CES 2026–"This is 1942": Brett and Rio Have a Candid Conversation with Lou Paskalis

Recorded live in Las Vegas during CES 2026, this special Signal & Noise conversation brings together Rio Longacre and Brett House with one of the industry’s most trusted—and outspoken—voices: Lou Paskalis.

In this wide-ranging discussion, Lou digs into the future of the industry in light of the rise of a tidal wave of AI-generated content, synthetic versus authentic signals, regulatory changes versus human discernment, and how trust is shifting from institutions to people.

Given these dynamics, we dig into the role of creative and how content creators will play an outsized role in the future of the industry—exploring the evolving roles of platforms, advertisers, and agencies in a future that's increasingly fractured and AI-driven.

As always, Lou doesn’t pull punches, ending on an surprisingly optimistic note for the industry, especially beleaguered news publishers. "For the industry, this is 1942," he quips. The year 1942, if you'll recall, is when the allies began to turn the war around. This is a candid, no-holds-barred conversation about the future of the industry—and our society.