AI Forecast: Industries we can expect to transform by 2030

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are disrupting existing markets. But it’s not only technology-driven industries that are affected. Find out how we can expect knowledge work to transform in the next five years, too.

Senior Content Marketing Specialist

Martina Ivanović

Senior Content Marketing Specialist

Since the grand entrance of large language models (LLMs) and generative AI into the world, we’ve seen many industries transform before us – enabling new and innovative use cases within customer operations, marketing and sales, software engineering, as well as research and development. 

The industries that have been quick to adopt these technologies are banking and finance, retail and eCommerce, media and marketing, and IT. And they’ve seen astonishing results. 

But it seems AI and machine learning are only getting started

Research shows that generative AI has the potential to generate $2.6 trillion to $4.4 trillion in value across industries. And that 50% of the work activities that took place in 2023 could be automated by 2060. 

The adoption of AI and machine learning that we’re experiencing today is only the beginning – and it will trickle into more industries as we see further developments and even more use cases. 

But to understand the effect these technologies will have on industries that require heavy human involvement like education, law, social work, and the arts, let’s first look at why businesses are turning to these solutions and some of the positive outcomes we’ve seen so far. 

Why businesses are implementing AI solutions 

From internal processes to customer communication – conversational AI, generative AI, and machine learning technologies have helped businesses automate various parts of their operations, resulting in higher outputs, lower costs, and ultimately higher ROI

32%

of businesses worldwide have already adopted AI into their operations

42%

are exploring options for adoption in the future

The key areas of AI for business use can be summed up into three benefits: 

  1. Data processing: Businesses with a lot of data benefit most from AI technology, as it can process data quickly to produce new outcomes and learn overtime with new data inputs. 
  2. Cost reduction: AI solutions are cheaper than human labor, and cloud-based, plug-and-play solutions that require no on-premises infrastructure or coding knowledge help businesses hit the ground running. 
  3. Predictive analysis: One of AI’s strong suits is its ability to recognize patterns and provide insight on future outcomes. This can save businesses vast amounts of time and money, and can help generate revenue by recommending products or services to customers likely to churn.

Piecing these parts together, industries of all sizes have started to transform with a wide range of new use cases which businesses can implement internally and externally. And the payoff often leads to increased revenue, lower costs, and higher customer satisfaction

Here are a few of the most popular ways AI is used in the business landscape today: 

The existing impact of AI 

Let’s look at the impact AI has had on the industries that are in full swing of its adoption: 

Banking and Finance 

The banking and finance industry has always been pinned for sticking to traditional forms of operation. But AI has changed the game with chatbots, virtual assistants, and personalized banking to name a few examples. 

Cloud-based AI solutions have made it easier for banks to: 

  • provide always-on customer support 
  • send fraud detection alerts 
  • bundle products and services based on customer profiles
  • quicken identity verification processes without human intervention
  • reduce loan application and approval process times

A good example of an AI-first bank is Capital One, which released its NLP virtual assistant, Eno, in 2017 to serve customers through its mobile app, on its website, and via SMS or email. Customers can contact Eno to check their bank balance, track purchases, pay bills online, and monitor their accounts. 

The virtual assistant also doubles as a fraud alert tool and is set up to prevent potential card fraud by creating virtual card numbers (VCN) for specific merchants. Eno automatically fills payment pages and forms with these virtual numbers to simplify the process and increase security for customer accounts. 

Why hasn’t legacy banking been disrupted by tech firms?  It probably will be at some point. But we have an opportunity to disrupt our own industry.

Neobanks, banking platforms that operates exclusively online, have also entered the market, providing customers with AI-powered experiences that are accessible and easy to use.  

Blink is a neobank that has a vision to drive innovation in the market and tackle financial inclusion in the region. It was born out of a simple belief: money is meant to be easy; it’s meant to work for people, and not the other way around. 

