Technology, policy and society on the minds of UA faculty for 2026

If there's one thing we've learned in the past few years, it's that artificial intelligence - better known by its abbreviation AI - touches everything we do. As faculty at The University of Akron (UA) look ahead to 2026, some of them don't see that changing. Now, we have to reckon with the extent to which AI is embedded in our lives, from how it impacts energy policies to what happens when children and teens are exposed to chatbots and deepfakes.

Policy and politics, both national and international, are also very much on the minds of faculty. What will happen with Ohio's U.S. Senate race? Will China be emboldened to make a play in Taiwan? How will new Medicare policy impact the public - and how can UA play a role? Will tariffs continue to impact technology and prices?

UA's faculty ponder these ideas and more below.

Artificial intelligence, technology and authenticity

PREDICTION: Public policy around natural gas and energy will shape AI's future

By Dr. Andrew Thomas, associate professor of marketing and international business

If properly managed, America's dominance in fossil fuels would allow AI to reach escape velocity. Google observed earlier this year that "AI presents the United States with a generational opportunity for extraordinary innovation and growth" but that it requires "expedited effort to increase the capacity of … U.S. energy systems." NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang has said that "AI is energy … and we need more energy."

For nearly a decade, policymakers childishly acted on the premise that reducing - and even eliminating - our dependence on fossil fuels was both beneficial and inevitable. Going forward, the great question is how governments and regulators will allow - or not allow - America's natural gas industry to meet the demands of AI and everything that results from it. This includes not only new data centers, but also chip manufacturing plants and expanded telecommunication networks, along with the resulting economic growth.

Fortunately, the estimated 20% increase in U.S. natural gas production needed to power all this, along with meeting increased liquified natural gas export demand, is within reach. The industry can make it happen. What is needed is for policymakers to quickly greenlight permitting around new extraction sites, transmission lines, pipeline construction and other necessary tools and infrastructure. Opposition will be strong, especially from local communities that don't want these activities in their backyards. This battle will be a defining issue for 2026 and beyond.

PREDICTION: Demand for media transparency will grow alongside AI

By Dr. Amber Ferris, professor and interim director, School of Communication

My prediction for 2026 is an increased demand for media transparency and authentic human communication. As AI becomes more sophisticated at generating digital content, industries and platforms will face growing pressure to clearly distinguish human-created and AI-generated media. As part of this broader push, social media platforms will also need to reckon with how algorithms and bot activity shape public discourse. In response, the field of communication will increasingly grapple with what distinguishes human communication in an AI-driven media environment.

PREDICTION: Philosophy will be tested - and needed - in a changing world

By Dr. John Huss, professor and chair, Department of Philosophy

Philosophy is critical thinking. In 2026, the field of philosophy will confront a rapidly shifting political and educational landscape that increasingly challenges the discipline to demonstrate its value. Meeting that challenge will require philosophy to look inward and outward at once: inward, by drawing on its intellectual tradition to rethink core questions about truth, knowledge, appearances, reality, responsibility, meaning and value; and outward, by applying critical thinking tools to urgent problems shaping public life.

Philosophers can help clarify responsibility and authorship in an age of artificial intelligence, develop ethical frameworks to address the environmental and social costs of AI, strengthen critical thinking in a culture saturated by misinformation and deepfakes, and rethink the meaning and value of work as automation reshapes everyday life. Our moment, politically, technologically and as a civilization, calls for this kind of philosophical work. Will philosophy answer the call? Time will tell. The future is not a destination we can describe in advance, but one created by the choices we make.

PREDICTION: 2026 will be the year in which we must confront the AI chatbot wild west

By Dr. Alexa Fox, associate professor of marketing and director of the Taylor Institute for Direct Marketing

For years, people have used digital technologies such as search engines and social media platforms to seek information and make important decisions. But AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Meta AI add a whole new layer of ethical, responsibility, and safety concerns, especially when it comes to the vulnerability of children and teenagers.

