Humans will still play a crucial role — but instead of assembling parts or operating machinery, they will maintain robots and keep them running.

In these future factories, robots coordinate in unison, completing work automatically — without breaks, every hour of the day — to get products out the door. 

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While Nvidia initially developed its graphics processing units (GPUs) for gaming, these chips turned out to be ideal for powering AI tasks. Now, the company is focusing its efforts on providing the computing hardware — notably its A100 and H100 GPUs — and the software infrastructure required for developing generative AI applications.

Amid the generative AI rush, Nvidia has grown rapidly. In fact, it recently surpassed Microsoft and Apple to become the world’s most valuable company. To bolster its leadership position and keep ahead of AI computing competitors like AMD and Intel, Nvidia has forged relationships with companies across the AI landscape.

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Research & development (R&D) productivity has steadily declined over the past century, which means businesses must spend more on R&D to keep technological advancement moving forward. The manufacturing sector alone accounts for over half of total R&D investment in the US, according to the National Science Foundation. 

However, an emerging set of technologies — ranging from augmented reality design tools to quantum computing simulations — offers manufacturers an opportunity to reduce costs and drive efficiencies in product design and development.

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Eighty-five percent of Gen Z says that social media influences their purchasing decisions, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers, with TikTok and Instagram having the greatest impact. This can make it difficult for the fashion industry to keep up, as the fashion design process takes place up to a year in advance while social media trends may last a few weeks or even days. 

As a result, tech vendors are helping fashion brands reduce the time it takes to synthesize trends, design garments, and merchandise them for sale. Tools like trend identification and social listening solutions help brands analyze what is gaining traction on social media, generative AI enables them to quickly design new patterns and styles, and content editing and multi-purpose merchandising platforms allow them to quickly prepare new products for sale across online and offline channels. 

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LVMH’s strategic focus on targeting millennials and Gen Z — which are expected to account for 70% of luxury spending by 2025 — may be a key factor to its continued growth.

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For example, Coca-Cola launched a generative AI marketing campaign to connect with younger consumers this year. In fashion, H&M has partnered with Snap to create a virtual try-on filter.

By using AI-powered tools to deepen and broaden customer engagement, brands can open the door to a wide variety of additional benefits, such as increased loyalty and conversion, reduced returns, and new data to inform brand strategy.

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For example, ad spend in the mobile gaming industry alone is projected to grow 10% this year, generating $6.3B. Top investors are jumping on the opportunity. Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) announced a $600M fund called GAMES FUND ONE in May 2022. 

Seventeen percent of all the deals a16z participated in last year went to the gaming & entertainment industry, and 79% of these deals were early-stage.  

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Virtual try-on solutions leverage artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) to enable users to virtually try on clothes, accessories, and makeup and provide tailored recommendations.

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With content demand on the rise, brands and retailers face the additional challenge of creating a sufficient amount of quality content across different platforms to engage and convert users. As a result, they are turning to new solutions to create, manage, and distribute content at scale.

Generative AI developments are only propelling the space forward. Content creation and distribution solutions are quickly incorporating GenAI to expedite content creation and creative processes at an unprecedented rate.

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This achievement is partly attributed to its pioneering work in accelerated computing, which uses specialty hardware to complete demanding software tasks much faster than previously possible.

Initially, this effort was primarily focused on gaming — but NVIDIA’s development of parallel processing in 2006 paved the way for new capabilities in scientific and research applications. This breakthrough allowed multiple computations at a given time instead of sequentially, resulting in much faster processing speeds.

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In fact, 4 out of 5 construction firms consistently report having a hard time filling some or all positions, according to the Associated General Contractors of America. With 40% of US construction workers expected to retire within the next decade, this labor challenge is expected to get even more difficult. 

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However, this industry is rapidly changing as new technologies enter the mainstream, from 3D printing to augmented & virtual reality (AR/VR), forcing incumbents like Autodesk to adapt.

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The Covid-19 pandemic resulted in labor shortages and supply chain disruptions around the world, spurring many companies in industries like construction, manufacturing, and energy to turn to tech-enabled solutions to keep projects safe, on schedule, and within budget.

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While AR/VR is often thought of exclusively in the context of gaming, these immersive experiences are expanding beyond entertainment and into areas that directly impacts our lives, including health and wellness. 

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In 2030, the metaverse will be a new digital channel for restaurants to offer engaging, interactive experiences that boost brand awareness and customer experience. In the metaverse, customers can step into a virtual restaurant to browse menus, meet friends, and even order real food that will then be delivered to their door. 

