Tag: AI

  • Conference Whispers: Commercial UAV Expo 2026

    Conference Whispers: Commercial UAV Expo 2026

    Las Vegas, NV September 1- September 3

    Published: September 5, 2026                                             ID: TBW2243

    Analyst(s): Dr. Doreen Galli

    Photojournalist(s): Dr. Doreen Galli

    Enjoy the related Computer Talk Radio  episode.

    ABSTRACT

    Commercial UAV Expo 2026 brought operators, manufacturers, pilots, software providers, and data specialists to Las Vegas. Discussions focused on autonomy, navigation, endurance, geospatial intelligence, fleet management, infrastructure inspection, public safety, and industrial operations. Exhibitors showcased technologies supporting drone missions from planning and deployment through data processing and operational execution.

    The Conference

    • A community of roughly 3500 industry professionals gathered in Las Vegas for the Commercial UAV Expo. The event was held at Caesars

    Cautions

    • Friendly reminder: this research provides examples of what was shared with us at the event, not an evaluation, validation, or recommendation of the given technology.

    Exhibits

    Forrest fires across Europe and North America are constantly in the news as of late. Technology exists to put across your forest to immediately identify when a small fire starts to attempt to mitigate massive fires but what tools exist to actually stop it from spread? Meet Ponderosa.ai creating an advanced stationed drone system for fire fighting drone swarm. Key features include autonomous swarm operation, rapid response, suppressant capacity of 50-100 gallons per swarm, and cost effectiveness with an aim of $10,000 per drone per year. The goal is to reach any ignition point within 5 minutes. Another special use case, Think Power Solutions specializes in partnering with utility company’s power, gas, or solar. Their specialty involves infrastructure inspection.

    Inertial Labs was on site to empower drones to find and reach their targets – even in the toughest circumstances. Note Inertial is a physics term derived from the word inertia. As you might suspect, it is all about an object’s resistance to change in motion or movement – at land or sea. They featured three-axis accelerometers, Magnetometers or digital compasses, GPS-aided navigation systems, Navigation if GPS is denied via gyroscopes, IMUs (Inertial Measurements Units), Let’s just say, they have the technology to ensure you find your drop zone no matter the obstacles.

    If your drone’s end destination is moving, the landing can be quite difficult without the right technology.  SixdofSpace Optical tracking for landing drones on any surface even those moving. This task requires high-speed optical tracker paired with IR or infrared beacons at the landing zone. They have been able to achieve accuracy within 1/10th of a degree.

    Sometimes the primary concern when looking at drones is endurance. On that front, Skyfront shared their product capable of 5 hours or 10 kilos payload for 1 hour. It has flown in over 30 countries, and is integrated with Starlink. They noted that due to the distance they fly, they found Starlink to be their preferred communication link. Golden Feather exhibited their all solid state power supplies. Specializing in high energy density batteries they achieved 550 Wh/kg or watt-hours per kilogram and700 Wh/L or Watt-hours per liter of volume of battery.

    If you are dealer seeking to find a supplier, Almo is a master distributor for drones plus many other areas of technology for enterprises including telecommunications. Almo is known for its solution based selling vs box selling as could be evident by the in booth featured vendors. For monitoring drones, they had Pierce Aerospace. Same feel as one you may have seen in countless movies in the context of air traffic control. For RTRobotics, there are three numbers you need to know. 1, 4 and 30. Their drone completely fits inside 1 backpack. It allows 4 payload mounts showing off its diversity. Finally, 30 – it can life as much as 30 pounds. Finally, blue listed drone pilot training by SensorOps. SensorOps simulations immediately feel familiar to anyone who watched the latest Top Gun movie. SensorOps enables critical mission training and development of muscle memory are for tough operations. This applies to potential flights to rescue or provide aid via a drone in subway system like NY City or the Vegas Loops Tunnels. In life, there are simply events you cannot practice for in the actual space you may need to fly. Realistic simulation leveraging same controller, same dials, same everything is the best preparation possible and what they strive to provide to drone operators.

    For those wondering where the open source in the drone space, ArduPilot non-profit out of Australia has a few hundred partner companies. ArduPilot created a product that is quickly filling in for DJI absence. Meet CubePilot that came out of ArduPilot some 10 years ago. CubePilot is distributed by NWblue.com and is in over 3 million aircraft. It bridges the gap between community projects and professional-grade hardware.

    The point of many drone flights is data collection. Understanding that data, no matter what drone type collected it is thus the entire point of the drone program. To that end, GeoCue LP360 has been fine tuning their solution for ethe complete lifecycle of ingestion process. In a Session summary by Darrick Wagg, he shared that the product updated its AI Classification tools, expanded sensor support, added tools to make interoperability easier and introduced lower price NDAA compliant model.  NDAA stands for National Defense Authorization Act. Together they focused on increasing automation to make it easy for anyone to evaluate their data.

    Regardless of the drone, many leverage a payload with LiDar. The problem with LiDar isn’t getting the imaging, it is getting the image processed. Meet YellowScan – easiest LiDar soluton – just press the yellow button. Super easy user experience to get LiDAR data out and processed.

    Conference Vibe

    Commercial UAV Expo brought together approximately 3500 industry professionals across the UAV commercial space. This year’s expo took over the entirety of Caesars Forum as they welcomed over 220 specialized vendors spanning platforms, LiDAR technologies, autonomous systems, landing systems, navigations systems, energy options and payload solutions. The event presented attendees with the opportunity for training and also featured demonstrations. Registration was quite efficient and easy to find. Enjoy the walkabout to and through both expo halls. We always try to bring fresh coverage each year. For those interested in additional research regarding Commercial UAVs should also refer to our previous coverage of the event in 2025 and 2024.

    We once again live streamed from on site to share the experience. Be sure to catch coverage on my syndicated segment on the nationally broadcast edition of Computer Talk Radio.

    We conducted research for forthcoming Whisper Reports. The playlists are unlisted but available with the video version to be distributed via YouTube Whisper Club upper tier membership area on our YouTube Channel.

    1. Whisper Report: What drone myth needs to die?
    2. Whisper Report: What drone risk is nobody talking about?
    3. Whisper Report: What breaks between a drone demo and daily operations?
    4. Whisper Report: What drone cost nobody warned you about?
    5. Whisper Report: Where do drones still need a human?
    6. Whisper Report: What drone promise won’t happen soon?
    7. Whisper Report: What’s the most overrated drone spec?
    8. Whisper Report: What drone data does nobody actually use?
    9. Whisper Report: What won’t regulation fix?

    Readers and viewers wishing to experience the entire event are encouraged to view the Conference Whispers: Commercial UAV Expo Playlist in its entirety. The playlist will be cited in the end screen, description, and as a pinned comment of the video edition.

    The video concludes with gratitude towards those that contributed and a montage of responses to Bonus Question, “What’s the best part about attending the Commercial UAV Expo live in Las Vegas?”.

    Next Year’s Conference  

    The Commercial UAV Expo will once again return to Las Vegas and will be held at the Caesars Forum in September. The exact dates are not released at press time.

    *When vendors’ names are shared as examples in this document, it is to provide a concrete example of what was on display at the conference, not an evaluation or recommendation. Evaluation and recommendation of these vendors are beyond the scope of this specific research document. Other examples of products in the same category may have also been on display.

