To help you understand how artificial intelligence is changing the technology industry and what we expect to happen in the future, our highly experienced Kiplinger Letter team will keep you abreast of the latest developments and forecasts (Get a free issue of The Kiplinger Letter or subscribe). You'll get all the latest news first by subscribing, but we will publish many (but not all) of the forecasts a few days afterward online. Here’s the latest…
Videoconferencing platforms are rolling out a slew of gee-whiz features. Chalk it up to emerging artificial intelligence tools that give Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Zoom and others the ability to add something of a virtual assistant to every online meeting.
Microsoft Teams is using AI to isolate a speaker’s voice to ensure the person is heard clearly, to automatically take notes and share them at the end, and to digitally unclutter your home office or even add a realistic plant. Zoom, too, is adding auto-notetaking and summaries that are sent to all attendees.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get up to 4 Special Issues
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Google Meet can now detect when you raise your hand, so users don’t have to worry about clicking an icon to grab someone’s attention. Another futuristic Google feature: The ability to touch up your skin, smooth your complexion and whiten your eyes...
Will AI-powered virtual meetings boost productivity? It may take a while. The most useful features could be the least exciting, such as gesture detection to make online meetings more seamless. Others will need buy-in from workers, especially futuristic features, such as Microsoft offering avatars in a virtual world.
Even meeting summaries, a very promising idea, will only work if folks read them. Companies should stay on top of updates to get more bang for their buck, as most of them are being added for no extra cost for firms with subscriptions.
Even if you aren’t interested in emerging AI tools or AI-powered meetings, you will soon be using generative AI, in one form or another. The tech, which uses lots of computing power to generate text, images, computer code, etc. is poised to seep into all sorts of computing tasks. That includes operating systems, search bars, camera editing software, mobile games, email apps, smart speakers and work collaboration tools.
For example, Adobe Photoshop already uses AI to create images or transform photos, and LinkedIn uses it to help write user posts. Microsoft is racing to pack Windows with generative AI. Ditto, Alphabet and Meta.
So don’t hold your breath for a single breakthrough dominated by one event, app or company, as generative AI spreads.
One takeaway: Beyond today’s leaders in AI, there’s lots of potential for other companies, including start-ups, to benefit from the increasingly accessible AI tools. Meanwhile, businesses can look for new AI in coming updates of the software they use, which could lead to productivity wins.
This forecast first appeared in The Kiplinger Letter, which has been running since 1923 and is a collection of concise weekly forecasts on business and economic trends, as well as what to expect from Washington, to help you understand what’s coming up to make the most of your investments and your money. Subscribe to The Kiplinger Letter.
Related Content
-
I'm want to give my 3 grandkids $5K each for Christmas.You're comfortably retired and want to give your grandkids a big Christmas check, but their parents are worried they might spend it all. We ask the pros for help.
-
If You're Not Doing Roth Conversions, You Need to Read ThisRoth conversions and other Roth strategies can be complex, but don't dismiss these tax planning tools outright. They could really work for you and your heirs.
-
Could Traditional Retirement Expectations Be Killing Us?A retirement psychologist makes the case: A fulfilling retirement begins with a blueprint for living, rather than simply the accumulation of a large nest egg.
-
AI Appliances Aren’t Exciting Buyers…YetThe Kiplinger Letter Artificial intelligence is being embedded into all sorts of appliances. Now sellers need to get customers to care about AI-powered laundry.
-
What to Expect from the Global Economy in 2026The Kiplinger Letter Economic growth across the globe will be highly uneven, with some major economies accelerating while others hit the brakes.
-
The AI Boom Will Lift IT Spending Next YearThe Kiplinger Letter 2026 will be one of strongest years for the IT industry since the PC boom and early days of the Web in the mid-1990s.
-
Amid Mounting Uncertainty: Five Forecasts About AIThe Kiplinger Letter With the risk of overspending on AI data centers hotly debated, here are some forecasts about AI that we can make with some confidence.
-
Worried About an AI Bubble? Here’s What You Need to KnowThe Kiplinger Letter Though AI is a transformative technology, it’s worth paying attention to the rising economic and financial risks. Here’s some guidance to navigate AI’s future.
-
Will AI Videos Disrupt Social Media?The Kiplinger Letter With the introduction of OpenAI’s new AI social media app, Sora, the internet is about to be flooded with startling AI-generated videos.
-
What Services Are Open During the Government Shutdown?The Kiplinger Letter As the shutdown drags on, many basic federal services will increasingly be affected.
-
The Economy on a Knife's EdgeThe Letter GDP is growing, but employers have all but stopped hiring as they watch how the trade war plays out.