This is one of the key technologies that will shape the future of the fast food experience. Below, we dive into this technology: how it works, who has an edge, and how it’s changing the future of fast food.

WHAT IS THE METAVERSE?

The metaverse is the concept of shared worlds driven by virtual products and digital experiences that are highly immersive and interactive.

Clients can learn more about the companies building the metaverse in our metaverse Market Map.

In the context of the future of fast food, restaurants will be able to build virtual experiences, offer exclusive menu items or digital merchandise, and host virtual events for customers.

FIRST MOVERS

Chipotle was one of the first quick-service restaurant brands to create a virtual experience in the metaverse. In 2021, the fast-casual Mexican chain partnered with Roblox to digitize the brand’s famous Halloween promotion. Players could dress their avatars in Chipotle Halloween costumes, play mini-games, and receive codes for free burritos to redeem in person. 

During the campaign, the virtual restaurant was visited over 8M times and set a company record for digital sales in a single day. In 2022, the fast-casual giant even launched a new menu item on Roblox through an interactive game. 

McDonald’s also made an entrance into the metaverse with a Chinese Lunar New Year event. Partnering with AltspaceVR and Spatial, the brand designed a hall of Chinese zodiacs that players could explore through VR. The food giant has also filed trademark applications that suggest a virtual restaurant may be opening soon that sells both virtual and actual goods with home delivery.

Source: Wendy’s

Wendy’s is another fast food chain experimenting with the metaverse. Wendyverse opened in Horizon Worlds (Meta’s virtual reality world using the Oculus VR platform) in April 2022. Through this partnership with Meta, players were given a set of tasks to complete that would give them a promo code to redeem at a real Wendy’s restaurant.

IMPLICATIONS 

• The metaverse gives restaurant chains space to experiment with marketing and menus. Fast food chains investing in the metaverse can use the virtual space to try out new strategies that build brand awareness among new and existing audiences. This can include collaborations, virtual events, or even just experimenting with tweaks to existing considerations, like restaurant layout and menu items.
• The metaverse is still in its early stages. Restaurant brands and operators should pay attention to the successes and failures of other consumer industries — like fashion and grocery — that are further ahead in their metaverse efforts, to better understand what strategies work best with consumers.
• The metaverse will be an additional channel for facilitating delivery orders and can help drive consumers to stores, growing both revenue and customer loyalty for restaurant brands.

Read more in this report about how tech will shape the future of fast food, including:

• AI tongues and social listening to help brands quickly develop and test new menu items to meet changing consumer demands
• Conversational AI and AI recommendation engines will power online and in-store orders, allowing restaurants to upsell orders through personalized suggestions and prioritize labor for other customer service operations 
• Robotic food preparation will automate cooking to increase profitability and reduce food waste
• Autonomous delivery will help reduce reliance on gig workers
• NFT loyalty programs will create unique experiences and boost customer loyalty

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• Automated logistics facilitating efficient product delivery and returns
• Interactive product setup and care solutions enabling immersive self-service
• Predictive customer service to provide proactive assistance
• AI-powered virtual agents enabling hyper-personalized interactions
• Utility NFTs creating post-purchase engagement opportunities
• Embedded recommerce solutions integrating with the post-purchase journey

Below, we dive into these technologies: how they work, who has an edge, and how they’re shaping what happens after we make a purchase. 

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Microsoft, Meta, and Qualcomm have stepped up their efforts in tech product development, investments, partnerships, and acquisitions.

Download the report to find out:

• The major tailwinds fueling big tech activity in the metaverse
• The competitive advantages of different tech giants in the metaverse
• Where big tech is competing in the metaverse

REPORT HIGHLIGHTS:

• Big tech is showing an increasing interest in gaming. Microsoft and Meta have made a combined 15+ gaming acquisitions, with the goal to own immersive entertainment in the metaverse.
• Tech giants are expanding outside of their core products to compete in the metaverse. Meta is attempting to bring semiconductor development in-house to reduce its dependency on players like Qualcomm, while Qualcomm is bundling its AR/VR chips with AR/VR software development tools.
• Big tech is doubling down on their competitive advantages. Qualcomm is dominating in developing processors for AR/VR. Meanwhile, Meta is exploring social networks and advertising opportunities, while Microsoft is building an arsenal of gaming content it will offer exclusively on Xbox platforms.

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But conventional production approaches might not be able to support brands and retailers delivering personalized, engaging digital content at scale. Synthetic media — content that has been generated, edited, or enabled by artificial intelligence — could be the solution. 