    Corporate Headquarters

    2884 Grand Helios Way

    Henderson, NV 89052

    Downloading, re-uploading, or redistributing this file is not permitted under any license.

    ©2019-2026 TBW Advisors LLC. All rights reserved. TBW, Technical Business Whispers, Fact-based research and Advisory, Conference Whispers, Industry Whispers, Email Whispers, The Answer is always in the Whispers, Whisper Reports, Whisper Studies, Whisper Ranking, Whisper Club, and One Change a Month, Vegas Convention Library; Leading Professionals, Real Questions, Real Time, are trademarks or registered trademarks of TBW Advisors LLC. This publication may not be reproduced or distributed in any form without TBW’s prior written permission. It consists of the opinions of TBW’s research organization which should not be construed as statements of fact. While the information contained in this publication has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, TBW disclaims all warranties as to the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of such information. TBW does not provide legal or investment advice and its research should not be construed or used as such. Your access and use of this publication are governed by the TBW Usage Policy. TBW research is produced independently by its research organization without influence or input from a third party. For further information, see Fact-based research publications on our website for more details.

  • Conference Whispers: All Wireless & Prepaid Expo 2026

    Conference Whispers: All Wireless & Prepaid Expo 2026

    Las Vegas, NV August 18- August 19

    Published August 22, 2026:                                                            ID: TBW2236

    Analyst(s): Dr. Doreen Galli

    Photojournalist(s): Dr. Doreen Galli

    Enjoy the related Computer Talk Radio  episode.

    ABSTRACT

    “The All Wireless & Prepaid Expo brought together wireless dealers, carriers, MVNOs, distributors, repair providers, and telecom suppliers as Las Vegas hosted conversations around channel economics, customer acquisition, fraud prevention, eSIM adoption, dealer enablement, wireless retail operations, and the evolving business models supporting growth across the wireless ecosystem.”

    The Conference

    • A community of the wireless retail ecosystem including dealers, carriers, MVNOs, distributors, and service providers
    • 67% of attendees are retail-focused spanning dealers, repair shops and electronic merchants.

    Cautions

    • Friendly reminder: this research provides examples of what was shared with us at the event, not an evaluation, validation, or recommendation of the given technology.

    Exhibits

    Have you ever thought, I would like to start my own wireless network service and become an MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator). MVNO doesn’t have to worry about the spectrum, as the physical network infrastructure and spectrum is procured from a MNO (Mobile Network Operator) – like Verizon. If you are thinking of creating one based on Verizon’s physical infrastructure and spectrum, Supersonic Mobile was in expo hall ready to help you. Supersonic Mobile is what’s referred to as an MVNE – E for enabler. They provide technical and operational support to MVNOs such as sim card set ups, billing and customer relationship management, and regulatory compliance and legal reporting. Supersonic Mobile’s customers can access their services via API or a platform.

    With over 20-years in telecom by their own account and a relationship with multiple MNOs, Telgoo5 is focused on growing your business. To them, you are more than a number, you are a partner. They understand a MVNE must provide support from the beginning all the way until the solution is live in the field and thriving. BeQuick was on site. They are not a full MVNE but instead focus on best of breed business and operational support systems (BSS/OSS). BeQuick is 100% software based and the solution is a software platform that is carrier agnostic with guaranteed four 9’s uptime. Within the BSS/OSS stack is a requirement to manage customer fraud risk and charge backs. Vesta was in expo hall to not only satisfy that requirement but to remove some of the risk for operators. Vesta manages digital payments and assumes the risk of fraud and charge back liability for carriers and MVNOs alike.

    Moving to the customer side of wireless solutions, there are Master Agents also called Master Sales Agents. Unlike the network stack, Master Agents handle things like sales volumes, commissions, training and support downstream. Agents focus on dealers to distribute MNOs and MVNOs networks. Perfect Vision is a Master Agent that provides marketing experts, sales agents and client experts to protect your business. A Master Agents specializing in Verizon, Wireless Masters would like to help you open your very own phone shop! Dreaming bigger? Maybe you want a store to offer wireless and Fiber? Unwired was on site offering access to AT&T, Ultra Mobile, Cricket, Joi and MobileX plus the ability to resell fiber!

    In addition to network operators, enablers, agents, the event also featured many accessory providers as well as support functions such as marketing, CRM (Customer Relationship Management), and human resources which we cover in their individual domain events. In addition, organizations to support those attending. NWIDA or the National Wireless Independent Dealers Association was on hand. Described as the AAA for wireless dealers, on average they help dealers save about $25,000 a year. This savings comes through 10-20% off of credit card processing, payroll processing, accessories, devices, business and health insurance. For those who specialize in phone repair, Tech Care Association was there for you! Their resources include a where to repair list for all its members as a public service to those needing repairs. They provide training, shop tools, and evaluate web pages ensuring your repair business has what it needs to succeed.

    Conference Vibe

    An energized gathered of wireless dealers, repair-shop owners, electronic retailers, MVNOs, carriers, distributors, and telecom suppliers gathered at Caesars Palace in the Julius Ballrooms for the All Wireless & Prepaid Expo. Registration was fairly efficient with an expedited line for exhibitors. Enjoy the walkabout to and through expo hall. You’ll notice a lot of accessory providers and vendors for general support were also on site. General support vendors include those for marketing, managing customers and human resources. We once again live streamed from on site to share the experience. Be sure to catch coverage on my syndicated segment on the nationally broadcast edition of Computer Talk Radio.

    It may be helpful to understand some of the acronyms used in the room like MNO’s (Mobile Network Operators eg. AT&T and Verizon) own the network infrastructure. MVNO’s (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) offer wireless despite not owning any spectrum or tower/network infrastructure. In addition, MVNE (Mobile Virtual Network Enablers) provide technical and operational support to MVNOs such as sim card set ups, billing and customer relationship management, and regulatory compliance and legal reporting. Master agents aggregate sales volume, handle commissions, provide training and support, and take an override on what their downstream sells.

    We conducted research for six additional forthcoming Whisper Reports. The playlists are unlisted but available with the video version to be distributed via YouTube Whisper Club upper tier membership area on our YouTube Channel.

    Readers and viewers wishing to experience the entire event are encouraged to view the Conference Whispers: All Wireless & Prepaid Expo Playlist in its entirety. The playlist will be cited in the end screen, description, and as a pinned comment of the video edition.  The video edition will conclude with gratitude towards those that contributed and a montage of responses to Bonus Question, “What’s the best part about attending the All Wireless & Prepaid live in Las Vegas?”.

    Next Year’s Conference  

    The dates for next years’ All Wireless & Prepaid Expo have not been announced a time of press.

    *When vendors’ names are shared as examples in this document, it is to provide a concrete example of what was on display at the conference, not an evaluation or recommendation. Evaluation and recommendation of these vendors are beyond the scope of this specific research document. Other examples products in the same category may have also been on display.

    Corporate Headquarters

    2884 Grand Helios Way

    Henderson, NV 89052

    Downloading, re-uploading, or redistributing this file is not permitted under any license.

