MAICON 2025: Standing Room Only and Still Asking Big Questions

By Brandon Tidd Usually, by the final day of a tech conference, the crowd has thinned, the coffee line is shorter, and the seats are easier to come by. Not so at MAICON 2025. By 8 a.m., the third-day keynote with Alex Kantrowitz and Mike Kaput was standing room only—a clear sign of how strong the curiosity and engagement remained among attendees. Behind the Curtain of Big Tech Alex Kantrowitz, host of the Big Technology Podcast and author of Always Day One, joined Mike Kaput on stage for an unfiltered conversation about what’s really happening inside AI’s biggest labs. Kantrowitz explained that the era of endlessly scaling language models is giving way to one focused on orchestration and reasoning, where multiple models and new forms of logic work together to solve problems more intelligently. He also drew a sharp line between research breakthroughs and innovation, noting that the labs that thrive in this next phase will be those that can turn breakthroughs into usable, impactful tools. Perhaps most striking was his reminder that culture, not code, determines who wins. “If you have a culture that’s open to new ideas versus one fixated on profit today, you’re in good shape. Otherwise, you’re in trouble.” – Alex Kantrowitz PJ Ace and the Democratization of Creativity After the high-level insights from the morning keynote, the tone shifted from analytical to creative, showing how AI can fuel not only strategy but storytelling. PJ Ace, CEO of Genre.AI, stormed the stage with his trademark humor and cinematic flair. Known for his viral AI-generated commercials, PJ has made a name for himself by turning bold ideas into even bolder videos—from faux pharmaceutical ads to reimagined Bible stories. “The secret to viral success isn’t perfection; it’s personality. AI gives you the tools, but it’s still your weirdness that makes people stop scrolling,” he told the audience. His blend of authenticity, creativity, and technical know-how made his talk one of the most memorable…