The Tech Predictor edition of Connected magazine is always a fun one. It’s a time for celebration and for the industry to sit back, look at all it has accomplished and then try and guess what’s to come.

In this Tech Predictor edition, several key industry players give their two cents (four predictions) for what the future holds in the integration industry, through both a commercial and residential lens. Connected magazine polled several industry figures to get a true cross-section of what the future might look like.

The integration industry took another step away from the pandemic and was in the swing of things in 2023, hitting the regular circuit of industry events, including ISE Europe, InfoComm, several CEDIA events in the States, the CEDIA Tech Summit at Sea World Resort, Gold Coast and the AETM Conference.

One of the biggest topics for the world at large, and most definitely for this technology-driven industry, was artificial intelligence (AI). AI really came to the forefront this year as ChatGPT, which debuted in late November 2022, spread its wings, and it seems as though the industry is only scratching the surface of what it can do for AV. There were also AI-generated images and some videos that certainly received a few laughs in the past 12 months, but as the technology matures, the potential is tremendous.

AI has bucketloads of potential when it comes to content creation but for the moment, it’s still in its infancy. Some companies are venturing into the unknown when it comes to content creation and it’s exciting to see.

Josh.ai appears to be taking the first steps into the AV and AI world with its JoshGPT solution. Josh.ai chief executive Alex Capecelatro believes that generative AI has amazing potential in the tech space but can work wonders to enhance the user experience with predictive assistance and smart home living.

But where some immediate value is with AI and how far it can push the AV industry is in its financial benefits. AI and all its bells and whistles improve the user experience and should, in turn, help push customers over the edge when it comes to opting for smart home technology or AV solutions.

One of the more critical parts of the industry is the business side. Another year on from the pandemic and business might look like it’s returning to normal, but now integrators must wrestle with a global recession. Interest rate hikes, among other factors, are hurting some residential customers’ hip pockets and non-essential spending could really feel a pinch.

While this might hurt some in the smart home industry, there are several opportunities opening up in new parts of the industry, including one in smart homes for those living with a disability. At the 2023 CEDIA Tech Summit on the Gold Coast, CEDIA’s Paul Skelton said that the disability sector could be a huge growth market for the industry, and in the past few months, one customer specifically asked for a CEDIA-certified integrator to install their smart home solutions. Paul said that this could be one avenue where the industry repositions itself from a luxury to a necessity.

This is merely one of the additional opportunities that could present itself in the coming year (and beyond). Our Tech Predictors run through some additional opportunities for the smart home market both internationally and in Australia.

So, as you click on the links below, imagine you’re at a carnival somewhere in the United States, you’ve just thrown a quarter into a mysterious-looking machine with a spooky figure in it and a ticket has popped out, saying your wish has been granted. Enjoy the predictions for the future of the integrator industry:

• Rich Green, president of Rich Green Design
• Sean Wargo, vice president of market intelligence at AVIXA
• Alex Capecelatro, chief executive of Josh.ai
• Alan Chow, director at Chowmain Soft
• Mike Blackman, managing director of ISE
• Sean Carroll, editor of Connected magazine