Opinion
The future is already here: 2026 marks the year AI becomes a business standard
"The future is already here, and it demands that organizations face it head-on, with full commitment and readiness. By 2026, the ability to embed AI into an organization's culture will mark the line between its triumph and stagnation," writes Idan Feingold, CEO and Founder of Commit.
As 2025 draws to a close, it is clear that we have reached a pivotal moment. This year, AI has evolved from a buzzword to the epicenter of every business conversation. And as we move toward 2026, one thing is certain: the so-called AI revolution is no longer a prediction. It is an unavoidable reality breathing down the necks of corporate leaders worldwide. If, up until a short while ago, organizations were still debating whether to implement artificial intelligence. The question today has shifted to how fast they can bridge the gap. AI is no longer a competitive advantage; it is evolving at an exponential rate and becoming a prerequisite for business survival.
Technology has reached a new level of maturity, and the market is not waiting for those lagging behind. We are witnessing a surge of real, measurable success across enterprises, tech companies, e-commerce, manufacturing, and even the public sector. These are no longer experimental pilots; they are practical applications that reduce costs, streamline operations, and accelerate business performance at a pace we have never seen before.
A Cultural Shift, Not Just a Technological One
At Commit, a company that collaborates with dozens of enterprise organizations and startups, we repeatedly notice the same mistake: companies begin at the end. They invest heavily in the shiniest new tools, i.e., Large Language Models and pricey infrastructures, only then do they start searching for the problem those tools were meant to solve. Implementing AI is first and foremost a cultural transformation that warrants trusting the process, the courage to rethink existing habits, and a thoughtful approach to employee training. Innovation's DNA starts with empowering people, allowing employees to become "super-managers" liberated from inefficient routines. Such a move enables organizations to accelerate development cycles, launch new products more quickly, and enter new markets with unprecedented speed.
In many organizations, AI adoption still faces barriers to progress, including fear of technological complexity, uncertainty about human oversight, or concerns over the balance between automation and control. Yet in today's fast-moving landscape, hesitation is the biggest threat of all. An organization that fails to adopt AI in a strategic, structured manner risks falling behind within months. True leadership means embracing change, fostering rapid learning, encouraging experimentation, and empowering even non-technical teams to engage with AI tools and processes.
Turning Employees into "Super-Managers"
Such a transformation sits at the heart of modern work culture. AI does not make people redundant; it makes them more creative, more strategic, and more valuable. Freeing employees from repetitive, time-consuming tasks, allows them to focus on creativity, innovation, and the kind of high-value work that drives real progress. The idea is to identify “pain points”, those monotonous, tedious, grinding tasks, or those people just hat to perform. When workers are released from 80% of these tasks that drain their time and focus, they bring fresh energy, ideas, and initiative to the table. Only then, do they become key drivers of innovation and productivity, the true "super-managers" of the digital age.
AI must be embedded in organizations on two levels: Externally, within products and services, such as chatbots and 24/7 digital support that redefine customer service; and internally, across operational and managerial systems, to streamline every department from R&D and operations to finance.
The Israeli X-Factor
Amid this global race, Israel's innovation ecosystem stands out as a strategic advantage. The creativity, agility, and technical brilliance of Israeli professionals make the country a key player in the AI era. Our greatest strength lies in transforming abstract ideas into fast, effective, real-world solutions, and doing so under complex technological and business constraints.
The future is already here, and it demands that organizations face it head-on, with full commitment and readiness. By 2026, the ability to embed AI into an organization's culture will mark the line between its triumph and stagnation. It is no longer a matter of choice or convenience, but a sheer necessity for success.
Idan Feingold is the CEO and Founder of Commit.
