AI has transformed how startups operate—not just in building products, but in selling them, securing customer data, and scaling faster than ever. At TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, the AI Stage returns to tackle the industry's hottest topic, presented by Google for Startups. This year, we're examining the business models AI is rewriting, the critical security gaps still unaddressed, and the entirely new job categories that have emerged from scratch.
From October 13–15 at Moscone Center in San Francisco, join industry leaders as they dive into the real challenges founders face today. We'll explore how to price AI products as models become commoditized, why agent security must be rebuilt from the infrastructure up, and what a go-to-market plan truly means in an AI-native world.
Our current pricing window is closing soon—save up to $200 before it's too late. Grab your ticket here before the offer ends. Here’s what's on deck for the AI Stage, with more announcements to come:
What Anthropic Sees When Enterprises Actually Deploy Claude
Most enterprise AI conversations happen before deployment. This one starts after. As Head of Applied AI at Anthropic, Cat de Jong works directly with enterprises using Claude in their most critical workflows—and sees patterns that rarely make it into press releases. Where deployments succeed immediately. Where they stall. What separates organizations extracting real value from those still running pilots eighteen months in. This session lifts the curtain on what applied AI looks like inside the world's most closely watched AI company—and what it reveals about enterprise AI's future.
With Cat de Jong, Head of Applied AI, Anthropic
What Building AI Native Actually Means: A Conversation with OpenAI's Head of Productivity
Two years ago, GTM engineering didn't exist. Today, it's one of the fastest-growing roles in the industry, with independent practitioners building million-dollar businesses. This session traces how AI collapsed the traditional go-to-market stack and created an entirely new discipline. You'll leave understanding what AI-native GTM looks like in practice and how it's reshaping company growth.
With Tara Seshan, Head of Productivity, OpenAI
The Enterprise Isn't Broken. Your Assumptions About It Are.
AI now makes autonomous decisions inside the most sensitive enterprise systems, at speeds traditional security frameworks weren't built for. This session breaks down what enterprise AI security requires in 2026—from observability and governance to the architecture that separates deployments enterprises can trust from those they can't afford to risk.
With Arsalan Tavakoli, Co-founder and SVP of Field Engineering, Databricks
The Agent Security Problem Nobody Is Talking About
While much attention is on AI's capabilities, the security of AI agents—autonomous systems that execute tasks—remains a looming blind spot. This session will address the hidden vulnerabilities in agent architectures and offer a roadmap for building security from the ground up.
via TechCrunch AI