Libsyn Directory

AI Predictions for 2026

Release Date: 12/01/2025

AI and RevOps: Why RevOps is a Critical Component of Commercial Management

AI Knowhow

Why do forecasts look great right up until they don't? If your Rev Ops strategy stops at the point of sale, you aren't managing revenue—you’re managing blind spots. Courtney Baker, David DeWolf, and Mohan Rao kick off a new series on Commercial Operations. They explain why the "lone wolf" days of account management are over and how AI turns "digital exhaust" into objective data—bringing the same discipline to client retention that we apply to winning new deals. Pete Buer sits down with Dr. Vasant Dhar, author of Thinking With Machines. Dr. Dhar explains "Dhar’s Conjecture" and how...

AI and Change Management: Leading in a State of Continuous Change

AI Knowhow

What happens when adaptation isn't a phase, but a permanent state of existence? Knownwell CMO Courtney Baker, CEO David DeWolf, and Chief Product and Technology Officer Mohan Rao conclude our change management miniseries by arguing that resilience now beats optimization. The group explores why governance should actually accelerate speed rather than slow it down, and why modern leadership requires the vulnerability to learn in public versus continually exhorting your team to become "AI-first." Plus, Pete Buer shares part two of his interview with innovation expert and author Scott...

AI and Change Management: From Pilots to Practice - Making AI Change Stick

AI Knowhow

Most leaders have mandated AI pilots, but few can claim it’s fundamentally changed their operations. Why is the gap between experiment and transformation so persistent? Courtney Baker, David DeWolf, and Mohan Rao discuss how to escape the "forever pilot" trap in part three of our change management series. They explore why tools start the change but rituals sustain it, and how to shift AI from a special project to the way business gets done. Pete Buer also joins to break down on why AI-enabled teams outperform lone power users—and the new management skills required to lead them. Then, Pete...

AI and Change Management: The Human Side of AI Change

AI Knowhow

Is your team actually afraid of artificial intelligence, or are they terrified of being devalued? Courtney Baker, David DeWolf, and Mohan Rao return for Part 2 of our change management miniseries, arguing that resistance isn't obstruction—it's a vital information signal. The panel explores why psychological safety must precede AI literacy and how leaders can acknowledge the "grief" of outdated workflows to build genuine trust. Then, Pete Buer continues his conversation with digital transformation expert Tom Davenport to diagnose "Pilotis"—the industry-wide failure to scale beyond...

AI and Change Management: A Practical Playbook for Leading AI Change

AI Knowhow

Can you ride a bike with reverse steering? It sounds simple, but it requires unlearning years of muscle memory. That is exactly what AI demands of modern business leaders: the ability to unlearn established rules to keep from crashing. Knownwell CMO Courtney Baker, CEO David DeWolf, and Chief Product and Technology Officer Mohan Rao kick off a new four-part miniseries dedicated to the hardest part of AI adoption: change management. David and Mohan argue that the biggest friction point isn't technology, but the mindset shift from a deterministic world to a probabilistic one where judgment is...

The New Services Playbook

AI Knowhow

89% of jobs will be impacted by AI next year. So what does that mean for services firms in 2026? Pete Buer is joined by Chris Barbin and Michelle Swan of Tercera to break down insights from The New Services Playbook—and why “Services as Software” is reshaping everything from pricing models to delivery. They explore why AI isn’t an extinction-level event, how firms are taking share with smaller teams and faster delivery, and what it takes to stay trusted in a world where clients demand outcomes, not hours. Plus: Pete digs into fresh data on workforce shifts and why internal alignment...

What is an Account-Based Enterprise?

AI Knowhow

Is client-centricity actually holding you back? The team challenges conventional wisdom in this conversation on the account-based enterprise—a smarter, more sustainable model for growth. Courtney Baker, David DeWolf, and Mohan Rao dig into why client-first thinking often falls short, how CRMs give you a rearview mirror when you need headlights, and what it takes to shift from episodic touchpoints to proactive relationship intelligence. Pete Buer breaks down Meta’s bold move to tie employee performance to AI impact—and the potential creativity crisis that could follow. Plus, catch...

AI Predictions for 2026

AI Knowhow

What exactly is an "AI Control Plane," and why might it become an integral part of your business strategy in 2026? In this episode, Courtney Baker, David DeWolf, and Mohan Rao look around the corner to predict the major shifts coming to the enterprise in 2026. They discuss the move from isolated AI experiments to verticalized systems, the rise of the "AI Control Plane," and whether a Fortune 500 company will finally kill the 40-hour work week. Then, Domo’s Chief Design Officer Chris Willis joins Pete Buer to challenge the "magical thinking" that often derails AI adoption. He explains why...

The Widening AI Value Gap

AI Knowhow

Only 5% of companies are getting real value from AI—so what are they doing differently? Courtney, David, and Mohan unpack the "AI value gap," spotlighting what it actually takes to move from spinning up pilots to driving measurable outcomes, while Pete Buer checks in on Michael Burry’s billion-dollar bet against the AI boom. P ete also sits down with Coframe CEO Josh Payne, who reveals how compounding intelligence and self-improving systems are quietly reshaping customer experiences—and what most companies miss when trying to replicate that success. Learn how to escape the hype, go deep...

The Rise of the AI Operating Partner

AI Knowhow

Is it time to redefine the consulting playbook with AI as your new operating partner? From to the shifting role of human consultants, the team looks at how embedded intelligence is reshaping strategy execution and value creation in professional services. This week, Pete Buer breaks down why Cognizant’s enterprise-scale rollout of Claude AI to each of its 350,00 team members AND co-selling it is more than just a tech headline. It's a blueprint for AI as a transformational tool for how services are delivered. Pete and Courtney also dig into what Digg founder and VC investor Kevin...

More Episodes

What exactly is an "AI Control Plane," and why might it become an integral part of your business strategy in 2026?

In this episode, Courtney Baker, David DeWolf, and Mohan Rao look around the corner to predict the major shifts coming to the enterprise in 2026. They discuss the move from isolated AI experiments to verticalized systems, the rise of the "AI Control Plane," and whether a Fortune 500 company will finally kill the 40-hour work week.

Then, Domo’s Chief Design Officer Chris Willis joins Pete Buer to challenge the "magical thinking" that often derails AI adoption. He explains why dashboards aren't dead (they just need to get smarter), what it takes to build real-time intelligence you can trust, and why organizational design is the biggest barrier to success.

Plus, in the news: KPMG is training new hires to be "managers of agents" rather than analysts. Pete and Courtney unpack this radical shift in talent strategy and ask: if juniors stop doing the grunt work, how will they learn the judgment needed to lead?

Topics covered:

2026 Predictions: Vertical AI, the "Control Plane," and will one brave Fortune 500 company introduce a 35-hour work week?
The Trust Gap: Why "magical thinking" is hurting enterprise AI adoption.
Organizational Design: Why handoffs and silos are the real enemy of AI success.
The New Junior Role: The pros and cons of hiring "managers of agents."

Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/JLaTV7xK1CY

Grab the AI Strategy Playbook at Knownwell: https://www.knownwell.com/playbook

Show Notes

TOPICS