
Podcast: Tech comm predictions for 2026 (Phase One)
From I'd Rather Be Writing Podcast by Tom Johnson
January 25, 2026 · 1h 2m
About this episode
The episode discusses predictions for tech communication in 2026, including the evolution of writers and the impact of AI.
In this episode, Fabrizio and I discuss our predictions for tech comm in 2026, focusing on two posts: Fabrizio's My day as an augmented technical writer in 2030 and my 12 predictions for tech comm in 2026. Some of the specific topics we cover include the evolution of writers into automation engineers, the increasing necessity of systems thinking, the economic paradox where high tech valuations are contrasting with stagnant hiring, the risk of the Reverse Centaur dynamic (where humans merely approve AI output), and the growing value of authentic human connection and humanity.
People in this episode
Host: Tom Johnson
Guest: Fabrizio
Topics covered
- tech comm predictions
- automation in writing
- systems thinking
- economic paradox in tech
- AI and human interaction
- authentic human connection
Keywords
- tech communication
- automation engineers
- systems thinking
- AI output
- human connection
- economic paradox
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: My day as an augmented technical writer in 2030, 12 predictions for tech comm in 2026
More episodes of I'd Rather Be Writing Podcast
- Judging beautiful docs, AI fatigue, and tool slop · May 31, 2026 · 58 min
- AI Book Club discussion recording of 'Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence', by Max Tegmark · May 17, 2026 · 57 min
- AI Book Club discussion recording of 'Breakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future', by Dan Wang · April 23, 2026 · 59 min
- Podcast: How valuable are agent skills? Conversation with Larah Vasquez and Fabrizio Ferri-Benedetti · April 12, 2026 · 1h 5m
- The Emerging Picture of a Changed Profession: Cyborg Technical Writers — Augmented, Not Replaced, by AI · April 5, 2026 · 1h 29m
- Will tech writers survive AI? Perspectives from two professors, Nupoor Ranade and Jeremy Merritt · March 21, 2026 · 1h 18m
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the I'd Rather Be Writing Podcast podcast page.