For the last several years, AI startups benefited from a market driven by experimentation. A strong demo, an impressive model, and a powerful vision were often enough to generate enterprise interest, pilot programs, and investor enthusiasm.

But enterprise AI is entering a different phase now, one where enterprises are no longer evaluating whether AI is exciting. They are evaluating whether it is safe to deploy broadly.

At TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, taking place October 13–15 at Moscone West in San Francisco, Arsalan Tavakoli-Shiraji, co-founder and SVP of field engineering at Databricks, will unpack that shift during his AI Stage session, “The Enterprise Isn’t Broken. Your Assumptions About It Are.”

Disrupt will bring together 10,000+ founders, investors, and operators to explore the technologies and operational pressures changing how companies are built and scaled. The three-day event will feature 250+ sessions across six stages, led by tech leaders directing the industry today.