    ©2019-2026 TBW Advisors LLC. All rights reserved. TBW, Technical Business Whispers, Fact-based research and Advisory, Conference Whispers, Industry Whispers, Email Whispers, The Answer is always in the Whispers, Whisper Reports, Whisper Studies, Whisper Ranking, Whisper Club, and One Change a Month, Vegas Convention Library; Leading Professionals, Real Questions, Real Time, are trademarks or registered trademarks of TBW Advisors LLC. This publication may not be reproduced or distributed in any form without TBW’s prior written permission. It consists of the opinions of TBW’s research organization which should not be construed as statements of fact. While the information contained in this publication has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, TBW disclaims all warranties as to the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of such information. TBW does not provide legal or investment advice and its research should not be construed or used as such. Your access and use of this publication are governed by the TBW Usage Policy. TBW research is produced independently by its research organization without influence or input from a third party. For further information, see Fact-based research publications on our website for more details.

  • Whisper Report: What HR tech trend will disrupt engineering hiring next?

    Whisper Report: What HR tech trend will disrupt engineering hiring next?

    Published to Whisper Club: August 17, 2026                     ID: TBW2100

    Analyst(s): Dr. Doreen Galli

    Photojournalist(s): Dr. Doreen Galli

    ABSTRACT

    “This Whisper Report investigates what HR tech trend will disrupt engineering hiring next. Filmed at HRTECH2025 in Las Vegas, it explores how emerging technologies are reshaping how organizations evaluate, select, and develop engineering talent. Experts examine shifts that may redefine both hiring processes and workforce composition. Cited experts: Michael Dunn Eightfold AI, Nikos Livada HireRoad, Josh Adams RChilli, Sabashan Ragavan HeyMilo, Patrick Leddin FranklinCovey Leadership, Jeff Williams Aptia, Drew Lawrence Gem, Eli Kameron Darwinbox, David Pothier FitFirst.”

    Analysis available only to Whisper Club at this time. Join the YouTube Whisper Club at the Whisper Club Level to get access to the video edition today.

    Related playlists and Publication

    1. Playlist for Whisper Report: What’s the biggest AI risk in HR no one talks about?
    2. Playlist for Whisper Report: How should CTOs rethink org design with GenAI?
    3. Playlist for Whisper Report: What HR tech trend will disrupt engineering hiring next?
    4. Conference Whispers: HR Tech 2025

    Corporate Headquarters

    2884 Grand Helios Way

    Henderson, NV 89052

    ©2019-2026 TBW Advisors LLC. All rights reserved. TBW, Technical Business Whispers, Fact-based research and Advisory, Conference Whispers, Industry Whispers, Email Whispers, The Answer is always in the Whispers, Whisper Reports, Whisper Studies, Whisper Ranking, Whisper Club, The Answer is always in the Whispers, and One Change a Month, Vegas Convention Library; Leading Professionals, Real Questions, Real Time, are trademarks or registered trademarks of TBW Advisors LLC. This publication may not be reproduced or distributed in any form without TBW’s prior written permission. It consists of the opinions of TBW’s research organization which should not be construed as statements of fact. While the information contained in this publication has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, TBW disclaims all warranties as to the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of such information. TBW does not provide legal or investment advice and its research should not be construed or used as such. Your access and use of this publication are governed by the TBW Usage Policy. TBW research is produced independently by its research organization without influence or input from a third party. For further information, see Fact-based research publications on our website for more details.

  • Conference Whispers: Black Hat USA 2026

    Conference Whispers: Black Hat USA 2026

    Las Vegas, NV August 1-6, 2026

    Published: August 9, 2026                                                    ID: TBW2226

    Analyst(s): Dr. Doreen Galli

    Photojournalist(s): Dr. Doreen Galli
    Enjoy the related Computer Talk Radio and Computer Talk Radio.

    ABSTRACT

    Black Hat USA 2026 brought 20,000 cybersecurity professionals to Las Vegas, where researchers, vendors, and practitioners examined the evolving risks introduced by agents, AI, and increasingly complex digital environments. The event held over 100 briefings, 125 tool demonstrations and 120 sponsored sessions. Discussions across sessions and exhibits touched on agent security, threat hunting, governance, infrastructure resilience, device vulnerabilities, fraud prevention, and professional development.

    The Conference

    • A community of 20,000 verified cybersecurity professionals gathered at Black Hat USA. Over 100 briefings, 115 tool demonstrations, 120 sponsored sessions and 425+ Exhibits and vendors gathered across the 6 days.

    Cautions

    • Friendly reminder: this research provides examples of what was shared with us at the event, not an evaluation, validation, or recommendation of the given technology.

    Sessions

    We were given an advance preview of the talk, “Promptward EOD: Skillful Agent Detonation” by Zenity’s CTO and Co-Founder Michael Bargury. Just by visiting the wrong website you could be compromised. They specifically demonstrate how an agent can jump from viewing a web site to gaining control of your bank account. Now that is scary.

    We were also provided an exclusive summary to the session, “Obscurize: Malware for Defense and Counter Offense”. As a response to recent malware, Aaron Beardslee, Manager of Threat Research at Securonix created Obscurize. Sitting above the EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response), it acts as an additional layer. Leveraging the malware’s own fingerprint, its psychology is studied and learned. This tool then makes a sandbox look like a bare metal system or a bare metal system look like a sandbox. This enables the hunter to trick the malware to kill itself or to run thinking it found the goods. The best part? Obscurize is free and publicly available for your to use during your threat hunting!

    Exhibits

    Fast track adoption of agents has organizations trying to keep up and stay safe. Sometimes in the chaos, the best laid plans go astray. Sometimes, guardrails are not enough. We have all read the horror stories of agents gone wild! Meet PointGuard AI the ultimate kill switch for agents. Avepoint aims to be your unifying trust layer for AI. Their focus is cloud security, safe data governance, and resiliency challenges across the AI stack.

    If you are Fortune 2000 and concerned about tracking agents, Zenity was looking to meet you! Softbank and other clients leverage Zenity to understand what data is being touched by agents and what that intent of those agents are. Not only that it will steer agents into the correct direction to help keep them on track. 

    Mission critical infrastructure for sovereign AI that is private to you. Cogl provides a knowledge graph and enables threat hunting and investigation in a transparent and secure manner. As you might expect, this technology is leveraged in environments ranging from the Department of Defence to banking.

    Focusing on the Security Operations Center, BlueVoyant brings what they like to call ‘holistic protections’. Their approach combines internal monitoring and ecosystem oversight. Traditional operating challenges are now assisted by AI driven agentic capabilities. The four risks they aim to mitigate include: data security and leakage, identity vulnerabilities, supply chain and vendor risks, and operational inefficiencies.

    Threat hunting is the ultimate game of cat and mouse in cybersecurity. Securonix was on site to share their tool with fellow threat hunters. Whether you want your sandbox to trap the threat or to let it run to so you may study it’s behavior, Securonix provides both options. They even have their own threat hunting team that regularly leverages the tool as they assist the clients security their own environments.

    One of our favorite areas is at the edge, connected devices and the Internet of Things – IoT. These devices span from connected vehicles to the simple fire alarms in your home. These devices often bring vulnerabilities. Due to the difficulty in updating their firmware, connected device firmware vulnerabilities become your environment’s weakest point and the point of failure. Finite State focuses on assisting companies reduce the noise as they test their products before shipping. This noise reduction enables their clients to find their vulnerabilities before they ship products to their customers. 

    Today, a wire money transfer is frequently still sent in plain text. Thus, it is not surprising it is a huge target of fraud. Introducing InoQlate! A Canadian non-profit providing a solution to your wire transfer security issues. Close that door to fraud and stop sending wire transfer information over plain text communication lines!

