Open Source, AI, and Film Dominate Early 2026 Headlines
The beginning of 2026 saw a diverse range of topics capturing attention across Europe and the United States, from the future of open-source technology and the impact of AI on the workplace to the film industry's response to global crises. Conferences and industry discussions highlighted key trends and challenges facing various sectors.
In late January, the Free and Open Source Developers European Meeting (FOSDEM) in Brussels, Belgium, emerged as a focal point for discussions surrounding digital sovereignty and Europe's technological future, according to Hacker News. What began in 2000 as a small gathering evolved into a significant conference, with self-hosted solutions, open infrastructure, and community-driven software taking center stage. "They were central to many discussions and presentations," Hacker News reported, noting a visible shift in focus towards these topics.
Meanwhile, the rise of artificial intelligence continued to spark both excitement and anxiety in the corporate world. Fortune reported that AI was a ubiquitous topic, appearing in "board decks, earnings calls, leadership offsites and coffee-machine conversations." While the potential of AI to "reimagine work, unlock creativity, and expand what organizations and people can do" was widely recognized, concerns about job displacement loomed large. Fortune emphasized the importance of leadership in guiding AI implementation, arguing that "the better question is: what kind of leadership will we build to guide AI?" The publication stressed that technology alone does not determine outcomes, but rather the "systems, norms, and capabilities that organizations choose to build and apply to their work."
Companies were also grappling with the perceived inefficiencies of traditional meetings. CEOs, viewing meetings as "unproductive time-sucks that clog up calendars and sap creativity," implemented strategies to reduce their frequency and length, Fortune noted. Shopify, Block, and Instagram were among the companies that took drastic action. Shopify cancelled all recurring meetings with more than two people, while Block CEO Jack Dorsey declared Tuesdays a company-wide no-meeting day. Instagram head Adam Mosseri vowed to cancel all recurring meetings every six months, adding back only the absolutely necessary ones. Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan publicly stated that "meetings are not work" and blocked out afternoons from meetings.
In the film industry, the Rotterdam International Film Festival (IFFR) addressed pressing global issues. Variety reported that IFFR Pro head Marten Rabarts and Hubert Bals Fund head Tamara Tatishvili deepened their collaboration to support filmmakers at risk. The festival also maintained a close watch on the U.S., Latin America, and Asia. Maria Sødahl, director of "The Last Resort," which won at the Göteborg Film Festival, discussed seeing the migrant crisis from a "privileged Scandinavian POV," according to Variety. The film was described by some audience members as "'The White Lotus' 'for real'."
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