Engagement over safety

In late 2025, concerns about chatbots' ability to appropriately respond to situations, especially those related to minor users' physical and mental safety, became more salient in the media. Chatbots are criticized for being designed with engagement as a main priority, and for their perceived intelligence easily leading to a slippery slope of too much trust too quickly. Chatbots may even appear to come to life as toys, which is dangerously appealing to young children in the form of stuffed animals, dolls and action figures.

The time to protect is now

The safety of AI chatbot users is too important to ignore. In 2026, government agencies and advocacy groups should be magnifying the voices of parents who need AI and toy companies to take clear and swift action to protect their most vulnerable users. A firm line must be drawn that AI chatbots are not the same as human companions or experts, and children and teenagers should not be stumbling through complex nondeterministic output to learn this lesson the hard way.

Crime, law and public perception

PREDICTION: Reports of crime will rise while rates of crime will fall

By G. Ben Cohen, associate professor of law

In 2026, the American legal landscape will be defined by a widening divide between public anxiety about crime and empirical evidence of safety. Media attention to crime will grow while the actual prevalence of serious offenses will continue to decline. The coming year will produce a lower murder rate than any year between 1980 and 2023, yet there will be more stories than ever before about crime.

The algorithm of outrage

The coming year will witness a saturation of crime narratives. The modern information ecosystem, measured by engagement rather than accuracy, ensures that anecdotal instances circulate faster than truth or systemic data. From the hysteria of the Salem Witch Trials to the media frenzy surrounding the Central Park Five, public attention fixates on narratives of transgression. Media interest in transgressions involving adolescents and immigrants, fed by algorithmic amplification that contradicts the reality of the docket, will make crime the No. 1 news story in many communities.

The quiet roots of safety

At the same time, we will be safer in 2026 than we have been in any year this century. The projected decline in violent crime is not the result of proactive policing or harsh recidivist sentencing tactics such as three-strikes laws. Rather, the stabilization of public safety is best understood as the delayed dividend of extra-legal investments made decades ago.

The most effective so-called criminal justice policies of the early 21st century were not criminal justice policies, but rather public health and social welfare initiatives of the past 30 years. The reduction in crime correlates directly with long-term investments in early childcare like Head Start programs, aggressive lead poisoning prevention and foundational mental health support systems, successfully severing the pipeline to prison long before a prosecutor ever opened a file.

Once a criminal file is opened, restraint in the operation of the criminal legal system by prosecutors and courts, and sound advocacy by public defenders, have allowed investments in crime prevention rather than building jails and prisons. As such, we will incarcerate fewer people in 2026 than we did in 2025. Leaders engaged in problem-solving rather than punditry will make a real difference.

The policy choice

Jurisdictions in Northeast Ohio have successfully operationalized effective diversion and community-based alternatives, proving that public safety does not require mass incarceration. Because these successes occur off the front page, the danger remains that the legal system succumbs to penal populism. But the answer to the crime problem is rarely found on the blogosphere, X or even within the penal code. The challenge of 2026 is to maintain the investment in solutions that operate outside the courthouse while exercising restraint and problem-solving leadership inside the courtroom.

Workforce, talent and organizational strategy

PREDICTION: The partnership between leadership and human resource professionals will become the new competitive advantage

By Dr. Scott Bible, professor of practice, Department of Management

In 2026, organizations will face a hard truth: the external labor market can no longer keep pace with the talent demands of a rapidly expanding knowledge economy. Firms that once relied on hiring their way to capability will shift their strategy toward developing talent from within - positioning human resources (HR) and organizational leaders as joint architects of competitive advantage.

As a result, we will see a major redesign of performance management. The traditional, compliance-driven annual review will give way to agile, competency-based systems that emphasize coaching, leadership development and continuous feedback. HR will take the lead in building high-performance work practices, while leaders adopt the role of talent accelerators who model a learning culture and align workforce capabilities with long-term strategy. This partnership will allow organizations to respond faster to change, strengthen internal pipelines and build leadership capacity at every level.

Strategy succeeds when leaders and HR work in partnership - aligning talent, culture and capability development - to ensure organizations have the people, systems and support needed to execute and sustain competitive advantage.

In 2026, the organizations that thrive won't be those that try to buy talent. They'll be the ones who build it.