    Seeking a boutique penetration firm? Meet the white hats from Black Hills Information Security. They beg you to make their lives harder! They don’t want to succeed when they try to break into your infrastructure! Providing penetration testing, SOC operations, IR (incident response), and training. Perhaps the most unique thing coming out of Black Hills Information Security is their well known communication medium: Comics! Their security comic series titled, “The Future is ***” available at 750 comic book stores. Not only that, their wisdom is available via a game to make training even more approachable. The game Back Doors & Breaches boasts over 150,000 sales to date.

    Finally, the ultimate organization for security professionals, ISC2 was in expo hall. Known as the largest professional organization for cyber security professionals, there is likely a chapter near you! Providing certifications, community and advice with the goal to the make the world a safer place.

    Conference Vibe

    Cybersecurity specialists gathered on the Las Vegas Strip for Black Hat 2026 and it did not disappoint. Over 20,000 verified attendees gathered for over 100 briefings, 115 tool demonstrations, 120 sponsored session and over 425 exhibits and vendors. The only expected thing we didn’t hear much of is organizations preparing for the quantum impact to cybersecurity. You may recall last year we were the first ones given permission to video expo hall at Black Hat USA. This year, enjoy a first ever live Black Hat USA walkabout while expo hall its open. We once again live streamed from on site to share the experience. Be sure to catch coverage on my syndicated segment on the nationally broadcast edition of Computer Talk Radio.

    While at Black Hat, we conducted research for 9 additional forthcoming Whisper Reports. The playlists are unlisted but available with the video version to be distributed via YouTube Whisper Club upper tier membership area on our YouTube Channel first.

    1. Whisper Report: What cyber risk are we all ignoring?
    2. Whisper Report: What security advice is actually wrong?
    3. Whisper Report: If AI attacks get smarter, what fails first?
    4. Whisper Report: What’s broken in identity we still accept?
    5. Whisper Report: What attack will dominate headlines next year?
    6. Whisper Report: What cyber myth needs to die in 2026?
    7. Whisper Report: What security trend is mostly hype?
    8. Whisper Report: What breach changed how you operate?
    9. Whisper Report: What security problem can’t AI solve?

    Readers and viewers wishing to experience the entire event are encouraged to view the Conference Whispers: Black Hat USA 2026 Playlist in its entirety. The playlist will be cited in the end screen, description, and as a pinned comment of the video edition.

    The video edition will conclude with gratitude towards those that contributed and a montage of responses to Bonus Question, “What’s the best part about attending Black Hat USA live in Las Vegas?”.

    Next Year’s Conference  

    The Black Hat USA will once again return to Las Vegas and will be held at the Mandalay Bay on August 3-8, 2027.

    *When vendors’ names are shared as examples in this document, it is to provide a concrete example of what was on display at the conference, not an evaluation or recommendation. Evaluation and recommendation of these vendors are beyond the scope of this specific research document. Other examples products in the same category may have also been on display.

    Corporate Headquarters

    2884 Grand Helios Way

    Henderson, NV 89052

    Downloading, re-uploading, or redistributing this file is not permitted under any license.


    ©2019-2026 TBW Advisors LLC. All rights reserved. TBW, Technical Business Whispers, Fact-based research and Advisory, Conference Whispers, Industry Whispers, Email Whispers, The Answer is always in the Whispers, Whisper Reports, Whisper Studies, Whisper Ranking, Whisper Club, The Answer is always in the Whispers, and One Change a Month, Vegas Convention Library; Leading Professionals, Real Questions, Real Time, are trademarks or registered trademarks of TBW Advisors LLC. This publication may not be reproduced or distributed in any form without TBW’s prior written permission. It consists of the opinions of TBW’s research organization which should not be construed as statements of fact. While the information contained in this publication has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, TBW disclaims all warranties as to the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of such information. TBW does not provide legal or investment advice and its research should not be construed or used as such. Your access and use of this publication are governed by the TBW Usage Policy. TBW research is produced independently by its research organization without influence or input from a third party. For further information, see Fact-based research publications on our website for more details.

  • Conference Whispers: Ai4 2026

    Conference Whispers: Ai4 2026


    Las Vegas, NV August 4-6, 2026

    Published: August 9, 2026                                                                            ID: TBW2216

    Analyst(s): Dr. Doreen Galli

    Photojournalist(s): Dr. Doreen Galli

    ABSTRACT

    “Ai4 2026 experiencing over 50% growth and welcomed more than 12,000 in the enterprise AI ecosystem to Las Vegas. Over 100 countries were represented amongst attendees and 400 exhibitors. Vendors, startups, and practitioners discussed what it takes to move artificial intelligence beyond experimentation. Conversations across the show floor touched on governance, deployment, security, agents, data accessibility, software delivery, and business process transformation as organizations continued evaluating paths toward large scale adoption.”

    Enjoy the related Computer Talk Radio and Computer Talk Radio

    The Conference

    • A community of over 12,000 came together in Las Vegas for the 9th annual Ai4 event. Attendance grew by over 50% at the 9th annual event. Vendors grew from 250 in 2025 to 400 in 2026.
    • Start-ups were also present growing from 25 last year to 66 this year.

    Cautions

    • Friendly reminder: this research provides examples of what was shared with us at the event, not an evaluation, validation, or recommendation of the given technology.

    Exhibits

    It’s wonderful when an individual AI pilot works, maybe even delivers business value to a department. Getting that solution to deploy corporate wide is very different. Engineers that have worked in the largest organizations always smile when they see the demos and chuckle inside as looks great but what about at my scale. For those seeking industrialized AI delivery, ModelOp is a delivery engine meant to overcome frictions that occur during integration. It’s purpose is to enable those organizations to take the idea and realize it in production for the entire organization.

    Governance was on the mind of many. Actualyze AI was founded by repeat founders who have spent their careers in large scale infrastructure and transformations. They focused their solution on protecting data, models routing, financial spend, and the type of infrastructure a technology requires to become part of enterprise IT.

    For business work flows that make a difference, Evalueserve wants to remind you, don’t start with the technology to enable scale. Their organization focuses on business workflows that make a difference. They serve life sciences, healthcare, manufacturing and consumer good verticals. While many solutions leverage AI, many metrics such as cost and quality do not require AI. Never approximate when math can get you the precise answer.

    One critical aspect of reliability is the infamous undo button or some method of recovery. There is rule in cybersecurity to assume when not if; as such one must prepare for how to recover when it goes wrong. It may be quite wise to adopt this stance in AI as well. Rubik is all about deploying agents – safely.  They provide capabilities for agent monitoring, control, and something new – rewind agents. As one might suspect this includes the ability to back-up and recover from agent behavior. In their world, no agent permanently wiped out my database or the code we wrote – it can be recovered.

    When you have a complex web of services, models, or agents. Understanding the complex web of dependencies is critical for operations with any type of reliability. The infamous Solar Winds incident let everyone know that the software supply chain and its dependencies are critical for security and stability. The solution turned out to be something in the industry referred to as SBOM for software bill of materials – expanding on the shipping term. Now Lineaje has thought of this problem and created a solution for AI and AI agents. Their solution provides dependency crawler, checks and suggests upgrades for compatibility and provides what they like to call security layer for agent builders.

