This topic summarizes the dumbest things that happened in tech and the biggest failures in supply chains, AI, and the cloud of 2025, alongside reflecting on how AI transitioned from hyped promises to practical products throughout the year.

• The dumbest things that happened in tech this year — TechCrunch -
• Supply chains, AI, and the cloud: The biggest failures (and one success) of 2025 — Ars Technica -
• From prophet to product: How AI came back down to earth in 2025 — Ars Technica -

This section highlights significant funding in fusion energy startups, identifies top government and legal ventures from TechCrunch Disrupt, and offers insights on building engaged audiences at the same event.

• Tade Oyerinde and Teddy Solomon talk about building engaged audiences at TechCrunch Disrupt — TechCrunch -
• Every fusion startup that has raised over $100M — TechCrunch -
• The 10 top government, legal startups from Disrupt Startup Battlefield — TechCrunch -

This topic explores investor predictions regarding AI's impact on labor in 2026 as a key trend for the upcoming year.

• Investors predict AI is coming for labor in 2026 — TechCrunch -

This topic looks at the best pet gadgets of 2025 and discusses the speculated future of personal communication devices, questioning what might replace the smartphone.

• These are the best gadgets for your pet right now — TechCrunch -
• The phone is dead. Long live . . . what exactly? — TechCrunch -

This topic covers the Trump administration's directive to keep a retiring coal plant operational, highlighting current policy interventions in energy infrastructure.

• Here we go again: Retiring coal plant forced to stay open by Trump Admin — Ars Technica -