Innovative Thinking

Intuit CTO Predicts a Virtual, AI-enriched, Connected Future in 2021

Heading into 2021, Intuit CTO Marianna Tessel took some time to reflect on what the future holds for technology innovation in the wake of a devastating 2020 that disrupted nearly every aspect of our everyday lives. Here are her predictions for how this year will play out! An online/virtual technology (r)evolution In many ways, the

Written by Intuit Blog team
Published Jan 28, 2021 - [Updated Nov 10, 2022]
2 min read

An online/virtual technology (r)evolution
In many ways, the pandemic has accelerated the rate of innovation and set the stage for a tech renaissance. We’re at an inflection point for how we use and incorporate technology into our everyday lives – from remote work technology, to streaming and entertainment services, to virtual marketplaces and online services. This past year, we, as a society, were forced to move our lives online, pushing the limits of our existing technology and tools. In the new year, we expect to see rapid innovation and improvements on technology and tools that create rich virtual experiences, as well as a permanent shift in some aspects of how we work and live our everyday lives.

AI-first apps changing customer experiences
How we write applications and how our customers experience them continues to change with hyper-personalization. As AI matures and becomes ubiquitous across the tech stack throughout the next year, it will become integral to the way apps are developed and used. Traditional point-and-click navigation will be replaced with conversational interfaces. Apps will be built so they can be personalized to exact customer needs, leveraging terabytes of clean, organized data with real-time features to drive personalized experiences across all touchpoints, ushering in the next generation of technology and design.

Tech driving small business transformation
Small businesses are managing a ton of uncertainty as the pandemic drags on and continues to impact everything from customer interactions to revenue. While it’s clear that AI and technology will play an instrumental role in helping these businesses rebuild over the next few years, it will also be critical to small businesses becoming more efficient and automated. Much like larger organizations have felt the push to undergo a digital transformation, in 2021, small businesses will need to reinvent themselves – to find ways to totally revolutionize the way they think about financial data, logistics, customer recruitment, and retention.

New IoT generation
Gadgets, devices, and home IoT have increased in popularity during the past year as people have looked to modernize and connect their environment. We expect to see this continue in the new normal, with IoT moving from home into the office and social settings, giving rise to a new generation of connected devices. Additionally, we expect to see more sophisticated technology arrive on the scene as every industry, from entertainment to medical, looks to adapt to evolving consumer demands.