    Some environments are tougher than your average environment such as those that have required decentralization or compartmentalization of information such as government and military environments and related applications. Axonis was in expo hall to serve you. They also create a trail of decisions. Not about insights but rather save the final decision made by humans and AI. They like to think of it as a creating a feedback loop for audit and training models on past decision. They referred to it as metadata on data; we have shared this approach before. The hash of an image matched against the hash of what is in front of someone for authentication during our coverage of ISC West.

    Not all AI solutions involve Large Language Models or LLMs. Modulate is a voice ai platform that provides all your common conversational understanding requirements for any conversational need. Like the advice provided in Whisper Report: Which spatial computing use case will scale fastest?, Modulate is growing through a pivot to APIs. By leveraging an architecture of highly specialized models, each trained for a narrowly defined purpose, a given application can combine them in a manner that fits its environment. Their architecture leverages these specialized models to monitor conversational tone and provide insight into intent, meaning, emotion, and context. Together they refer to their architecture as an ensemble listening model to understand and identify user behavior. This AI architectural approach of leveraging several specialized machine learning models is one that provides a high degree of success and has a long track record of enterprise results at scale.

    If you have an enterprise software development team and are seeking an AI Powered DevSecOps Platform meet Digital AI. Their environment is specifically focused on regulated industries. They purported clients such as the Top 10 banks in N. America and Europe, and the top 5 Global airlines, top 4 N. American Insurance Companies. Their use of AI is very purposeful, is strictly to enhance delivery and planning capabilities to accelerate delivery. 


    Department strictly focused on marketing and customer data? Kana.ai marketing operating layer was designed for you. Kana provides an agentic End to end solution for marketing that moves to where the customer data’s resides offering a continuous agentic layer across marketing stack. The named elements of the marketing stack they service include: strategy planning, audience building, activation, and measurements such as MTA – multi-touch attribution and MMM Marketing Mix Modeling.

    Two hurdles frequently stand in the way of AI’s success. On one hand, corporations may have their history locked up on physical books. On the other hand, organizations creating models need data to train and a controversial method of scanning physical books is involved. One reason for the controversy is that the organizations are breaking the spines to digitally scan them. Both hurdles can be solved by ARC document solutions. Another hurdle for capturing data, particularly notes are notes on the go. If find yourself want to take notes on the go or for when you are not in front of your computer, Ninja Concepts AI note takers offer you different options to fit your needs.

    Conference Vibe

    This enterprise AI gathering focused on adoption, implementation, governance and business outcomes. This wasn’t about the clouds and sizzle, more about show us real impact. Attendance shot up more than 50% from last year’s crowd of 8,000 to more than 12,000 attendees this year! Over 100 countries were represented and expo hall exploded from 250 exhibitors to 400! Due to their explosive growth there were some growing pains. The registration lines for some attendees was reported in excess of 90 minutes. Navigation was a bit tougher than usual as the convention put the show carpet over a large majority of the navigational booth numbers making finding vendors very very difficult. I had not witnessed this error at other events at that location previously. In addition, perhaps due to the explosive growth, the connectivity was exceptionally challenging at the same level or worse than CES. At that same time, the energy and excitement easily matched and dare I say, exceeded CES this year. At one point I recall literally realizing I could not feel my face from so much smiling. Enjoy the walkabout to and through expo hall. We always try to bring you fresh vendors in our coverage but you will recognize many brands in the walkabout from our coverage of other data related events such as the Informatica World, or our coverage of Put Data First.

    We once again live streamed from on site to share the experience. Be sure to catch coverage on my syndicated segment on the nationally broadcast edition of Computer Talk Radio.

    We conducted research for Six additional forthcoming Whisper Reports for our clients. The playlists are unlisted but available with the video version to be distributed via YouTube Whisper Club upper tier membership area on our YouTube Channel.

    1. Whisper Report: What’s the biggest gap between AI demos and AI in production?
    2. Whisper Report: What AI cost nobody warned you about?
    3. Whisper Report: What’s the most valuable AI use case that isn’t GenAI?
    4. Whisper Report: What AI result surprised your organization most?
    5. Whisper Report: Where will AI agents replace workflows first?
    6. Whisper Report: What AI promise won’t happen soon?
    7. Whisper Report: What AI capability is still mostly hype?
    8. Whisper Report: What AI assumption breaks first at scale?
    9. Whisper Report: What AI problem still needs a human?

    Readers and viewers wishing to experience the entire event are encouraged to view the Conference Whispers: Ai4 2026 Playlist in its entirety. The playlist will be sited in the end screen, description, and as a pinned comment of the video edition.

    The video will conclude with gratitude towards those that contributed and a montage of responses to Bonus Question, “What’s the best part about attending the Ai4 live in Las Vegas?”.

    Next Year’s Conference  

    The Ai4 will once again return to Las Vegas and will be held at the Venetian Expo on August 4-6, 2027.

    *When vendors’ names are shared as examples in this document, it is to provide a concrete example of what was on display at the conference, not an evaluation or recommendation. Evaluation and recommendation of these vendors are beyond the scope of this specific research document. Other examples products in the same category may have also been on display.

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  • Conference Whispers: Licensing Expo 2026

    Conference Whispers: Licensing Expo 2026

    Las Vegas, NV May 19- May 21

    Published: May 24, 2026                                                      ID: TBW2197

    Analyst(s): Dr. Doreen Galli

    Photojournalist(s): Dr. Doreen Galli

    Enjoy the related Computer Talk Radio broadcast.

    ABSTRACT:

    “Licensing Expo 2026 brought together enterprise visitors focused on brand licensing, IP management, and merchandising strategy as Las Vegas hosted global retail, media, and marketing conversations shaping how brands extend, protect, and monetize intellectual property through AI, partnerships, and fan-driven experiences in an increasingly digital, connected marketplace for future growth and competitive differentiation across industries.”

    Conference

    • Licensing Expo 2026 had over 410 companies exhibit at this year’s gathering. Over 130 of the exhibitors were experiencing their first ever Licensing Expo event.
    • Over 12,500 industry professionals attended spanning retailers, manufacturers, brands, and marketers. Over 78 countries were represented among the 28% of global visitors.

    Cautions

    • Friendly reminder: this research provides examples of what was shared with us at the event, not an evaluation, validation, or recommendation of the given technology.

    YouTube Fandom IRL

    Movie theaters hosting YouTube Live streams and replays? Screeny is looking to help fans of the same channel get together and enjoy content together In Real Life (IRL). If you have ever wanted to meet new friends and enjoy some really amazingly popular influencer content, the answer might just be your closest movie theater!

    Protect that Brand!

    While many licensing products have been upgraded to include AI features, MyMediabox is an AI-first platform. Designed with AI in mind at the beginning, AI is not a clumsy bolt-on within the platform but carefully leveraged for results. These results come in the form of rapid feature expansion and operational efficiency for users. Product reviews and style compliance a burden? No more. Requiring advanced natural language search? In their AI-first world, you get efficient workflows.

    If you simply need a US Agent to facilitate merchandise licensing partnerships, Creative Licensing Corporation is able to assist – globally. Working with an incredibly diverse portfolio, JRL Group was onsite with their 27 years’ experience. Featuring clients from famous motorsport brands, corporate brands, to educational brands, JRL Group is prepared to make the difference. If you view licensing as a strategic tool, LMCA would like to share their 40 years of experience with you. Their client-first strategy starts with the business needs. Those needs then turn into a strategic plan with tactical goals to execute against.