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Big tech players like Meta are investing billions in AR/VR R&D. Advancements in the underlying infrastructure of AR/VR — such as 5G, semiconductors, and AI — are enhancing immersive experiences. And both enterprises and consumers are seeing evidence of the tech’s real-world benefits, from VR for mental health treatment to virtual try-ons for improving retail margins.

While AR/VR has gone through hype cycle before, we’ve identified 5 AR/VR trends that are here to stay, fueled by factors like the rise of the metaverse, e-commerce competition, and big tech investment. 

In this 26-page report, we look at: 

• How simulated workplace training is decreasing employee ramp time and training cost
• The companies racing to dominate AR development
• VR fitness’ promise to deliver convenient, immersive workouts
• And more

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• Automated logistics facilitating efficient product delivery and returns
• Interactive product setup and care solutions enabling immersive self-service
• Predictive customer service to provide proactive assistance
• AI-powered virtual agents enabling hyper-personalized interactions
• Utility NFTs creating post-purchase engagement opportunities
• Embedded recommerce solutions integrating with the post-purchase journey

Below, we dive into these technologies: how they work, who has an edge, and how they’re shaping what happens after we make a purchase. 

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Recent advances in areas like augmented reality, scanning technology, and processing power have helped the company to expand its offerings far beyond traditional computer-aided design (CAD) software into advanced simulations, digital twins, data analytics, molecular design, and more. But this broad array of products is attracting an increasing number of competitors.

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As it looks to stay at the forefront of digital innovation, the firm has ramped up its activity in everything from extended reality (XR) to autonomous driving. Since 2019, Qualcomm has backed more than 80 companies (via Qualcomm Ventures) and made nearly 10 acquisitions, including mobile AR-focused Wikitude and autonomous driving software developer Arriver. In March 2022, the company announced its $100M Snapdragon Metaverse Fund.

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The final game of 2022 between the Golden State Warriors and the Boston Celtics saw a peak of over 15M viewers — larger than the entire population of Belgium. Each of the 30 teams in the league is valued on average at over $2B.

NBA teams primarily make money via ticket sales, merchandise sales, and TV deals. Teams also share revenues from corporate sponsorships and other league-wide initiatives. Historically, the league created brand loyalty through innovative marketing platforms, stretching as far back as 1948 when it partnered with a gum company to produce the first NBA collectible playing cards.

In recent years, the NBA has experimented with the way fans watch games and interact with their favorite teams and players, specifically within digital mediums.

The league is one of the few organizations that has capitalized successfully on the NFT collectibles space and has also made substantial efforts to engage an audience in metaverse-like platforms. Based on this track record, the NBA provides a playbook for companies with strong brand equity looking to enter the NFT and metaverse space.

Meanwhile, internally, the league is using next-gen tools and technology to improve how it scouts players, acquires talent, and strategizes team performance.

Using CB Insights data, we uncovered the 4 most important strategic priorities highlighted by the NBA’s investments and partnerships since 2019. We then categorized companies by their business relationships with the NBA across these priorities:

• Digital content & gaming
• Player analytics & performance tech
• Sports betting
• Streaming

These designations are not exhaustive of the NBA’s investment and partnership activity in the analyzed period.

Digital content & gaming

The NBA is entering into numerous partnerships with digital content & gaming companies, using digital collectibles and VR as novel ways to engage its audience. 

For example, in July 2019, the league partnered with and later invested in Dapper Labs, announcing the creation of NBA Top Shot, an NFT marketplace where users can trade collectible basketball video clips. In August 2021, a clip of Lebron James traded for over $230K on the platform. In November 2021, Infinite Objects partnered with the NBA to provide NFT owners with a physical display for their Top Shot clips. Infinite Objects has raised $6M in early-stage funding from Courtside Ventures and Dapper Labs.

Epic Games, the creator of popular battle royale video game Fortnite, announced a partnership with the NBA in May 2021 to include team skins and other league-themed content in-game. The NBA also has its own licensed video game focused on basketball, further expanding its footprint in the competitive e-sports space. The NBA entered into a multiyear partnership in June 2020 with Dash Radio to live stream the virtual NBA 2K league games.

The NBA has also partnered with Meta’s headset play Oculus VR for a more immersive sports viewing experience. Within the Horizon Ventures app on Oculus, fans are able to interact with other fans as avatars and watch games from a “courtside” vantage point — a view that would be cost-prohibitive for many fans in the real world. Other business relationships, like the joint partnership between Yahoo’s RYOT and MediaMonks, offered live VR games via the Oculus Venues app during the 2021-2022 season.

Watch for more shifts from conventional entertainment outlets to non-traditional content platforms — like those seen in the digital collectibles, VR/AR, and gaming spaces — as sports leagues seek creative ways to engage fan communities outside of traditional broadcasting.

