TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 Launches Smart Systems Stage to Address AI's Massive Power Demands—With Fusion Breakthroughs Taking Center Stage

TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, running October 13–15 in San Francisco, is introducing a dedicated Smart Systems Stage to tackle one of technology's most pressing infrastructure challenges: powering the AI industry's exponential energy appetite. The new stage, featuring leaders from Commonwealth Fusion Systems, Helion Energy, Bloom Energy, and others, will explore fusion breakthroughs and grid modernization as the sector confronts a fundamental bottleneck: the electrical power needed to sustain the next decade of AI growth.