Alan, Mike, Jon and Teri Robinson dive into a Microsoft pledge, prompted by President Trump, to pick up the cost of electricity when building out data centers to run artificial intelligence (AI) applications. Then the gang delves into the implications of a Taiwan trade deal that calls for more TSMC semiconductor manufacturing plants to be built in the U.S. before taking a minute to acknowledge the great work cybersecurity professionals have been doing to protect us all.

Alan Shimel, Mike Vizard, Chris Blask, Kate Scarcella, Sid Nag and Dan O’Brien, president and COO of the Futurum Group, discuss a new protocol from Google designed to enable AI agents to conduct shopping transactions, highlighting how agent-based workflows are expanding beyond experimentation.

The gang then examines recent advances in AI coding, including how new tools are changing application development and DevOps practices. The episode wraps with a look at a U.S. Congress effort to secure funding for quantum computing research and development, underscoring the long-term strategic importance of quantum technologies.

Stephen Foskett, Mike Vizard, and JP Morgenthal, the Techstrong Gang takes stock of 2026 and examines how the year is actually unfolding. From AI and agentic systems to cloud infrastructure, rising cybersecurity pressure, and enterprise realities, the conversation focuses on what’s proving real, where friction is emerging, and which expectations are already being challenged.

Rather than forecasting what might happen, the panel looks at early signals, course corrections, and the practical implications for organizations navigating technology, economics, and regulation right now.