Player analytics & wearables tech

Discovering, analyzing, and honing players’ talents continues to be a key pillar of the NBA’s growth strategy as the league seeks to boost game quality — improving engagement for fans.

The league has made investments in technology that helps scout and recruit exceptional players early in their basketball careers. In July 2019, the NBA participated in a $9M round of Series A funding for NEX, the creator of HomeCourt, a camera-based training app that uses AI to find and help train players.

The NBA also has notable business relationships with companies that are building hardware to aid player performance and recovery. In May 2022, the league invested in Nextiles, a wearables technology company that sews biometric sensors into clothing which are used to help coach players by capturing motion data. Meanwhile, Oura, which makes rings that can monitor players’ heart health, partnered with the NBA in July 2020.

Software company partnerships have also provided a competitive advantage for certain teams in the league. Notably, the Golden State Warriors announced a technology platform with Oracle in November 2021 that provides players and coaches with real-time and historical data to analyze, assess, and hone player performance and strategy.

As sports leagues aim to improve the quality of games to increase viewership, continue to monitor broader developments from wearables and AI companies that could be deployed to help monitor, assess, and develop player health and performance.

Sports betting

Sports gambling has become more popular following the US Supreme Court’s 2018 decision to give states the option to legalize betting on college and professional sports. This can provide a major boost to the NBA’s cash flow. It was estimated at the time that the NBA would earn up to $585M in additional annual revenue from sports betting and additional fan engagement.

Draftkings, an online sports betting platform, became the NBA’s official betting operator in 2019, granting the company access to official betting data provided by the league. Draftkings exited via IPO in April 2020, and as of August 2022 has a market capitalization of about $8B.

Other gambling entities, like Sportradar, have partnered with the NBA. In August 2022, Sportradr announced the launch of Virtual NBA, a new virtual sports betting experience that provides gambling operators with 3,000 simulated NBA games every day — advances in AI may make these simulations more compelling for fans. The virtual games aim to boost betting engagement within the global fan base, which is estimated at over 2.2B people, even in the offseason.

Expect sports leagues to continue exploring partnerships with betting platforms that can expand modes of monetization and offer new ways to keep fans involved, such as through simulated game scenarios.

Streaming

The NBA is actively experimenting with how fans watch games through partnerships with streaming providers — making it easier for viewers to access curated short-form highlights and live updates.

For example, in May 2021, the NBA partnered with Buzzer, a mobile app that provides personalized short-form videos of game highlights in real time. The partnership expands the app’s offerings with NBA League Pass, which is a premium service that gives fans the ability to watch out-of-market games. Buzzer raised $9M in June 2022.

GameOn, an AI-chatbot technology company, announced a partnership with the league in November 2019 that allows fans to interact with its chatbot in Facebook Messenger. The app provides highlights, news notifications, and scoring alerts in real time.

The NBA’s popularity abroad, most notably in Asia, has also led to global media partnerships as well. The league partnered with Tencent Holdings in 2019 to provide exclusive rights to stream games in China. Similarly, in 2021, the NBA announced a partnership with video-sharing app Kuaishou to become the league’s official short video platform in China.

Anticipate an increase in digital streaming viewership and advances in supporting technologies to open up new opportunities for hyper-personalized experiences, such as exclusive highlights or VIP viewing experiences.

Other

NBA teams are partnering with contactless checkout solution providers in an effort to reduce lines and improve payment experiences in stadiums.

For example, Tappit, a cashless mobile payment company, partnered with the San Antonio Spurs in 2021 to provide contactless payments for purchases in its stadium. The partnership will allow fans to use the Spurs’ app to pay for tickets as well as concessions and merchandise. Meanwhile, the Sacramento Kings announced a partnership with Zippin in 2019 to introduce checkout-free technology in concession areas.

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• • Brain-computer interfaces that improve tech accessibility and communication options, particularly for non-verbal patients.
  • Gesture recognition technology that lets people use intuitive motions to interact with machines.
  • Haptics that enable users to feel virtual environments, creating more natural, immersive experiences.
  • Virtual humans that use avatar technology, facial expressions, and natural language to make human-machine interactions feel more like human-to-human interactions. 

Below, we dive into these technologies: how they work, who has an edge, and how they’re shaping the future of human-machine interactions.

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Consumption of durable goods in May 2022 was 19% higher than before the pandemic after adjusting for inflation, according to the Federal Reserve. Meanwhile, e-commerce growth has put pressure on warehouse operators to improve fulfillment speed and inventory visibility — all while the industry faces labor shortages and rising inflation.

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