Predicting the future of video communication is, for lack of a better word, difficult. While the future is always uncertain, it is especially difficult to predict the future of technology. Technologies, especially in today’s day and age, sprout up and develop extremely quickly. Today’s giants in the tech world are constantly at risk of being overtaken by a new, disruptive technology. The Innovator’s Dilemma clearly persists.  

But having said this, just because it is difficult does not mean that we cannot (or should not) make predictions about the future of video communication. Even though we may be wrong, having a view or thesis on the future of technology can be immensely profitable. In other words, anticipating long-term changes and “future-proofing” yourself can lead to some extremely exciting opportunities—both for you and your business.

This is quite exciting for us at Dubb. Futurism is in our roots. To further explore some of these exciting opportunities in video communication, we at Dubb recently sat down with two well-known futurists to discuss the future of video communication for sales, marketing and beyond. 

Ultimately, their insights were truly fascinating. If their predictions come true, the future is going to be truly surreal—both in our personal lives and our professional lives.

Two Futurists Contemplate the Future

To learn more about some of the future of video communication, we at Dubb spoke with two well-known futurists. The first is Craig Rispin. The second is Brett Leonard.

Craig Rispin loves thinking about the future. His professional bio lists him as a business futurist and innovation expert whose expertise is in emerging business, people and technology trends. Craig is an award-winning speaker and author who has written How to Think Like a Futurist.

It’s safe to say that Craig is in tune with what is around the corner. He is obsessed with anticipating the future and works with well-known clients like Apple, IBM, Pfizer, General Electric, and more. 

“Everything that was science fiction is becoming science reality,” he told me. 

Along with Craig, we spoke with Brett Leonard. We at Dubb have a personal connection to Brett. Brett is the father of my colleague and friend Shannon Leonard. 

Brett Leonard is well-known for having directed a 1992 film called The Lawnmower Man. The film predicted many trends in technology that we see today (like the rise of virtual reality). While

The Lawnmower Man was released several decades ago, he continues to monitor current technology trends and opines about how video communication is going to change through new, disruptive technologies.

The Rise of Computing Everywhere

One of the most notable predictions about the future of video communication centers on the continued proliferation of computing in our world. 

For instance, Brett is bullish on the rise of spatial computing. Spatial computing, if you don’t already know, is the simple idea of blending technology into the world. It essentially makes the hardware disappear. Instead of constantly looking at a phone, desktop, or some other computing device, the output will surround us. 

According to Brett, “We are going to have layers and shelves of data and other alternate realities around us as part of our human identity. That’s really where all human communication is going.” 

Brett says that we are moving into a “visual language era.” This visual language era, however, isn’t going to be solely about flat screens in our home or the world. Instead, according to Brett, “It is going to be all around us in an immersive environment.”

Craig is also thinking hard about the future of this type of computing. He agrees with Brett in that our future is going to be “full walls and full-time.” He thinks that we are still in the early innings of video walls and that they are going to totally transform video communication.

Ask yourself: how will these trends impact your business? What opportunities do they unlock and what challenges will develop? 

Also, with the proliferation of computing, can you use different tactics to build genuine connections with your audience? According to Brett, we should think of our audience as an empowered network of creators rather than simply consumers. On a moment-to-moment basis, your audience is simultaneously creating the brand identity of your organization. What do technologies like spatial computing when working with your audience to shape your brand?

Authentic Communication

Beyond this rise in spatial computing, Craig believes that technology is going to continue changing the nature of video communication. We have already seen great progress. Technologies like augmented reality (“AR”) and virtual reality (“VR”), for instance, are already changing the nature of video communication. Even though they may seem far into the future, many communication platforms right now are using these technologies. As just one simple example, with these communication platforms, we can already customize the backdrop without even needing to have a green screen. 

According to Craig, “We are going to have a lot more of what I call ‘authentic everyday communication’ on an increasing basis. And for some people, that’s eight hours per day, nine hours per day, or twelve hours per day. We’re going to have to get better at filtering.”

Several decades ago, a Canadian philosopher named Marshall McLuhan coined the term “global village.” The basic idea was that the world would become more interconnected due to the propagation of media technologies around the world. That vision has already become a reality. Whether we are attending a conference call on Zoom or sending a video email using Dubb, we can reach nearly anyone in the world at an instant.

Ultimately, technologies like VR and AR are going to bring us even closer together. It’s not just about what we’re saying, but where we are saying it. Yes, this conversation is all about balance. It’s pretty clear that we are not going to completely shift to VR and AR-based communication. That said, it is useful to check out some of the apps that are emerging in video communication. By doing so, you will be in a great position to capitalize on this trend as technology improves.

Deeper Lessons From Future Technology Predictions

Those are just some predictions about the future of video communication for sales, marketing and beyond. Speaking with Craig and Brett, it was fascinating to hear their views of the future. Nevertheless, in these conversations, we were able to take away some deeper lessons on how businesses of all shapes and sizes can anticipate the future.

First, recognize that change is happening extremely quickly. We may have an idea of how the world works one day and then be surprised at how rapidly the game has changed. As just one example, TikTok has become a new, dominant social media platform that is now even a threat to Facebook. While you or a competitor may have had a rock-solid Facebook strategy, you now have to consider whether (and how) TikTok can be a valuable platform for your business. 

Even though we likely can’t control how the future will play out, what we can control is our willingness to adapt to that future. Agility is an extremely important attribute for any organization. While the size of the organization is often inversely correlated with agility, organizations of all shapes and sizes must do their best to quickly capitalize on these rapid paradigm shifts.

Next, have the mindset of an early adopter. One of the best ways to get a sense of the future is to read about and use products that incorporate these futurist ideas. Go to websites like Product Hunt and see what people are building. Read tech and science publications to get a better sense of what is truly on the horizon. Do your best to live in the future and then think about how your organization can prepare itself for that future.

To be clear, being an early adopter doesn’t always pay off. There may be some dead ends and wrong turns. What you think was going to be monumental in the future simply isn’t so. However, being an early adopter lets you learn and identify trends that are likely to occur. Even though you may not have a perfect batting average, this exercise will most likely lead to some exciting opportunities. 

Finally, don’t let technology get in the way. When speaking about the future, it is easy to get excited about the technology itself. Having said this, it is important to not get bogged down with technology. Everything does not have to be futurist or technologically sophisticated. In fact, technology can get in the way and inhibit us from communicating with each other.

At the end of the day, it is about people connecting. Therefore, we need to create a balance between old-world and new-world communication. We must, once again, be agile and determine which tools are most appropriate for different situations. There is lots of discretion here, and to be honest, you may make some mistakes. That said, by continuing to think about this balance, you will avoid getting unnecessarily bogged down with technology when serving your customers. 

 

A Fascinating Future

The future of video communication is tremendously exciting. Using these technologies, we will be able to better connect and communicate with each other. We will be able to build closer relationships with our audiences. Ultimately, the good times will continue for content creators.

Whether or not the future plays out according to plan, however, the bottom line is that all of us must monitor these video communication trends. We must recognize that change is happening quickly and that our businesses must move quickly to capitalize on these trends. But above all, we must remember that we can’t let technology get in the way of serving our customers. Keeping all of these things in mind, we will be able to better anticipate and take advantage of an exciting future.