Panos Panay to discuss AI hardware’s next phase at Disrupt 2026
Amazon Senior Vice President of Devices and Services Panos Panay will speak at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, scheduled for October 13–15 at Moscone West in San Francisco. His appearance will focus on the evolution of hardware as artificial intelligence becomes embedded not only in individual applications but also in major platforms and device operating systems.
The question is significant after nearly two decades in which the smartphone has sat at the centre of hardware and software development. TechCrunch frames Panay’s session around what could follow that model: interactions mediated by an assistant, a pair of glasses or another form factor still taking shape.
From Surface and Windows to Amazon devices
Panay brings experience across the overlap between hardware and software. He spent more than 19 years at Microsoft, including roles as executive vice president and chief product officer. His portfolio included Surface devices ranging from the 2017 Surface Laptop to the foldable Duo, and he also oversaw the development of Windows 11.
That background matters because AI is increasingly being integrated into the operating environment of devices rather than remaining a stand-alone app. Panay joined Amazon after leaving Microsoft and succeeded longtime consumer-devices leader David Limp. At Amazon, his work has centred on the generative-AI revamp of Alexa.
Alexa+ and the next device conversation
Amazon rolled out Alexa+ across several access tiers in the United States earlier this year. Panay is expected to go deeper at Disrupt into what comes next for Amazon and Alexa+, as the company develops its approach to AI-enabled consumer devices and services.
The programme sits alongside a broader Disrupt agenda that includes Amazon, Replit and Tether AI scaling agenda as part of its focus on how companies are scaling AI. For founders, investors and product teams, Panay’s perspective offers a view into how a major platform owner is connecting generative AI, operating systems and physical devices.
What businesses should watch
The practical implication is not that the smartphone has already been displaced. Rather, teams building customer experiences should examine which parts of a daily workflow could move to an AI assistant or a different device interface. Product plans should account for the possibility that discovery, requests and routine actions may be handled through more than a phone screen.
For businesses, the useful outcome from the session will be a clearer basis for testing interfaces, service integrations and device assumptions as Amazon outlines its next steps for Alexa+ and its broader hardware strategy.