We’re proud to celebrate a major milestone: our CEO, Anne Ahola Ward, has made her 100th television appearance this week, joining Portland’s KATU News to share her expert insights on where technology is headed in 2026. Her TV journey began in 2017 on CNN, being interviewed by Laurie Segall about a controversial startup she’d taken over.

Dubbed the “Mother of Startups” by CNN, Anne continues to shape the conversation on the future of digital innovation by helping people navigate the landscape. Anne often says,

“When technology is inaccessible it becomes limiting- which is the opposite of what it should do.”

In her latest segment, she delivered a compelling set of tech predictions that touch on societal shifts, AI integration, and the evolving role of digital identity.

Here are a few key takeaways from Anne’s 2026 technology forecast:

1. Social Media for Children Under 16 Will Face Growing Restrictions

Governments and platforms are expected to tighten regulations or enforce outright bans on social media access for minors under 16. Privacy, mental health, and child safety remain driving forces behind this trend.

2. Reality Splits into Layers

As AR devices like the new Ray-Ban smart glasses become mainstream, we’ll see more people coexisting in multiple layers of reality—digital and physical. Anne predicts a future where individuals operate in different informational realms in the same physical spaces.

3. AI Becomes a Core Utility

The era of AI experimentation is coming to an end. Anne expects AI to become fully integrated into everyday tools, particularly transforming software development and education. Contrary to popular belief, she argues that there may never be an AI “bubble.”

4. Language Will Mutate Too Quickly for Humans Alone

As language evolves rapidly through slang, memes, and digital subcultures, we’ll start relying on AI not just for translation, but for cultural interpretation. AI will help bridge communication gaps in an increasingly fast-moving digital world.

5. Digital Twins Go Mainstream

Digital replicas, AI-assisted versions of ourselves and systems, will become vital for businesses and individuals alike. Anne foresees a future where maintaining multiple intelligent selves is the norm.

6. The New Divide: Makers vs. the Made

Anne warns that our societal divide won’t be about wealth, but about agency: the difference between those who shape intelligent systems and those who are shaped by them. Empowering more people to design and control their digital tools is key. Literacy will become the leverage of the future for job seekers, and in this new world, you have to shape or be shaped.

Moving forward

Our CEO continues to offer a critical lens on technology’s trajectory, pushing tech people and non-tech people alike to think beyond trends and into ethical innovations. Her insights aren’t just predictions; they’re calls to action for building a future that works for everyone.

Stay tuned for more from Anne and the CircleClick team as we continue shaping digital strategy in 2026 and beyond.