoder, Field CISO, to unpack two bold prediction pieces: The Year Tech Reinvents Itself: Five Predictions for 2026 from Information Week and Tech Predictions for 2026: The Year Software Crawls into Physical Reality from InvestorPlace, both of which were covered in the January 23 edition of the Research Roundup LinkedIn newsletter.

From domestic chip production and AI silicon to humanoid robots, autonomous vehicles, and the ever-growing power demands of data centers, the headlines suggest a year defined by breakthrough innovation. But as Brad and Marc make clear, not every “shiny” technology deserves executive attention.

Part one of this two-part series centers on resiliency, core competencies, data quality, and the role of trusted partners in navigating transformation. What does it really mean to “transform” as an organization? Are you becoming a butterfly, or just bolting wings onto a caterpillar?

For CIOs, CISOs, and executive leaders feeling pressure to respond to every emerging trend, this episode offers an important lesson: focus less on hype, more on foundations.

Discussed in this episode:

Why data center power and chip supply are executive-level concerns, but not always directly controllable
The risks of vendor fragility in tight supply environments
AI savings headlines vs. the reality of multi-year transformation journeys
Why “AI” is often a proxy for deeper data quality problems
Lessons from manufacturing, mining, and gaming on practical automation
The difference between true transformation and surface-level modernization
Why most organizations shouldn’t be building their own AI solutions
The importance of knowing your organization’s core competencies before chasing trends