Artificial Intelligence. Smartphones. Vertical videos. There are some technologies that most, if not all, of us are familiar with as game-changers in the way we live and work in our respective industries. But there are some smaller technologies that may stay under the radar, yet have the potential to redefine entire industries in just a few years. 

VR Tours Transform Real Estate Sales

I think VR is underappreciated in the real estate industry. It’s still not commonly used, but it is starting to increase in usage. The reality of the direction of the industry is that it’s becoming more and more tech-forward. People are doing a large portion of home shopping online, checking out properties online before visiting them in person so that they don’t waste their time. VR technology is one of the most accurate, immersive ways to view a property without being there. I think it will become more normalized in the coming years for sellers to provide this in order to expand their buyer pool.

Seamus Nally, CEO, TurboTenant

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Smart Pool Tech Cuts Costs, Gains Adoption

In the pool industry, I believe that smart technology is underappreciated right now, but it’s absolutely going to redefine the industry in the coming years. People often don’t want to update their pools with new technology, even if that means making things easier or faster. Many get comfortable in their ways and don’t want to spend the extra money. But, smart technology integration in pool cleaning and maintenance really is invaluable. I think that the more people realize it can help save money, the more they’ll want to integrate it.

Jeremy Yamaguchi, CEO, Cabana

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Pretrained AI Automates More IT Support

We constantly hear about AI today, but many organizations do not utilize it because, in order to maximize its effect, AI requires a massive amount of specialized training. The candle isn’t worth the flame to them yet. However, as the tech evolves, we will see useful pretrained models, and models that require much less investment in training. This will be especially useful in IT support as models are trained up to take care of more and more support tickets without human intervention.

Arif Ali, Technical Director, Just After Midnight

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Vertical SaaS Leans on Service to Compete

Vibe-coded software generated by AI is quickly rising, and as a marketer in the vertical SaaS industry, I personally wonder how much it will have an impact. If smaller business owners and operators are able to generate software that addresses their personal needs, what does that mean for the software providers that have spent years developing solutions to those needs? And with the ability to vibe-code an entire software system without the requirement of a team, funding, or even skilled knowledge, how many new vertical software providers will launch, diluting the already-crowded field of available software.

I think in the next 5 years, vertical SaaS providers will need to rely heavily on marketing, service, add-ons, and perks to retain users and stave off competition.

Mike Fisher, SEO Analyst, Dumpster Rental Systems

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Mastery-Based Learning Supersedes Age-Based Progression

The biggest change to education that will impact us most in the next five years will be a shift, not to new technology but rather a shift from age-based to mastery-based learning utilizing data and artificial intelligence as support.

For decades students have been grouped by age and moved forward through school at the same pace regardless of their actual readiness to do so. That model has begun to break down, as we’ve seen with families asking for adaptive learning based on the student instead of a schedule. Through data & AI, we can provide this type of adaptive learning on a much larger scale than previously possible by identifying learning gaps early and being able to adjust pacing in real-time and giving teachers clear visibility into how each student is actually learning.

There is also the significant cultural change that accompanies this transition. Instead of being focused solely on seat time, both parents and students want to see positive educational outcomes and have increased confidence and flexibility. Furthermore, mastery-based learning accepts that students develop at different speeds in various subjects, therefore allowing students to advance rapidly in one area while taking longer to achieve mastery in another.

This shift will redefine what it means to be successful or achieve educational goals, because educational progression will be based on mastery of content rather than hours spent in class. Merit-based achievement means that schools that embrace this change will provide superior education to more students and better prepare their graduates for an ever-changing tomorrow.

Vasilii Kiselev, CEO & Co-Founder, Legacy Online School

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Sustainability Becomes a Priority in Home Services

I still think that sustainability is underappreciated in the home services industry. People are starting to talk about it more and more, but as a whole I feel like a lot of people don’t really grasp the tangible benefits to better sustainability. In the coming years, I anticipate that sustainability will be something homeowners and business owners increasingly prioritize with their systems (like HVAC) once they fully understand the environmental and cost benefits.

Eli Zimmer, CEO, Luxaire HVAC Services

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Jaw Motion Data Reshapes Conservative Dentistry

Silent implementation of slow diagnostics by tracking digital jaws redefines dentistry more than headline driven tools. Speed and appearance are the prizes of the industry but long term stability is not concerned with the position of the jaw in the scans but with the actual way the jaw moves during day to day operations. Motion and muscle activity tracking is now accessible and can fit regular check-ups and reveal strain patterns that conventional impressions are not able to see.

