2026 AI Vision And Clear Business Goals

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and so the cliché goes—it’s 20/20 vision!  Would you believe I actually wrote the following article originally in 2020 (hence the play on 20/20 vision!) – but I got busy and five years later (still busy), I looked at it and realised it need to be published.  Incredibly, as I re-read it, it’s even more relevant today, than it was five years ago!  So I’ve updated it slightly to this year’s date!  Anyway, 20/20 vision is one thing, and predicting the future is quite another! Everything I wrote about in 2020 really has happened in the last five years (well ok perhaps not quite everything – but you get my drift).  Perhaps now is a good time to choose lotto ticket numbers for 2030 !

Clear Business Strategy

It’s true – hindsight really is wonderful. We all know from experience that something that has already happened can be examined, analysed, and ‘evaluated’ to determine the positives and negatives. 20/20 vision suggests absolute clarity (no glasses needed!) and the ability to see with perfect “in the now” or in the near future – or at lease, while going forwards.  So, in your business – the same is true! Have you been considering “what could be better” or “what can be improved” and even what’s perfect?  If so – that’s great because now you’re in the right place to be able to decide how to improve things, which flaws to fix and how to maximise your ROI !

Perhaps 2026 will usher in a new AI model that allows us humans to miraculously “see all our imperfections” and know how to resolve them.  Would that be cool? Or a nightmare – I’m undecided.  At the very least, we know, 20/20 vision doesn’t really exist to the future because seeing into the future is impossible, right?  Except in sci-fi or with crystal balls – or perhaps another new release of ChatGPT ?

Business Planning & Forecasting

Obviously, there’s nothing wrong with considering past events and juxtaposing them with possible futures – forecast planning is essential in business, even if it can sometimes be inaccurate. In the digital world, educated guesses are more prevalent than ever, thanks to big data, AI, and automation zipping along and improving faster than a bullet (Stock market Russian Roulette anyone?). Our information is collected ubiquitously across the net and beyond, analysed to extract patterns and trends, and used to predict, plan, and consider future scenarios.  And yes, we can use this – really use it – for benevolent purposes.

I’m not predicting the future here – because it’s already here – but …. : robots! No, I’m not planning on handing over Purple Dog to an AI chatbot (or a real bot) anytime soon. It’s incredible how fast things a re moving – but one thing I’ve learned in many years of business is that humans like dealing with other humans. Humans are both the decision-makers behind businesses and the customers in front. While AI and automation can assist with specific tasks, they can never replace that fundamental human connection. I believe in 2026 and beyond, humans will continue to value that fact.

Purple Dog, Humans and AI

At Purple Dog, with our website design, digital marketing, SEO, and ecommerce services, we’ve seen a significant increase in business owners asking for help. There’s just so much choice out there – many are overwhelmed and don’t know where to start. By working with us, you get a “one-stop shop” approach and best-practice consultancy to help move you toward your goals.

Looking back on 2025, not quite with 20/20 vision but with fair clarity, it was another strong year with many successful projects added to the Purple Dog portfolio. My crystal ball (imagination) suggests more of the same in 2026, so do let us know how we can help you 🙂

2025 was a great year for chatbots, even more so if you have investments in Nvidia! 2026 is going to be exciting in the AI field – not to replace humans, but to make everyone’s lives smoother. Purple Dog will use AI for smart automation, inter-site integration, and cross-platform connectivity, helping your website, CRM, bookings, billing, and social channels talk to each other and helping with SEO. This will leave more time for the fun, strategic, human work. AI can crunch the data and push the buttons, but we’ll stay at the helm to ensure it all feels seamless, personal, and delightfully un-robotic.

We’re also exploring other AI options that add real value rather than gimmicks. This includes AI-powered content helpers for drafting newsletters and SEO ideas, automated customer support that answers the simple stuff instantly, and predictive analytics to spot trends before they bite. We’ll be testing AI image tools for quick product edits, smarter spam filtering, and even AI-assisted security monitoring to keep your site safe while you sleep. Nothing sci-fi, nothing soulless – just practical, efficient upgrades that free you up to focus on growth and creativity.

Yes we know there’s already lots of choice out there, but having your favourite humans backing you is important too.

2026 Vision & Goal – and Twenty Years of Purple Dog!

In 2025 we added new team members to Purple Dog (more on that later) and we’ll continue to explore our team expansion – so if you know excellent candidates, please refer them or encourage them to get in touch.

We also absorbed cost increases from multiple suppliers and chose not to pass them on. In 2026, we’ll look at a small increase in some of the services, but of course will continue to optimise existing services, explore new options, and remain committed to delivering excellence.

Our goal in 2026 remains the same: to do our best and get things right for you as quickly as possible. We appreciate your patience during busy periods, and as always, we welcome positive suggestions, requests, and yes—bribes!

Also in 2026, we will be celebrating twenty incredible years of Purple Dog !  Just think twenty years of emails, phone calls, websites built, launched, deleted, revised, then yet more come and go!

Thank you to all our past and current clients for choosing to work with a real human at Purple Dog Design and often a local human too! As a habit and a little superstition, I’d also like to thank the new customers who will be joining us in 2026 – and let’s be friendly to the cyborgs as they start to walk among us 🙂

Wherever you are and whatever you have planned, I hope you and your family enjoy some festive downtime.

Best Wishes and Happy 2026 Visioning!
Sol & team