What’s next in marketing, healthcare, A.I., and beyond.
If we could gaze into a crystal ball and forecast the biggest business trends of the new year, what would we see?
Unfortunately, the ability to look into the future is still just a pipe dream (maybe that’s something ChatGPT can get working on?), but we can get a pretty good idea of what’s to come, thanks to a few professional heavyweights who know their industries like the backs of their hands.
To get the scoop on what’s percolating, we reached out to a handful of innovative, experienced leaders with a keen sense of what’s just around the corner. Below, they each share their take on this big question: What do you expect will be the biggest trend or innovation in your field over the next year?
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Kristin Sverchek, president, Lyft: “A greater focus on hybrid workspaces. The first few years of the pandemic were all about remote work arrangements, and 2023 was all about returning to the office. But as we’ve all seen, this doesn’t mean a return to the past. By and large, employers haven’t demanded that employees come back five days a week. Rather, we’ve seen hybrid, remote, and in-person experiences become the norm, and employers will need to continue to grapple with how to make the in-office experience inviting and exciting while balancing the needs of the remote workforce, ensuring that no matter where you’re physically located, you experience a sense of belonging.”
Alex Amouyel, president and CEO, Newman’s Own Foundation: “I’m excited about reclaiming philanthropy and celebrating the everyday philanthropist. When we think of philanthropists, we tend to think about the billionaires who create large foundations, many of which don’t allow unsolicited applications. But the most generous Americans on a percentage basis are those making $50,000 a year or less, who give away 8 percent of their income, versus an average of 2.1 percent. New innovative models and organizations are helping to tap into the collective power of small donations and to move decision-making to communities, and I can’t wait to see more of these in the years ahead.”
Devika Mathrani, SVP, chief marketing and communications officer, NewYork-Presbyterian: “Storytelling has always been a part of healthcare marketing, but we’re starting to see it happen more authentically. Social media has accelerated a culture of people wanting to share their most vulnerable moments. Patients are becoming more forthcoming about navigating the emotional journey of the ‘before, during, and after’ of health challenges or crises — often to say thank you to their care team or support others facing a similar challenge. Patients are engaging directly with each other and building peer communities. This is another form of education and knowledge, which in our world creates empowerment, comfort, and empathy.”
Robert Sutton, organizational psychologist, Stanford University: “Strategic slowness will be the key to success for innovative leaders and companies in the coming year. So many fiascos fueled by hurry sickness — the rash and failed decision to fire Sam Altman at OpenAI, the terrible and unethical choices made by convicted felon Sam Bankman-Fried and his colleagues at FTX, the string of impulsive missteps by Elon Musk at X that have destroyed more than 50 percent of the company’s value, Elizabeth Holmes’s conviction for fraud at Theranos — will finally convince investors and leaders that they need to become more adept at hitting the brakes. Knowing when and how to slow down and fix things is the path to enduring financial success, building healthy workplaces, and staying out of jail, too. This is one of the main insights in my new book with Huggy Rao, The Friction Project: How Smart Leaders Make the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder.”
David Ko, CEO, Calm: “It has been encouraging to see organizations answer the U.S. Surgeon General’s call to action to play a significant role in employee mental health. In 2024, workplaces will start to provide mental health training that empowers employees to talk about their state of mind, particularly managers. Data shows many managers don’t know how to have mental health conversations. Training will teach them how to approach subjects like stress from a heavy workload and how to get employees to the right resources when struggling. When mental health becomes a priority at every level of the organization, workplaces will see change.”
Catherine Fisher, LinkedIn career expert: “AI will unlock new possibilities at work and beyond. If you’ve seen the headlines, then you know: The era of AI at work is here. Despite its newness, I couldn’t be more excited to see how its impact spreads across industries and jobs in 2024 and the possibilities that come with it. One aspect I — and many U.S. workers, according to our recent data — love is the time you get back as you start using AI to assist you. With this new tool, they’re excited to focus on what they enjoy more, find better balance, learn, and connect more. And that’s enough cause for an exciting new year.”
Cori Davis, chief people officer, Genentech: “Employees increasingly expect employers to take a stance on sociopolitical and geopolitical issues. Acknowledging issues and events that affect employees is important, as is giving people an inclusive and safe space to express their concerns. However, it can be challenging to navigate what people expect and need, given the complexity of national and global issues. Leaders must grapple with tough questions: What’s our company’s role in taking a stance on issues? How can we best support our diverse workforce across the wide variety of events that could impact them? What responsibility do we have to our external stakeholders?”