Zein Malhas 

CEO of Blink 

Retail and eCommerce 

Retail and eCommerce brands are tackling their own unique set of challenges related to customer service, product inventory, and marketing campaigns with AI, using it to: 

  • Forecast demand for products to avoid surplus inventory or stock shortages. Starbucks, for example, uses AI to analyze weather, community events, and historical data to predict the required inventory and staff levels needed at specific times.
  • Analyze customer data to provide personalized recommendations and set up targeted marketing campaigns. Amazon does a good job leveraging AI to analyze customer purchase history, search queries, and browsing habits to suggest products. 
  • Setting up conversational chatbots on customers’ favorite channels to help them browse products, place an order, make a payment, and receive support all in the same place 

Podravka used AI to power its mobile and web app, Coolinarka, to influence healthy food choices for its users. Its SuperfoodChef-AI shares nutritional information and educates users on healthy recipes, linking to recipes on its website. Now the platform has 40% more active users and 39% spend more time on the platform.

Healthcare 

The healthcare industry has seen some of the most transformative use cases when it comes to AI. From medical diagnosis to drug discovery and virtual checkups, AI has filled gaps in healthcare faster than we could have imagined. 

AI is projected to be a $187 billion industry in healthcare by 2030.

Here are the most common ways healthcare organizations use AI technology for the greater good: 

  • Diagnosing diseases and creating personalized treatment plans 
  • Offering 24/7 monitoring and support for chronic illnesses via a virtual assistant 
  • Sending medication reminders and refill alerts 
  • Providing health information and tips 
  • Offering virtual health services to remote regions 
  • Automating administrative tasks including paperwork, billing, and scheduling 

The industry-wide results are remarkable, making healthcare more accessible and accurate. 

Megi Health Platform optimized its patient care with an AI chatbot to help patients record and control their blood pressure, track symptoms, receive information related to their health goals, and connect with a doctor when needed. Now, Megi has a customer satisfaction score of 86% and managed to cut data collection time by 65%. 

Apollo 24|7 is another healthcare platform with an aim to digitally transform the healthcare sector. The platform expanded its mobile app services to conversational channels and built an AI-powered WhatsApp chatbot – equipped with a symptom tracker, appointment scheduler, and live support. The platform saw 20% less calls to its call center and 15% more conversions

Insurance 

We’re expecting AI to shift the insurance industry from a “detect and repair” to a “predict and prevent” model in the next few years. But that’s not to say we haven’t seen big strides in the right direction. 

AI has simplified the long and tedious processes that come to mind when we think of insurance: processing claims, sending documents, making regular payments, and renewing policies. 

Conversational channels powered by AI cut time for these processes in half, enabling two-way real-time communication where clients can share pictures, videos, and documents all in one place. With the vast amounts of data insurance companies hold, AI technology makes it easy to personalize and tailor products, services, and communication to yield better business outcomes. 

That’s why LAQO decided to build a WhatsApp chatbot – to provide fast, personalized, and accessible support by answering customers’ questions about insurance packages, add-ons, regional requirements, and more. Now the company resolves 90% of queries within 3 to 5 messages, and 30% of queries are handled by its AI assistant. 

4 Industries AI will affect in the next five years 

But these are not the only industries taking an AI-first approach. Soon, we’ll see knowledge work industries including education, law, the arts, and social work, take on new use cases and adopt this technology as well.  

Here’s how we can expect AI and machine learning to affect these industries: 

Education 

We can expect to see more immersive learning experiences within the next few years. From AI-driven tutors that provide one-on-one chat assistance and mimic a human tutor to virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) that will create interactive experiences for hard-to-understand subjects. 

We can also expect hands-on learning and gamification to increase student motivation and engagement, while real-time translations and speech-to-text tools will make education accessible and inclusive for all.

Generation Alpha is absolutely different than our generation. We call them digital natives because they don’t know what the world was like before the internet. These kids are the future consumers, teachers, and members of our society. Therefore, we need to understand them and adopt a new teaching system for them.

Marin Troselj

CO-Founder & CEO, STEMI

Teachers, however, will benefit from AI automation for grading tests and assignments, tracking attendance, and monitoring classroom behavior. 

