Artificial Intelligence is the Future, and It's Already Here

By 2030, artificial intelligence is projected to contribute at least $15.7 trillion to the global economy. Additionally, 60% of entrepreneurs believe that AI is the most promising technology we have when it comes to innovation. 

These statistics clearly point to the heart of all the major tech trends that are expected to shape 2023 and beyond. Artificial intelligence, machine learning and augmented reality are all leading the charge into the new year, so let's take a look at how these technology trends will impact our lives. 

AI Companions

Siri, Alexa, Cortana and other AI voice assistants are already integrated into our lives. According to Statista, the number of digital voice assistants in use is projected to reach 8.4 billion units by 2024. 

Currently, over 120 million people in the U.S. alone use voice assistants, and nearly 20% do so daily. In addition to the well-known AI companions, there are also other robot companions on the market that are expected to surge in popularity, such as the elder care companion ElliQ, which is reported to decrease loneliness by up to 80% in seniors. 

Companion AI is already popular in Asia, with bots like Journey App AI taking on roles like a close friend, mentor or partner, offering supportive, judgment-free companionship that evolves as it gets to know you, so we can expect to see AI companions become even more pervasive in 2023.

Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR)

Virtual reality is still primarily thought of in the context of entertainment, e.g., video games. However, both virtual reality and augmented reality are expected to take center stage in 2023. 

While virtual reality immerses users in a completely different environment, typically via a special headset, augmented reality is rapidly overtaking it as the most popular tech. AR, on the other hand, simply enhances your real-world environment. For example, AR smart glasses allow wearers to overlay 3D images or information panels onto real-world objects.

Current examples of this include Amazon and IKEA's "try it in your home" feature that allows users to place virtual furniture models in their homes via a smartphone camera and games like Pokemon Go that place Pokemon in the real world to "catch."

Web3 Advances

From decentralized computing to cryptocurrencies and NFTs, there is no doubt that Web3 is going to be a top technology trend for 2023. The current iterations of Web3 tech are already improving by leaps and bounds, so there is unquestionably going to be a surge in popularity as Web3 continues to become more refined and user-friendly. 

Many experts believe that the global community will begin to shift toward Web3 technologies over more traditional solutions like cloud computing and traditional banking. Users are rapidly becoming more interested in having true ownership of their data, which is something that blockchain technology facilitates. 

In addition, Deloitte's chief futurist Mike Bechtel notes that "blockchain-powered 'trustless ecosystems' are becoming key to the creation and monetization of digital assets." This means that we can expect to see more digital creators releasing content like non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

These NFTs are also likely to gain broader and more practical use as well. For example, NFTs can become secure representations of contracts, or they can unlock richer real-world experiences, such as backstage access at concerts or exclusive viewings of art exhibits. 

Humanoid Robots

It still sounds a bit sci-fi to talk about humanoid robots in the real world, but this is another emerging tech trend that is set to shape the coming year. Recent reports estimate that the market for humanoid robots is expected to grow from $1.5 billion in 2022 to $17.3 billion by 2027, a 63.5% growth rate. 

Elon Musk has already debuted Tesla's first humanoid robot, dubbed Optimus, and says he hopes to begin producing the robots in 2023. Additionally, companies like Apptronik have partnered with NASA to jumpstart the production of a general-purpose humanoid robot. Both companies hope to have commercial availability in 2023 in order to benefit industries like retail, logistics and hospitality.

There are a number of other brands working on humanoid robotics as well, so 2023 robotics growth is expected to be substantial.

Some also believe that humanoid robots would be well-suited to caregiver roles, such as interacting with the elderly or assisting with autistic children.

5G IoT

It's true that 5G is already present in many parts of the world, and the Internet of Things (IoT) is not a new idea. However, 5G is not yet ubiquitous, and the concept of accessible 5G that permeates every area of our lives is still developing. For example, companies like Sateliot are establishing unique satellite constellations to offer global 5G coverage, even in remote areas, which allows smart devices to become more intelligent and more effective worldwide. 

We can expect to see even more connected devices to simplify everyday life in 2023, including wearables, appliances and smart assistants. Statista estimates that over 15.1 billion connected devices will be in use by 2023. 

Many of those will likely be IoT-enabled healthcare devices because experts predict that the market value for them will surge to $267 billion by 2023. 

2023 is Shaping Up to Be a Year of Huge Tech Advances 

Humanity is already pushing the envelope for 2023, and experts are predicting giant leaps forward in everything from how we store data to how we perform the simplest daily tasks. From humanoid robots that can take over repetitive tasks to sophisticated AI companions that help keep seniors happier and healthier, the tech trends we see for 2023 promise to make the world a better, brighter and more exciting place.