    Are you a brand owner who needs help with copyrights and patents? Need help with licensing agents, and licensees who use the brands? Dependable Solutions has all your brand needs covered throughout the lifecycle of a brand. They can assist at the copyright and patent stage of branding. Likewise they have licensing agents who can represent the brand outbound and licensees that desire to use brands. In addition, they handle the end-to-end management of the brand approvals, distribution, royalty tracking, and forecasting.

    Bringing 30 years’ experience, Octane5 describes their impact as licensing ecosystem wide. They serve the consumer, licensee and the licensor. In the management arena they cover the marketplace to contracts, approvals, royalties, and audits. No matter which direction, Octane5 believes they offer best in class in every direction.

    Conference Vibe

    Breaking all previous records, Licensing Expo 2026 had over 410 companies exhibit at this year’s gathering. Over 130 of the exhibitors were experiencing their first ever Licensing Expo event. The 12,500 industry professionals spanning retailers, manufacturers, brands, and marketers. Over 78% countries were represented among the 28% of global visitors. Interestingly over 49% of the visitors hold global decision-making power. Enjoy our video of getting to the exhibit and the walkabout in the event space. Given the complex licensing and the high value brands, we were not allowed to do an Expo Hall walkabout. The Mandalay Food Court for all to enjoy.

    We once again live streamed from on site on Tuesday requesting assistance on your favorite videos for my syndicated segment on the May 25th nationally broadcast edition of Computer Talk Radio.

    We conducted research for additional forthcoming Whisper Reports for our clients. The playlists are unlisted but available with the video version to be distributed via YouTube Whisper Club upper tier membership area on our YouTube Channel.

    Readers and viewers wishing to experience the entire event are encouraged to view the Conference Whispers: Licensing Expo 2026 Playlist in its entirety. The playlist will be sited in the end screen, description, and as a pinned comment of the video edition.

    The video edition will conclude with gratitude towards those that contributed and a montage of responses to Bonus Question, “What’s the best part about attending the Licensing Expo live in Las Vegas?”.

    Next Year’s Conference  
    The Licensing Expo will once again return to Las Vegas and will be held at the Mandalay Bay on May 25-27, 2027.

    *When vendors’ names are shared as examples in this document, it is to provide a concrete example of what was on display at the conference, not an evaluation or recommendation. Evaluation and recommendation of these vendors are beyond the scope of this specific research document. Other examples products in the same category may have also been on display.

    TBW advisors LLC Logo

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    ©2019-2026 TBW Advisors LLC. All rights reserved. TBW, Technical Business Whispers, Fact-based research and Advisory, Conference Whispers, Industry Whispers, Email Whispers, The Answer is always in the Whispers, Whisper Reports, Whisper Studies, Whisper Ranking, Whisper Club, Whispers, The Answer is always in the Whispers, Vegas Convention Library, and One Change a Month, are trademarks or registered trademarks of TBW Advisors LLC. This publication may not be reproduced or distributed in any form without TBW’s prior written permission. It consists of the opinions of TBW’s research organization which should not be construed as statements of fact. While the information contained in this publication has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, TBW disclaims all warranties as to the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of such information. TBW does not provide legal or investment advice and its research should not be construed or used as such. Your access and use of this publication are governed by the TBW Usage Policy. TBW research is produced independently by its research organization without influence or input from a third party. For further information, see Fact-based research publications on our website for more details.

  • Whisper Report: What’s the hardest problem in robotics no one solved?

    Whisper Report: What’s the hardest problem in robotics no one solved?

    Published to Whisper Club: April 21, 2026                       ID: TBW2142

    Published to Readers: April 21, 2026

    Analyst(s): Dr. Doreen Galli

    Photojournalist(s): Dr. Doreen Galli

    Enjoy the related Computer Talk Radio broadcast.

    ABSTRACT

    “This Whisper Report investigates what’s the hardest problem in robotics no one solved. It follows the technologists who reveal why extreme environments, continuous learning during operation, and the elusive quest for a universal foundational model still defy today’s best systems. The full story hints at breakthroughs but leaves the biggest twist ahead. Cited experts: Dr. Yuxin Zhang, Widemount Dynamics Tech Limited; Pai-Heng Hsiao, “Memorence “AI; Anson Yuen, Scanbotics.”

    Analysis available only to clients at this time. Join the YouTube Whisper Club at the Whisper Club Level to get access to the video edition today.

    Related playlists and Publication

    Spatial Computing (XR)

    1. Whisper Report: What XR tech will change enterprise workflows first?  

    2. Whisper Report: Which spatial computing use case will scale fastest?  

    3. Whisper Rerpot: What’s the killer XR use case no one sees coming?

    Smart Home / IoT

    4. Whisper Report: What’s the biggest IoT security blind spot today?

    5. Whisper Report: What IoT innovation will redefine smart living in 2026?  

    6. Whisper Report: Which connected device will drive the next big shift?

    Health Tech / Med AI

    7. Whisper Report: What AI breakthrough will transform patient care next?  

    8. Whisper Report: Which health tech will cut costs without cutting quality?  

    9. Whisper Report: When will AI in health beat human diagnosis?

    Robotics / Automation

    10. Whisper Report: What robotics advance will reshape manufacturing first?  

    11. Whisper Report: Which automation trend will hit enterprise hardest?  

    12. Whisper Report: What’s the hardest problem in robotics no one solved?

    13. Conference Whispers: CES 2026 – TBW ADVISORS LLC

    14. Conference Whispers: Commercial UAV Expo 2025 – TBW ADVISORS LLC

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    ©2019-2026 TBW Advisors LLC. All rights reserved. TBW, Technical Business Whispers, Fact-based research and Advisory, Conference Whispers, Industry Whispers, Email Whispers, The Answer is always in the Whispers, Whisper Reports, Whisper Studies, Whisper Ranking, Whisper Club, Whispers, The Answer is always in the Whispers, Vegas Convention Library, and One Change a Month, are trademarks or registered trademarks of TBW Advisors LLC. This publication may not be reproduced or distributed in any form without TBW’s prior written permission. It consists of the opinions of TBW’s research organization which should not be construed as statements of fact. While the information contained in this publication has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, TBW disclaims all warranties as to the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of such information. TBW does not provide legal or investment advice and its research should not be construed or used as such. Your access and use of this publication are governed by the TBW Usage Policy. TBW research is produced independently by its research organization without influence or input from a third party. For further information, see Fact-based research publications on our website for more details.

  • Whisper Report: What’s the next data breach our industry isn’t ready to handle?

    Whisper Report: What’s the next data breach our industry isn’t ready to handle?

    Published to clients: January 6, 2026                     ID: TBW2123

    Published to Readers: January 7, 2026

    Public: May 4, 2026

    Analyst(s): Dr. Doreen Galli

    Photojournalist(s): Dr. Doreen Galli

    Abstract:

    “This Whisper Report investigates the next data breach our industry isn’t ready to handle. It captures urgent insights from Put Data First revealing how emerging threats are reshaping risk landscapes. These include AI pipeline compromises, indirect prompt injections, company chat exfiltration, and deep fake-driven social engineering. Expert perspectives explain why traditional defenses fail. The report urges proactive strategies to secure data integrity across every stage of AI-driven operations before vulnerabilities escalate.”

