At SXSW London, MIT Technology Review editor Will Douglas Heaven outlined five key themes about AI in 2026. Generative AI tools have become mundane, automating office tasks despite hype about AI joining the workforce soon. The actual employment impact remains unclear as companies continue figuring out how to implement these technologies effectively.

AI is now delivering on near-term fears. Deepfakes have been used to incite violence, swing elections, and abuse women, with 98% of deepfakes being pornographic. Chatbot relationships have led to lawsuits alleging self-harm encouragement. Military applications raise concerns about AI making decisions in fast-paced conflict situations where careful review may be neglected.

Public backlash against AI is growing with organized protests and data center opposition. The Clair Obscur game lost an award after admitting AI use. Scientists see promise in AI research tools like Google DeepMind's Co-Scientist, which helps generate hypotheses, but warn against overreliance that could narrow research scope and produce "science slop."

While AI companies promote visions of inevitable progress, the technology remains just that—technology. Despite comparisons to electricity or the internet, AI is still evolving with concrete applications rather than grand transformations. The public reaction suggests skepticism toward tech narratives as people experience AI's real-world effects firsthand.