#WebsummitVancouver: Agentic AI Takes Center Stage
AI systems that act autonomously are being developed as digital coworkers—raising urgent questions about trust and control ReadAI CEO at Websummit Vancouver Vancouver’s tech awakening wasn’t just about swapping coastlines—it was about turning the global spotlight onto AI. Web Summit Vancouver 2025 became a four-day AI shrine, uniting thinkers, builders, skeptics, and investors for a deep dive into the future of intelligent machines. With over 15,700 attendees, 1,108 startups, and 681 investors, the summit set the stage for some hard-hitting conversations and real-world strategy shifts. The AI track featured voices from Microsoft’s Brad Smith to Microsoft’s Thomas Wolf from Hugging Face, Daniela Braga of Defined.ai , AI contrarians like Gary Marcus, and creator-focused visionaries—all sparking a broader discussion on how AI is reshaping our world. The Lowdown Agentic AI is arriving fast —AI bots that act like junior employees are no longer sci‑fi; they demand policies and guardrails Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) emerged as a new frontier for marketers: SEO plus AI alignment Investors are in a frenzy , chasing niche AI spaces to dodge Big Tech disruption and justify sky-high valuations AI’s limits were front and center —deep learning isn’t enough; we need to rebuild models for reasoning “Agentic AI is coming fast and will reshape how we work.” AI is evolving past tools—into teammates. Participants called out the rise of autonomous AI systems that make decisions and act. They stressed setting boundaries before deploying AI agents. “Agentic AI is coming fast … treat them like new or junior employees.” “We need to rebuild its foundations.” AI’s elegance isn’t intelligence. Gary Marcus ripped through generative AI hype, warning: current systems lack reasoning and real understanding. The headline wasn’t "AI’s the future," it was "Fix AI's foundation." “AI systems today are powerful but dumb.” — Gary Marcus “Generative Engine Optimization… reshaping how we build content.” A marketing renaissance. Jim Louderback introduced GEO—optimizing for generative models instead of search algorithms. Brands must pivot to this new AI-first content strategy. GEO is “getting content recognized by generative engines like ChatGPT and Google Gemini.” Investor Playbook: niche over scale Venture capital is playing chess, not checkers. Cathy Gao of Sapphire Ventures outlined the blueprint: pick mid‑size markets where Big Tech won’t swoop in, raise war chests for M&A, and justify elevated valuations through strategic positioning. Big Tech “can instantly disrupt startups… sweet spot is sizable but not giant markets.” “You can’t talk about the future without talking about justice.” AI without context is incomplete. Dr. Cornel West reminded everyone: equity, justice, and ethics can’t be sidelines—they must be center stage. His words reverberated through panels and networking halls. “You can’t talk about the future without talking about justice.” — Cornel West Quickfire Q: So where does AI go next? A: Into autonomy—agents will handle workflows, but need trust and policies first Q: What must change in AI? A: Beyond performance, rebuild architectures for logic and meaning—fix AI's “dumb” core Q: How should startups position for funding? A: Target untapped, defensible AI niches; prepare for Big Tech moves; build war chests for acquisition leverage Verdict Web Summit Vancouver peeled back the layers of AI hype and challenged attendees with real talk—from agentic autonomy and AI’s foundational flaws to content strategy shifts and ethical demands. The future isn’t just “AI everywhere”—it's AI smarter, regulated, just, and strategically placed. The battle ahead: rebuild smarter systems, deploy responsibly, and make sure that justice isn’t an afterthought.
