AI is reshaping business faster than many predicted, but not always in expected ways. This year-end recap explores the paradoxes that emerged as automation took hold: shoppers guided by AI are 30% more likely to buy, yet data quality scandals threaten to undermine trust in these systems. Research professionals gain unprecedented efficiency while worrying about eroding standards. Most surprising? As AI handles more routine work, demand for human storytellers is surging—with tech companies paying premium salaries for authentic narratives in an automated world.

From P&G's AI factory to new marketplace dynamics that could reshape the internet, we examine what actually worked, what failed, and why the human element matters more than ever.