National politics and international power

PREDICTION: All eyes will be on Ohio for control of the U.S. Senate

By Dr. David Cohen, professor of political science, director of the Applied Politics program and fellow of the Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics

I have learned over the last decade that making predictions about American politics can be rather futile. After all, we live in an age where the terms "unprecedented" and "uncharted" are used daily to describe our current political environment. With that said, here is what I expect to unfold and/or continue over the course of 2026.

In Ohio, the U.S. Senate race between Republican Sen. John Husted and former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown will be one of the most-watched and expensive races in the country, with control of the Senate hanging in the balance. This race will be too close to call.

The battle for control of the U.S. House of Representatives will not be too close to call. House elections are always difficult for the president's party in the midterm cycle - particularly if the president is unpopular and the economy is struggling. Despite efforts by President Donald Trump to force red states to gerrymander their House seats in the middle of the decade to favor Republicans, Democrats will win control of the House.

Some members of the Trump administration will be forced out due to incompetence and/or scandal. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, FBI Director Kash Patel and perhaps White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles are updating their resumes as I type these words. They won't be the last.

The Jeffrey Epstein scandal will continue to dominate the headlines. Despite the Trump administration's efforts to bury the scandal deep in the Department of Justice, the ghost of Epstein will continue to haunt the Trump presidency.

PREDICTION: Taiwan in 2026 will be more of the same

By Dr. Karl Kaltenthaler, professor, Department of Political Science and director, The Michael J. Morell Center for Intelligence and Security Studies

The People's Republic of China (PRC) is building a very large force of ships, aircraft and other military means that can be used to invade Taiwan and forcibly bring the island under the control of the Chinese Communist Party. The PRC's military is also regularly infringing on Taiwan's airspace and territorial waters. This may be interpreted as a dress rehearsal for an invasion or a way to scare Taiwan to surrender without a fight. While there is every reason to be concerned about a possible PRC invasion of Taiwan and what carnage and economic chaos that might bring, there are good reasons to think that such an invasion is not imminent.

First, the PRC has much to lose from such an invasion, even if it were to be successful, which is not a foregone conclusion. China would certainly suffer great casualties and loss of material from an invasion of Taiwan. If success is not guaranteed, this would greatly reduce China's security. Second, China would possibly damage itself economically from an invasion of the world's most important microchip producer to such an extent that it would possibly erode the Communist Party's legitimacy with its populace.

Bottom line, the military and economic risks are likely too high for the leadership of the PRC to attempt an invasion of Taiwan within the next year.

Trade, tariffs and the global economy

PREDICTION: Continued supply chain challenges will be related to trade tariffs, with an emphasis on critical minerals, AI-related technologies and energy trade

By Dr. Mahesh Srinivasan, professor, Department of Management, and executive director for global engagement and director, Institute for Global Business

Businesses in the year 2026 will continue to face turbulence and supply chain challenges related to trade tariffs. The focus of the tariffs will be on supply chain security for the U.S. related to critical minerals and emerging technologies, such as components required for AI technologies. Energy trade and security will also be another focus area driving the tariff policies. There is a high likelihood for the resolution of the Ukraine conflict that could ease the stress on supply chains related to some of these industries. Although many of these tariffs could be justified from a national security perspective, they would also mean continued uncertainty and higher costs for businesses and consumers. Businesses will continue to evolve and fine-tune their sourcing strategies with a continued focus on nearshoring or reshoring.

PREDICTION: Tariffs will continue to evolve, but they are not going away

By Dr. Michael DeDad, assistant professor, Department of Economics

Tariffs profoundly impacted the U.S. economy in 2025, but their effects will likely be even larger in 2026. So far, tariff-induced price increases have been modest because firms built up inventories in advance, many of the tariffs did not take effect until August and businesses largely chose to absorb the higher costs through lower profits. In 2026, however, preexisting inventories will be depleted, tariffs will be in full force and reduced profits will push affected firms toward layoffs, price hikes or both. Benefits to protected domestic industries will likely take longer to materialize, since many U.S.-made goods still rely on imported components, and associated job growth will be constrained by automation and AI.