Then, a change in culture to professional restraint is to be expected. There is a sense of respect towards clinicians who will stop treatment to achieve a functional balance, rather than subject individuals to alignment. Education is judgmental and timely as opposed to technique gathering. Few interventions conserve structure and enhance predictability.

Heike Kraemer, President and Dentist, Idea USA

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AI Personalization Elevates Patient Education and Trust

A key change that many people may overlook is the increasing use of AI and personalization in patient education and online healthcare. This trend will likely have a big impact on the industry over the next five years. Personalization with AI is more than just using chatbots or basic automation. It means changing information, follow-up, and care to fit each patient’s specific health needs. Whether it is routine care, pregnancy, or a specific concern, the patient receives personalized care tailored to their needs. Nowadays, most doctors still use content that is the same for all patients and thus not personalized.

The change is significant as patients require clarity, relevance, and empathy from digital touchpoints even before they make a physical visit to the office. AI-powered personalized content will help patients be aware of and understand the processes, get ready for appointments, and be empowered in making care decisions. The same content, however, has to be delivered to the providers, as it will help them avoid repetitive questions, improve engagement, and build trust at an early stage of the relationship. In a field such as ObGyn, where the comfort and understanding of the patient are paramount, such personalization can go a long way toward improving outcomes.

The reason this change is not recognized more widely is that it is largely a cultural shift rather than a technological one. To carry it out, organizations must change how they communicate, train, and meet patients’ needs beyond the doctor’s visit. Companies that make the move to customer-friendly digital solutions sooner will be the leaders and winners in the next five years, not because they were the first to adopt the latest technology, but because they facilitate easier, more patient-oriented care.

Dr. Joseph Roofeh MD, Board-Certified OB-GYN, CEO, Joseph Roofeh, MD

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AI Itineraries Beat Tired Top-Ten Travel Lists

Travelers are getting tired of those generic top ten lists. As a Hawaii specialist, I see people wanting trips made just for them, not the same old tourist traps. New AI apps are starting to figure this out, mixing local knowledge with algorithms. They handle the tedious sifting through options, especially for family trips. If you’re traveling, I’d suggest trying one. It makes the planning part a lot less stressful.

Bryan Murphy, Owner, Hawaii’s Best Travel

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AI Companions Earn Deep Loyalty from Women

The big thing people miss is how women over 35 are using AI companions. Give an AI a consistent personality and memory, and users actually get attached. They don’t just visit once; they make it part of their routine. As real friendships get more complicated, having that one reliable presence matters more than we think.

Lisa Templeton, Director of Community, Heartthrob

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Outcome-First Transit Apps Orchestrate Multimodal Travel

The underappreciated shift is “micro mobility habits” becoming the default, not the exception. People are quietly changing how they move: mixing walking, bikes/scooters, ride-hail, and transit in one trip, based on weather, time, safety, and mood. That cultural shift will redefine mobility apps because riders won’t think in routes anymore, they’ll think in outcomes: “get me there with the least hassle.”

In daily life, you already see it. It’s raining, you’re late, and you don’t want a long walk to the station. A modern transit app should automatically adapt: “Take a 3-minute ride hail to Stop B, then train; you’ll arrive 8 minutes earlier,” or “Walk 6 minutes to the express bus because trains are delayed,” or “Scooter to the station saves 12 minutes and avoids the crowded transfer.” The app becomes a practical decision tool you use every day, not something you open only when you’re lost.

Curtis Smith, CEO, mBurse

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AI and Visuals Advance Collaborative Endodontics

A combination of AI-supported diagnostics and an increased patient transparency culture is redrafting the future of endodontics in five years. AI technologies will enhance accurate interpretation of images and treatment plans for clinicians by providing patterns from which clinicians may generate positive, repeatable outcomes; while patients are expecting to see their diagnosis and choices represented in a clear, visual format more than ever. The use of technology to convert complicated data into easy-to-read patient descriptive formats will foster an increased level of trust, enable the shared decision-making process, and enhance the quality of care provided within endodontics as a specialty area.

Jonathan Wong, Owner and Endodontist, Renovo Endodontic Studio

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Edge AI Powers Instant, Private Device Intelligence

Over the next five years, edge computing for AI will become a major technology driver behind everything digital. The traditional approach today is to run AI on the ‘cloud,’ which is often very slow and has privacy risks associated with it. Edge computing gives an opportunity to run AI on devices like smartphones or wearables, enabling immediate and secure interactions. It will enable an evolution away from centralized data centers to a new approach in which your devices are able to think/clue into your needs without intervention from a human being. It will entirely change how brands connect with consumers in the moment.