Admissions processes and application analysis for higher education will also be streamlined as AI sorts through them more efficiently, analyzing data and providing predictive insights to optimize enrollment strategies. 

The legal services industry consists of a wide range of practices and specializations, and AI can help any or all of them. 

With its power to process vast databases, AI will be able to: 

  • find relevant precedents and legal arguments 
  • predict case outcomes based on historical data 
  • schedule appointments and provide basic legal information 
  • tailor legal advice and solutions to clients 
  • automate document management and billing processes 
  • maintain compliance with new laws and standards 

How will this help? Lawyers will be able to build stronger cases, advise clients more effectively, improve customer satisfaction, and offer more affordable services. 

The arts 

Generative AI changed the perspective of AI in the arts industry, since now it can create original content. What might this look like in the future? 

Artists will be able to use AI to generate ideas, create new forms of arts, and explore innovative techniques. It will also be able to provide inspiration and suggestions to artists painting, composing, or writing. And leveraging its data, AI systems might be able to create its own original work, too. 

From a business perspective, artists can use AI to analyze market trends, predict the value of their artwork, and get recommendations for pricing – optimizing sales and marketing efforts

They can also increase engagement with AI-powered personalized recommendations and interactive art installments that respond to movement, voice, or emotions. While museums and galleries might take a new form through augmented reality experiences, interactive guides, and personalized tours. 

Artists with accessibility barriers will likely experience greater inclusivity as we can except AI to help visually impaired artists create and engage with visual art through tactile interfaces and audio descriptions. 

Social work 

AI’s impact on the social work industry is expected to result in greater efficiency, better client outcomes, and data-driven decision-making. Here are some key changes we can expect to see in the next few years: 

  • Enhanced case management: AI-powered tools will streamline administrative tasks such as documentation, scheduling, and data entry, allowing social workers to dedicate more time to direct client interactions. Automated systems can also track case progress and provide reminders for follow-up actions. 
  • Predictive analytics: AI will analyze vast amounts of data to identify at-risk individuals and families, enabling early intervention and more effective allocation of resources. Predictive models can forecast potential crises and help social workers prioritize cases based on urgency and need. 
  • Personalized interventions: Machine learning algorithms will tailor interventions to individual clients by analyzing their unique circumstances, history, and needs. This personalized approach will improve the effectiveness of social services and support tailored treatment plans. 
  • Virtual support and counseling: AI-driven chatbots and virtual assistants will provide round-the-clock support for clients, offering immediate assistance and resources. These tools can also facilitate initial assessments and triage, ensuring that clients receive timely help. 
  • Training and professional development: AI will support social worker training by offering interactive simulations and real-time feedback. These advanced training programs can help social workers develop and refine their skills, leading to better client outcomes. 

These changes through AI will help social workers become more proactive, data-informed, and client-centered, leading to more effective and efficient social services. 

Charities and non-profit organizations will benefit from AI-powered tools, too.  

Milaap is South Asia’s largest crowdfunding platform, and it’s already moving in the right direction. With a WhatsApp chatbot, Milaap enables its community to make donations, receive real-time alerts, share campaigns, and ask questions all in one place. This approach has driven higher user engagement, click-through rates, and gross dollar volume payments. 

The future is powered by AI but built for humans 

We’ve seen many industries take strides forward regarding AI adoption and innovative use cases. But there is more to come. 

Industries that rely on heavy human involvement will begin to incorporate the data processing, predictive analysis, and automation AI technologies offer to create immersive experiences alongside the emotional understanding and critical thinking that humans provide.  

Education, law, social work, and the arts are all on the road to transformation through AI. And as new use cases are realized, these customer experiences will continue to grow even more connected, engaging, and powerful

Ready to implement AI use cases for your business?

Talk to an expert
Jun 13th, 2024
11 min read
Senior Content Marketing Specialist

Martina Ivanović

Senior Content Marketing Specialist