    Target Audience Titles:

    • Chief Executive Officer, Chief Information Officer, Chief Technology Officer, Chief Data Officer, Chief Security Officer, Head of Data Strategy, Head of Information Security
    • Director of Cybersecurity, Director of AI Operations, Director of Risk Management, Director Data Governance Manager, Enterprise Architect
    • Data Scientist, Machine Learning Engineer, Cybersecurity Analyst, AI Operations Specialist, Risk Analyst, Cloud Security Engineer, Threat Intelligence Analyst

    Key Takeaways:

    • AI pipelines are vulnerable at every stage, requiring continuous protection of training data and outputs.
    • Indirect prompt injections can manipulate AI agents through unvalidated web content, creating hidden security risks.
    • Company AI chat data is a high-value target for exfiltration, exposing sensitive organizational insights.
    • Deep fakes amplify social engineering attacks, eroding trust and enabling data breaches through deception.

    What’s the next data breach our industry isn’t ready to handle?

    We took the most frequently asked and most urgent technology questions straight to the data and AI experts gathering at the Put Data First’s Inaugural event held at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas. This Whisper Report addresses the question regarding the biggest AI risk no one in your organization is talking about as depicted in Figure 1.

    Figure 1. Prepare NOW for these Four Data Breaches

     

    1.      AI Pipeline Compromise

    Our first area to defend, was suggested by SafeBreach’s Hudney Piquant. “The AI pipeline I like to call it. It’s the pipeline of the data that you are the training data that you have and then your prompting that you’re doing and then the output like those three things I believe that that’s going to be the biggest breach that the adversaries will be looking at because if you’re able to really manipulate those things it’s going to affect the pipeline from a scalability perspective.” Hudney raises an important point that data needs to be always protected, every step of the way on its journey. For more research on how to protect data during execution see Industry Whispers: Public is Private -Confidential Computing in the Cloud.

    2.      Indirect Prompt Injections

    The next attack vector, brought by Mend.io’s Amit Chita, is subtle and exploits GenAI. “Indirect prompt injections. All the web contains websites. We take AI agents, we connect them to get information from these websites, but we don’t validate that it that this website doesn’t contain prompt injections within them. and they can manipulate our agents as they surf through the web. I think this is going to be one of the major issues that we’re going to deal with in the next coming weeks.” One may want to be careful where you let your agents roam!

    3.      Company Chat Exfiltration

    Our third attack vector is an insider and SaaS risk with significant exposure potential, highlighted by AnswerRocket’s Shanti Greene. “Exfiltrating company AI chats. So, the organizers like Open AI have done a good job of giving you a sandbox for your company to work within and they’re not training on your data. But being able to exfiltrate a company’s specific use and see what they’re prompting with could be interesting. There’s probably some interesting gold in that data.”

    4.      Deep Fakes

    Our final area of concern may not be a direct data breach but rather is a tool frequently leveraged to breach data and trust and is brought to us by The Agentic Manager’s Neil W. Smith. “The implications of deep fakes. We’re already used to AI being used for fishing expeditions, for extracting information from our databases. But what we don’t realize as humans is that we trust other humans to play by the rules more often than not. However, with deep fakes, both voice fakes, visual fakes, and context fakes, I think more and more humans are going to be fooled by the efficacy of deep fakes.” And the more humans that are fooled, the more systems can be compromised. Despite how widely discussed this topic is, deep fakes remain underestimated for their use in fraud and as a social engineering threat.

    Related playlists and Publication

    1. Whisper Report: What’s the biggest AI risk no one in your org is talking about?
    2. Whisper Report: What’s the next data breach our industry isn’t ready to handle?
    3. Whisper Report:  If you could make one data rule enforceable tomorrow, what is it?
    4. Whisper Report: What’s the best part about attending Put Data First live in Vegas?
    5. Industry Whispers: Public is Private -Confidential Computing in the Cloud.

    Corporate Headquarters

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    ©2019-2026 TBW Advisors LLC. All rights reserved. TBW, Technical Business Whispers, Fact-based research and Advisory, Conference Whispers, Industry Whispers, Email Whispers, The Answer is always in the Whispers, Whisper Reports, Whisper Studies, Whisper Ranking, Whisper Club, Whispers, The Answer is always in the Whispers, Vegas Convention Library, and One Change a Month, are trademarks or registered trademarks of TBW Advisors LLC. This publication may not be reproduced or distributed in any form without TBW’s prior written permission. It consists of the opinions of TBW’s research organization which should not be construed as statements of fact. While the information contained in this publication has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, TBW disclaims all warranties as to the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of such information. TBW does not provide legal or investment advice and its research should not be construed or used as such. Your access and use of this publication are governed by the TBW Usage Policy. TBW research is produced independently by its research organization without influence or input from a third party. For further information, see Fact-based research publications on our website for more details.

  • Whisper Report: What tech blind spot will stall aftermarket innovation in 2026?

    Whisper Report: What tech blind spot will stall aftermarket innovation in 2026?

    Published to clients: December 23 2025                  ID: TBW2128

    Published to Readers: December 24, 2025

    Whisper Email Release: February 9, 2026

    Public Editions: February 12, 2026

    Analyst(s): Dr. Doreen Galli

    Photojournalist(s): Dr. Doreen Galli

    Abstract

    “Aftermarket innovation in 2026 faces three critical blind spots: workforce training lagging behind rapid tech adoption, supply chain visibility gaps impacting profitability, and misinterpretation of EV battery health undermining consumer trust. These challenges, identified through expert insights at AAPEX and SEMA 2025, demand proactive strategies to ensure sustainable growth and competitiveness in an evolving automotive landscape.”

    Target Audience Titles:

    • Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Chief Operations Officer (COO), Chief Supply Chain Officer (CSCO)
    • VP of Aftermarket Strategy, VP of EV Programs, Director of Training & Development
    • Supply Chain Data Analyst, EV Battery Diagnostics Engineer, Aftermarket Product Manager 

    Key Takeaways

    • Workforce training lags behind rapid tech adoption, creating operational inefficiencies and slowing aftermarket innovation.
    • Supply chain visibility gaps threaten profitability, requiring cleaner data and faster delivery strategies to stay competitive.
    • Misinterpretation of EV battery health erodes consumer trust, impacting resale value and aftermarket growth.

    What tech blind spot will stall aftermarket innovation in 2026?

    We took the most frequently asked and most urgent technology questions straight to the experts from the automotive sector gathering at the Venetian Convention Center AND Caesars Forum AND the Las Vegas Convention Center for AAPEX & SEMA 2025. This Whisper Report addresses the question regarding what tech blind spot will stall aftermarket innovation in 2026 as depicted in Figure 1.

    Three tech gaps that could stall innovation
1. training can't keep up
2. Supply chain stay in the dark
3. battery health misreadThree tech gaps that could stall innovation
1. training can't keep up
2. Supply chain stay in the dark
3. battery health misread

    1.      Training Can’t Keep Up

    New innovation is great but only if you know how to use and apply it. The first challenge isn’t as much as the tech as the ability for the employees in the organizations to use the tech as shared by Texa’s Fabio Mazzon. “Up to speed with new technology and be try to be trained as much as possible and follow everything that is new in the automotive world.” Sometimes, the technology changes come faster than the teams are ready for. Keeping up to date with the current speed of innovation is a common challenge of many today. Be sure to schedule your inquiry with your TBW Advisors LLC’s analyst to ensure your roadmap is futureproofed and ready for all the new innovations coming your way. For additional research on training technologies available see Conference Whispers: HR Tech 2025.

