Anthropic and OpenAI Headline AI Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026

TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, scheduled for October 13–15 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, will feature a dedicated AI Stage presented by Google for Startups, with confirmed sessions from Anthropic and OpenAI, among others. The event, which draws over 10,000 startup, tech, and venture capital leaders, will focus on the business models, security challenges, and job categories that AI has created, as announced in a recent update.

What’s on the AI Stage

The AI Stage agenda includes a session with Cat de Jong, Head of Applied AI at Anthropic, who will discuss how enterprises actually deploy Claude in production, drawing on patterns from real-world implementations. OpenAI’s Head of Productivity, Tara Seshan, will explore the rise of go-to-market (GTM) engineering, a role that didn’t exist two years ago but is now one of the fastest-growing in tech. Other sessions will cover AI-native business models, agent security, and the evolution of SaaS in an AI-driven market.

Security and Infrastructure in Focus

Several sessions will address the security and infrastructure challenges of AI. Ric Smith, President of Product & Technology at Okta, will lead a technical discussion on why agentic AI requires rebuilding cybersecurity from the infrastructure level, arguing that application-level permission models are fundamentally flawed. Arsalan Tavakoli of Databricks will break down what enterprise AI security requires in 2026, including observability, governance, and architecture. A separate panel with AWS’s Chet Kapoor, Katie Moussouris of Luta Security, and Wendy Nather of 1Password will examine how AI is complicating cloud security.

Why This Matters for Founders

For founders, the AI Stage is designed to provide actionable insights on pricing AI products in a commoditized market, building defensible moats, and creating go-to-market plans that work in an AI-native world. The event also includes Startup Battlefield, networking opportunities, and an exhibition floor, offering practical takeaways beyond the sessions.

Conclusion

TechCrunch Disrupt 2026’s AI Stage brings together leading AI companies and experts to address the most pressing questions for startups in the AI era. With a focus on real-world deployment, security, and business model innovation, the event aims to equip founders with the knowledge to build sustainably. Registration is currently open, with a $200 discount available until the end of the current pricing window.

FAQs

Q1: When and where is TechCrunch Disrupt 2026?
TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 will be held from October 13 to 15 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.

Q2: Who are the key speakers on the AI Stage?
Key speakers include Cat de Jong from Anthropic, Tara Seshan from OpenAI, Ric Smith from Okta, Arsalan Tavakoli from Databricks, and others from companies like Glean, Monte Carlo, and Clay.

Q3: How can I get tickets?
Tickets are available on the TechCrunch Disrupt website, with a current discount of up to $200 that ends soon.