The Future of AI: What’s Coming Next?

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) over the past few years has been undeniable, and the advances being made are poised to revolutionize companies, economies, and societies in the years to come.  “We’re now building machines that have human intellectual equivalence,” said Zack Kass, prominent AI futurist with over a decade spent in artificial intelligence leadership, including a stint as Head of Go-To-Market at artificial intelligence research firm OpenAI. According to Kass, the “AI Revolution” started with tools like text-to-image and text-to-video, and it has now evolved to things like text-to-vector (i.e., CAD) and even text-to-smell. “The technology is expanding all the time, and we’re truly looking at a multi-modal future,” Kass said.  In his current consultative role, Kass has advised high-profile organizations like Coca-Cola, Boeing, and even The White House on AI strategy. He spoke about the future of AI at AEM’s Annual Conference in November. What that future ultimately looks like will largely depend on how societies choose to leverage AI.

Save the Date: 2025 AEM Annual Conference -- Join AEM Nov. 19-21, 2025, at the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa in Aventura, Florida. For more information, visit aem.org/annual.  As Kass explained, some elements of society have reservations regarding how the proliferation of AI could displace workers and, perhaps, even result in a more dehumanized world where people are more interested in virtual reality than an actual physical one. Some also wonder if AI could result in an intellectual de-evolution of humans.

Perhaps the biggest concern is what could happen if AI goes awry. The unintended consequences of machine learning, resulting from what a machine is not trained on what not to do, are real. “The good news is that the smartest people in AI are focused on this alignment problem,” Kass pointed out.  

Another good news is that the cost of implementing AI has decreased significantly as technology advances. Developing the next iteration, such as evolving from ChatGPT 3.5 to ChatGPT 4.0, does require significant investment. But the cost has come down exponentially for everyday organizations to begin leveraging the latest tools.

“The cost to run ChatGPT 4 was $60 per million tokens (units of data an AI model processes),” Kass shared as an example. “Today it’s around $4. That’s important because anytime a critical resource declines in price this much and this fast, there is an economic explosion. Very good things happen when very important things become inexpensive.”

​Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly evolving, poised to significantly impact various sectors shortly. Here's an overview of anticipated developments:​

Advancements in AI Technology

AI is transitioning towards more sophisticated models capable of processing diverse data types, including text, images, audio, and video. These advanced multimodal models aim to integrate and interpret various data forms seamlessly, enhancing AI's applicability across different domains. ​

Industry Transformations

• Healthcare: AI is set to revolutionize healthcare by improving diagnostics, personalizing treatment plans, and streamlining administrative tasks. These advancements promise enhanced patient outcomes and operational efficiency.

• Education: In the educational sector, AI is facilitating personalized learning experiences, automating administrative duties, and providing intelligent tutoring systems, thereby enriching the overall learning process. ​

• Customer Service: The integration of AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants is transforming customer service by offering prompt and accurate responses, leading to improved customer satisfaction. 

AI and Employment

The rise of AI-driven automation is reshaping the job market. While certain roles may become obsolete, new opportunities are emerging, necessitating a workforce adept in AI-related skills. This shift underscores the importance of reskilling and upskilling initiatives. ​

Ethical and Societal Considerations

As AI becomes more pervasive, addressing ethical concerns such as data privacy, algorithmic bias, and the societal impact of automation is crucial. Establishing robust frameworks for responsible AI development and deployment is imperative to mitigate potential risks. 

Future Outlook

The trajectory of AI suggests a future where it seamlessly integrates into daily life, driving innovation across sectors. Ongoing research and collaboration among stakeholders are essential to harness AI's potential responsibly and effectively.

the Future in Three Phases

Kass envisions three phases of integration in what he calls the AI Revolution. Phase 1, the enhanced application phase, is already well underway. This is where organizations and individuals begin leveraging AI as standalone applications and tools embedded in everyday software.  Phase 2, expected to begin unfolding in 2027, ushers in an era of autonomous agents where goals and tasks are assigned to machines. Those machines then carry out those tasks across different applications. “It’s like Siri that actually works,” Kass said with a laugh.  Phase 3, expected to commence around 2035, is where AI shifts to more of a natural language operating system, where communicating with AI will be very similar to human-to-human communication. Kass is most excited about this phase because it opens the door to AI adoption by the masses—even those who are not technologically savvy.  “A big problem with the digital divide today is that machines are not second nature, and a lot of people get left behind because they don’t know how to use technology,” Kass said. “Phase 3 is going to change that. The accessibility of this technology is going to materially improve.”  Given that, the world will soon have access to fully integrated and unmetered intelligence.  “We are entering our next renaissance,” Kass said. “We’re about to see a massive expansion of human potential. So, one of the questions we have to ask is how we will harness machines in this next renaissance.

🚀 Phase 1: Narrow AI Expansion (Present - 2026)

Key Traits: Specialized intelligence, task-specific systems

Examples: Chatbots, facial recognition, recommendation engines

In this phase, AI continues to excel at specific, narrow tasks — like identifying objects in images, translating languages, or automating customer support. We’ll see:

• More personalized AI in everyday apps (like smart assistants or health trackers)
• Greater AI use in industries like finance, education, and logistics
• Multimodal models (AI that can understand images, text, and audio at once)

Takeaway: Narrow AI is evolving fast, but it still needs humans for direction and context.

🧩 Phase 2: General AI Emergence (2026 - 2035)

Key Traits: Human-level intelligence, adaptable thinking

Potential Capabilities: Learning across domains, making ethical decisions, autonomous reasoning  

This is where things get interesting — Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) will begin to emerge. These systems won’t just perform specific tasks; they’ll be able to learn anything a human can. Expected developments:

• AI that can hold meaningful conversations, remember context, and adapt over time
• Use in medical diagnostics, legal reasoning, and scientific discovery
• Rising ethical questions around autonomy, bias, and accountability 

Takeaway: AGI will require new frameworks for trust, safety, and coexistence with humans.

🌌 Phase 3: Superintelligent AI (2035 and beyond)

Key Traits: Intelligence far surpassing human capability

Possible Impacts: Technological singularity, rapid innovation, unknown consequences 

This phase is hypothetical but heavily discussed. Superintelligent AI could:

• Solve complex problems like climate change, disease eradication, or interstellar travel
• Outthink human experts in every field 
• Lead to existential risks if not aligned with human values

Organizational cooperation and ethical safeguards will be essential. Organizations like OpenAI, DeepMind, and academic institutions are actively working on AI alignment to ensure this phase benefits humanity.

Takeaway: This is the phase of maximum potential — and risk. Glob