    2.      Supply Chain Stay in the Dark

    One of the biggest challenges for those in the aftermarket industry is simply staying profitable with the greatest challenge being the supply chain. The tariffs alone have thrown global supply chain into a new environment. As Lynnco’s Andrew Yokiel emphasized, “Supply chain. Having greater data and visibility into everything from small parcel down to up to full truckload, LTL, and getting your product to your customers faster and having an idea where it is in the marketplace and having cleaner data to make business decisions to be profitable.” Profitability, much like having customers, is truly a key ingredient to staying in business.

    For additional on data in supply chain and logistics see Whisper Report: What are the biggest challenges of using generative AI in Logistics and Whisper Report: Can generative AI prevent supply chain disruptions.

    3.      Battery Health Misread

    In order for the used and aftermarket to flourish, the value of those components or in adding those components should be commonly agreed upon and understood. Unfortunately, this is a challenge particularly in the EV market as Midtronics’ Lance Losinski emphasized. “Consumer understanding and credibility of the value say the health of a battery pack. That drives the market prices down because the understanding versus mileage on a gas car versus what’s the state of health battery and how long is it going to last and how do you repair these things, creates the biggest gap for a consumer to be able to trust and utilize the vehicle despite having lower service costs long term and things like that. I think that’ll be the biggest blocker in the near term.”

    Related playlists and Publication

    1. Whisper Report: What retrofit risk will stall EV adoption in 2026?
    2. Whisper Report: Which AI tool will disrupt diagnostics first?
    3. Whisper Report: What tech blind spot will stall aftermarket innovation in 2026?
    4. Whisper Report:  What’s the best part about attending AAPEX and SEMA live in Vegas 2025?
    5. Whisper Report: What are the biggest challenges of using generative AI in Logistics
    6. Whisper Report: Can generative AI prevent supply chain disruptions
    7. Whisper Report: How can we manage tariff costs in our supply chain?

    Corporate Headquarters

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    ©2019-2026 TBW Advisors LLC. All rights reserved. TBW, Technical Business Whispers, Fact-based research and Advisory, Conference Whispers, Industry Whispers, Email Whispers, The Answer is always in the Whispers, Whisper Reports, Whisper Studies, Whisper Ranking, The Answer is always in the Whispers, and One Change a Month, are trademarks or registered trademarks of TBW Advisors LLC. This publication may not be reproduced or distributed in any form without TBW’s prior written permission. It consists of the opinions of TBW’s research organization which should not be construed as statements of fact. While the information contained in this publication has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, TBW disclaims all warranties as to the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of such information. TBW does not provide legal or investment advice and its research should not be construed or used as such. Your access and use of this publication are governed by the TBW Usage Policy. TBW research is produced independently by its research organization without influence or input from a third party. For further information, see Fact-based research publications on our website for more details.

  • Industry Whispers: AI in Medicine: Promise or Peril?

    Industry Whispers: AI in Medicine: Promise or Peril?

    oin us for “AI in Medicine: Promise or Peril?”—a candid discussion with leading experts on how artificial intelligence is reshaping healthcare. From groundbreaking diagnostic tools to ethical dilemmas and patient safety concerns, we’ll explore whether AI is the ultimate game-changer or a ticking time bomb. Gain insights into what’s real, what’s hype, and what’s next for medical innovation. Don’t miss this chance to separate fact from fiction and prepare for the future of healthcare.

    Research Code: TBW2129

    Cannot make it live? Register and submit your question. The answer will be in the video on TBW Advisors’ YouTube Channel.

    NO AI note takers allowed. Event copyrighted by TBW Advisors LLC All Rights Reserved.

    BIOS

    Doreen Galli, PhD MBA

    Doreen Galli, PhD MBA is the Chief of Research at TBW Advisors LLC and regular contributor to Computer Talk Radio. She’s led significant and measurable changes as an executive at IBM, DPWN, Dell, ATT, and most recently Microsoft. Dr Galli was Chief Technology and Chief Privacy Officer in Azure’s MCIGET. Gartner recognized Dr. Galli as an expert in data ingestion, quality, governance, integration, management, and all forms and analytics including sensor data.

    Barry P. Chaiken, MD, MPH

    Barry P. Chaiken, MD, MPH is a physician, public health specialist, and internationally recognized expert in healthcare AI, clinical informatics, and digital transformation. Trained at SUNY Downstate Medical Center and the Harvard School of Public Health, Dr. Chaiken previously worked with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, experience that informs his expertise in public health analytics, system-level strategy, and the design of resilient, data-driven healthcare systems.

    A former Chairperson of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), he has served as a strategic advisor to healthcare IT companies, life sciences organizations, and health systems worldwide. Dr. Chaiken is the author of Future Healthcare 2050 and Navigating the Code, and is a leading keynote speaker on AI, trust, clinician workflow, and patient experience.

    A two-time cancer survivor and 41-year rider in the Pan-Mass Challenge, Dr. Chaiken brings a unique perspective that connects clinical knowledge, policy insight, and human experience.

    Susie Branagan BSN,RN

    Susie Branagan is a highly experienced nurse and healthcare leader whose career spans 25 years of ICU, pediatric psychiatry, adult medical-surgical care, telemetry, perioperative services, and hospital leadership. She has served in roles from frontline clinician to Nurse Manager, gaining a deep understanding of patient care, caregiver well-being, and the operational realities that shape healthcare systems.

    As the founder of Susie Branagan Consulting, Susie specializes in trauma-informed care, Just Culture principles, leadership development, communication strategies, and building safe, supportive care environments. She helps teams strengthen accountability, improve psychological safety, and respond to challenging situations with clarity, compassion, and evidence-based practice.

    What sets Susie apart is that everything she teaches comes directly from real-life experience, not from textbooks or theory. Her coaching, trainings, and leadership support are grounded in decades of navigating complex cases, supporting distressed families, advocating for staff, and leading teams through high-pressure clinical moments.

    Susie’s mission is to transform healthcare culture by empowering leaders and caregivers with practical, human-centered tools that create safer, stronger, more resilient organizations.

    Chris Hutchins

    Chris Hutchins is the Founder & CEO of Hutchins Data Strategy, a consultancy that helps healthcare organizations unlock the value of data, AI, and analytics with clarity, ethics, and measurable impact. A nationally recognized voice in healthcare transformation, Chris previously served as SVP and Chief Data & Analytics Officer at LifePoint Health, and prior to that, as Chief Data & Analytics Officer at Northwell Health, New York’s largest integrated delivery network.

    Over the past two decades, Chris has led enterprise-wide initiatives in self-service analytics, ambient AI, digital governance, and workforce enablement, always with a sharp focus on care equity, operational sustainability, and trust. His leadership is grounded in building practical, inclusive strategies that bring technologists, clinicians, and operators into shared alignment.

    Chris is also the creator and host of The Signal Room, a podcast platform amplifying leadership, ethics, and innovation in health. He is a frequent contributor to CDO Magazine, HIMSS, and other national forums, where he advocates for AI adoption that augments human care, not replaces it.

    Chris holds a deep belief that every data strategy is ultimately a human strategy, and that transformation only succeeds when it is designed with care at the center.

    *When vendors’ names are shared as examples in this document, it is to provide a concrete example of what was on display at the conference, not an evaluation or recommendation. Evaluation and recommendation of these vendors are beyond the scope of this specific research document. Other example products in the same category may have also been on display.

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