Dafna Mizrahi, CEO and co-founder, Curamia Tequila: “The spirits industry has fallen behind on committing to environmental awareness, but with 72 percent of global consumers willing to pay more for sustainable products, we’ll see a larger focus in 2024 on pushing that agenda forward. At Curamia Tequila, for example, our marketing uses clay cups instead of the standard glass or plastic, and we encourage cocktails to be served with agave straws. We also operate fully digitally, even down to our business cards, and our recipes feature carefully curated ingredients. We’ll see more and more brands prioritize the environment this year, and this momentum will push professionals to think more holistically about sustainability.”
Emi Gal, founder and CEO, Ezra: “I expect to see more use of AI in the health and wellness industry next year. This past year we already saw some incredible innovations that have the power to change lives, including our AI technology to increase the quality of MRI images and assist radiologists when analyzing them, helping detect cancer early. Given the current economic climate, I predict more companies will integrate AI into their services to make health and wellness more affordable and accessible to a wider group of people. I’d also keep my eye on how companies are bringing health monitoring directly to people’s homes.”
Katie Williams, U.S. chief marketing officer, Haleon: “I’m energized by the explosion of honest conversations about women’s health. It’s about time we truly talk about our everyday health — and do so with more humanity. That means focusing on the women we create our products and services for at every stage of their health journeys. In 2024, we’ll be keeping an eye on innovation happening across reproductive health and menopause, while staying apprised of emerging trends. We’ll continue to respond to what women need to support their well-being and help strengthen the community of expert and peer voices they can turn to for trustworthy, actionable information.”
Ryan Close, CEO and founder, Bartesian: “As the leader of a company that sits at the intersection of the technology and spirits industries, I project continued innovation in at-home tech as more and more consumers are opting to enjoy their drinks at home. Additionally, the desire for a customizable drinking experience will be increasingly popular in 2024 as lower ABV drinks and mocktails rise in popularity.”
Jeannette Bankes, president and general manager, global surgical franchise, Alcon: “In eye care, demand for ophthalmologists and optometrists continues to outpace supply — a trend that is projected to continue for the foreseeable future. This means that innovations across eye care will need to focus on driving efficiencies for healthcare professionals without compromising patient outcomes. We expect the industry will continue to focus more on digital solutions that connect clinics to operating rooms, streamline workflows for staff, and provide patient and physician education. We also expect future innovations like robotics and AI to play a significant role as the gap widens — this is a developing area for industry response.”
Olivier Bogillot, head of U.S. general medicines, Sanofi: “An incredible trend transforming the lives of patients is our increased understanding of the immune system. This knowledge is exemplified by advances in type 1 diabetes (T1D), an illness that often first presents in children. Because type 1 diabetes develops in stages over time, there are blood tests that can detect T1D before any noticeable symptoms arise, before insulin is required, and potentially before any serious complications occur. By taking the step to have our children, family members, or even ourselves screened, we may give ourselves more time to prepare and plan for the future with a lifelong condition.”
Jennifer Litton, MD, vice president of clinical research and professor of breast medical oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center: “Recently, the pace of drug development has outpaced the growth of several of my patients’ cancers. Many of these clinical research breakthroughs required robust science, evaluation of genes, and studying the tumor tissue at multiple time points. These lifesaving clinical trials, however, require access to academic centers, limiting availability to many across our country. As we look ahead, we must reconsider how we design clinical trials so that we can include more people, identify and remove racial biases, measure meaningful patient outcomes, partner with local physicians and labs, and build upon the digital technology that allowed us to care for people remotely during the Covid pandemic.”
Dr. Michael R. Jaff, DO, vice president and chief medical officer, peripheral interventions, Boston Scientific: “The biggest impact we’ll see next year is the impact of real-world evidence. This new real-time data is enabling faster insights and deeper analysis into patient care. We now have access to data that can help fill the gaps left by clinical trials or patient registry studies, which (while important!) can take years to complete. Real-world data can help clinicians understand how various therapies and devices perform in complex real-life settings in near real-time so they can make the most informed decisions for their patients. This has the potential to revolutionize the industry and how we understand patient care.”
Ha Hong, chief AI officer, Medtronic Endoscopy: “AI is dominating daily conversation, yet for well over a decade it’s been rapidly evolving. With rapid progress, however, the need for transparency and cross-collaboration elevates substantially. In 2024, it’ll be a year of sharp focus on safety and clinical effectiveness, particularly for AI-powered medical devices. We’ll also see their potential unlocked through collaborative digital ecosystems. While the possibilities of AI are endless, fostering a culture of collective growth, learning, and accountability is paramount.”