Darryl Stevens, CEO & Founder, Digitech Web Design

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Digital Twins Standardize Predictive Supply Chains

I firmly believe that by 2030, every supply chain will have a digital twin as a standard operation. Digital twins are perfect replicas of physical systems that help test for disruptions before they occur. Companies can use this technology to create an ‘anti-fragile’ model instead of just an efficient one. It can show you what would occur to your inventory based on a port strike or inclement weather, all within seconds. The management of your supply chain will be transitioned from reactive to predictive; therefore, this will be the only way to remain functional in a volatile global marketplace.

James Scribner, Co-Founder, The Freedom Center

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Wearables Predict Anxiety and Enable Early Care

Sentiment analysis from biometric information is a new technology that has the potential to reshape mental health care in the future. Biosensors built into wearable devices will read body metrics and render predictions on the user’s emotional distress depending on the user’s heart rate and body temperature. The goal is that after five years have passed, a person may be able to predict rising anxiety with their watch prior to experiencing physical symptoms. This concept offers the opportunity for a model that provides ‘pre-remedial’ intervention before a mental health crisis occurs. The transition of psychiatry from a conversation-based field to the incorporation of the latest technology creates an opportunity for life-saving innovations by changing the way we view and interact with our mental health care providers.

Joshua Zeises, CEO & CMO, Paramount Wellness Retreat

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Real-Time Reports Make Compliance Continuous

Real-time regulatory reporting will revolutionize regulatory compliance. Previously, organizations generally completed an annual audit to demonstrate compliance. Companies are now implementing systems that allow regulators to view compliance information as transactions happen. With the implementation of this technology, the potential panic from audits is removed, and compliance with safety regulations is consistent throughout the entire process. In addition to improving efficiency by removing manual paperwork, companies’ compliance will now be an ongoing process rather than a one-time event each year.

Sean Smith, Founder & CEO, Alpas Wellness

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Sell Outcomes, Not Websites, to Deliver Value

The web design industry is experiencing massive commoditization through AI and template-based tools, so our value can’t be in just creating websites anymore.

We’ve learned that we need to sell outcomes instead. When we talk to clients now, we’re selling them results they can measure.

We’re selling efficiency through the time they’ll save and the automations we’ll build into their systems.

Preslav Nikov, Founder, CEO, craftberry

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Modular Mini Models Beat Monoliths for Detection

An unappreciated tendency at GPTZero is the emergence of small AI systems, as opposed to vast LMLs, as the most viable solution for text detection. The majority of attention at the moment is focused upon the development of more extensive, generalized LMs. However, there exists considerable use of multiple models organized to work together for detection purposes.

The application of small, composable systems for the application of text detection is explicit. Large monolithic systems produce mistakes that cannot be traced easily and, therefore, the process of recalibrating has a prohibitively high cost associated. Modular systems will allow you to compartmentalize failure modes and therefore be able to target your uncertainty uniquely and roll out updates to them without needing to retrain your entire model. A simple example of this is the inclusion of a 2,000 parameter modular system for managing non-native writings which resulted in a statistically measurable decrease in false positive detections when evaluating academics without having to retrain the entire model.

Culturally, as the user base has grown to be more comfortable orchestrating their own multiple components of AI, it has also created both potential risk and potential opportunity. Therefore, detection systems will need to accommodate not only a singular source of output from a general source but also multiple, unique outputs that can come from combining together component models.

If AI detection leaders disregard these elements, they will be miscalculating the factors of reliability and latency and the interpretability of their products. Additionally, small, targeted AI systems are slowly but noticeably altering the way that AI detection is turning into an operational area for detecting AI, and the actual implementation of detection AI is just starting to occur.

Mr Edward Tian, Founder/CEO, GPTZero

About Our Contributor

Lindsey Flagg is a professional content creator with a passion for writing, music, and making the world a better place. She holds a B.A. in Communication from Purdue University and has over 12 years of experience in digital communications. In her free time, she enjoys language learning, reading, and discovering new music.

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• Which of these trends do you think will reach mass adoption first?
• Have you already seen any of these changes in your industry?
• What emerging shift do you think is still flying under the radar?

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