As U.S. import tariffs are taxes on domestic importers, they have faced numerous legal challenges, including cases currently before the Supreme Court (at the time of writing). If the Court declares the bulk of the new tariffs, including the so-called reciprocal tariffs, to be illegal, it will create a murky situation where firms that have already passed the costs onto their customers might be entitled to refunds. Nevertheless, the overall level of tariffs is unlikely to change significantly, as administration officials have signaled that they will pursue other legal channels, enabling them to use tariffs as a foreign-policy tool. Thus, additional macroeconomic effects will stem from retaliation, as seen in China's targeting of U.S. soybean farmers, which has made them likely candidates for a bailout.

Whether or not tariffs experience greater pass-through to consumer prices depends on the strength of demand, which is currently being propped up by an AI boom that could lose steam in 2026. An economic downturn would put downward pressure on prices, offsetting some of the inflationary effects of tariffs. Additional rollbacks of tariffs on specific goods, as we saw with roughly 200 grocery items in November 2025, are also likely. Tariff rates will continue to fluctuate as new bilateral agreements are reached and tariff threats continue to be wielded for geopolitical leverage. While tariffs will not disappear in 2026, their levels and macroeconomic impacts will continue to evolve.

Health care, Medicare and preventative services

PREDICTION: UA poised to play a role as Medicare shift on physical activity reimbursement transforms health care

By Dr. Rachele Kappler, professor of clinical instruction, School of Exercise and Nutrition Science

Beginning in 2026, Medicare will reimburse physical activity assessments and referrals, signaling a major shift in how preventive care is delivered in the United States. Physical activity is no longer being treated as optional advice - it is becoming a measurable, billable health care service. National health data standards, including the HL7 FHIR Physical Activity framework, support this change by allowing physical activity information to be documented, shared and tracked across health care systems.

For our community, this means older adults and individuals with chronic conditions may be identified earlier as physically inactive and referred to qualified exercise professionals for safe, structured interventions. For the workforce, this policy change creates new demand for trained exercise science professionals who can assess risk, design individualized exercise programs and support long-term health improvements.

The University of Akron's Human Performance Lab is well positioned to support this shift. The lab provides services such as cardiovascular and metabolic testing, body composition assessment, functional fitness evaluation and exercise prescription, which are services that directly align with Medicare-covered physical activity assessments. In addition to serving the community, the Human Performance Lab functions as a hands-on training environment for students preparing for careers in clinical exercise physiology, community health and preventive care.

Together, Medicare reimbursement and standardized physical activity data are expanding access to care while creating meaningful, local workforce opportunities in exercise science.

Manufacturing and Industry 4.0

PREDICTION: Virtual and traditional operations will lead the way for the manufacturing sector

By Dr. D. Dane Quinn, professor of mechanical engineering and director of the Timken Foundation Center for Precision Manufacturing

As we enter 2026, manufacturing is undergoing a resurgence as the country recognizes that domestic production of critical components is crucial for our economic prosperity and security. But manufacturing has evolved and grown into an enterprise that integrates advances in technology, sustainability and data science with the skills and knowledge that have been developed over the years.

Some of the strongest trends in manufacturing lie in smart manufacturing, where intelligent agents manage workflow and streamline traditional manufacturing processes to improve both efficiency and quality. Industry 4.0 describes the fusion of traditional manufacturing operations and the science of data. Manufacturing floors are utilizing automation and human-machine collaborations. Digital Twins, virtual replicas of existing machines, are being used to optimize the manufacturing process based on real-time feedback from online sensors. One of the most important issues that companies face as they move towards Industry 4.0 is the need to ensure that their workforce can take advantage of these new opportunities while utilizing their longstanding knowledge base. This requires continuous learning and collaboration between humans and machines.

For the Timken Foundation Center for Precision Manufacturing (CPM), the coming year offers an opportunity to advance manufacturing in Northeast Ohio and beyond, driving sustainable growth and global competitiveness. By fostering innovation and human talent, CPM will play a critical role in both the research and development of advanced manufacturing technologies and the development of the people that will lead U.S. manufacturing forward.

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