SBS Predictions – From an Ode to 2024, to the Power of Gen Z
By John O’Brien, Will Vogel, Cole Garry, Cameron Turner, Randall Woods, Creighton Vance, Jessie Foster
Stepping into next year, we’re gearing up for drama. With the U.S. presidential election, increased regulatory scrutiny of AI and crypto, and billions earmarked for the AI race – not to mention Elon’s challenges with X – the only thing we know for sure is that there will be books written about 2024. The content, to be determined.
As communications professionals, we’re constantly trying to peek around corners, so we can anticipate news cycles, prepare clients for turmoil and opportunity, and collaborate with journalists – all while acknowledging and respecting their challenges and demands.
That’s why we've compiled our thoughts on the media realm in 2024, and some tips on cutting through the uncertainty. We kick off these predictions with a festive ode to the year from our CEO – written with the help of ChatGPT – followed by the team’s very-human forecasts for 2024.
Ode to 2024
In the realm where bytes and bits entwine, Bitcoin surges, a financial vine. ETF's nod, a golden boon, lifts Coinbase stock high, past the moon.
In silicon dreams AI strives to scale, yet falters where chips and power fail. Transformers step down, circuits yearn, as AI minds for broader horizons burn.
Office halls, once silent, now buzz anew, a trend rekindled, a corporate view. Desks and chairs, once forlorn, greet morning light, reborn.
In the digital shadows, deepfakes play, mimicking voices, leading astray. Elections swayed by ghostly guise, truth and fiction, tangled lies.
From the cyber depths arise, AI with a dark surprise. Mutating malware, phishing fright, a new challenge for the cyber knight.
Yet, amidst the silicon storm, AI finds a social form. Inviting voices from history's page, to guide us in this digital age.
From presidents past to philosophers wise, in pixels and codes, their wisdom lies. In meetings virtual, they now attend, as time and tech, curiously blend.
John O’Brien, Co-Founder
New social platforms will make fetch happen in the face of Big Tech scrutiny
For years, we thought the social media landscape was set, as Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat left little room for new players to enter the game. But in 2020, we saw that there was still room for new platforms that offered something fresh for users. And in 2023, niche platforms like BeReal and Lapse blossomed and garnered mainstream attention – and social shopping via Flip and the TikTok Shop propelled social media a step forward. Especially in an election year, the circumstances are ripe for a new social offering to emerge that builds on the existing social ecosystem, rather than imitates what’s already flawed. And with new platforms also come the brands and content owners looking to monetize, which could spark a fresh wave of social tools and startups offering ways to optimize these platforms.
Will Vogel, Senior Account Manager
Two AI shock waves shake up the status quo
Media and AI trends converged in 2023, with the technology eating up airtime and driving many of the year’s biggest stories. That won’t change in 2024, but two seismic events will occur in the AI industry that dramatically shift the tone of AI coverage and put open source software squarely in the spotlight.
An open source model will launch that beats out the best proprietary ones. Meta, Databricks, GitHub or an upstart may be the one to produce this open source step change, or OpenAI may open source GPT-5. One way or another, we’ll see at least one groundbreaking model in 2024 be open sourced; that success will seed an open source gold rush not seen since the early 2010s.
A multi-billion dollar acquisition will reshape the AI landscape. My bet? Microsoft evades regulators and buys Hugging Face for $10B. But no matter the target (and the buyer), consolidation is coming in 2024 – valuations have risen so fast that the pool of funders is smaller than those seeking billions, and companies with better technical chops will begin to stand out.
Cole Garry, Senior Director of Media Strategy
The presidential election will get the Gen Z treatment
In navigating this election season, communicators will need to pivot toward transparent and thoughtful digital experiences to capture the attention and trust of the socially conscious and tech-savvy Gen Z electorate. The surge of new voters from this age range makes it crucial for communicators to get creative, as many in this demographic don't follow traditional news sources. Instead, TikTok and Instagram Reels provide much of their information.
As a result, social media activism and digital engagement are poised to dominate the political landscape, turning TikTok and Instagram into key battlegrounds. Media organizations will take note of this change. We may see publications master the art of concise storytelling tailored to the distinctive preferences of Gen Z, leaning into authenticity and social awareness to meet this electorate’s desire for genuine connections with candidates.
Cameron Turner, Media Strategist
Advanced tech will take the economy back to the good ol’ days
The so-called digital revolution will impact the economy next year in ways we haven’t witnessed since the Clinton Administration, when the personal computer and internet boosted productivity and — along with it — GDP. Since then, critics have blamed tech advances for a prolonged period of lackluster productivity gains, arguing that innovations such as smartphones benefited consumers more than workers – and encouraged many to focus on gaming rather than earning.
These cynics can’t ignore the benefits of the AI boom, with businesses scrambling to adopt the tech even as consumers start to grow bored with it. This — along with advances in blockchain, quantum computing, and other bleeding edge tech — will usher in a new era of productivity and a fresh news cycle where journalists will determine how quickly industries can adopt these tools. This will increase press appetite for real-world use cases of technology, so communicators must be ready to go beyond the hype and show how tools are boosting productivity.
Randall Woods, Senior Vice President
There will be dust. Build relationships and pick your spots
After a period of somewhat quiet, 2024 will return to a status quo of too many front page stories and too little time to cover them all. Dust will be kicked up in ways we haven’t seen since 2020. We started to witness this in the closing months of 2023, where what would’ve otherwise been above-the-fold A1 events like the marquee Google antitrust trial was just another news item down the page.
For communicators, this means a few things. First, relationship building with the media is even more important, as it puts you at the top of the inbox when you have something to say. Second, it’s critical to understand what the macro news stories are and where you fit into them. Sometimes you’ll have a strong case to share your voice and sometimes it will be a losing game to spend the effort. Bonus points will be had for AI companies that have insight into the election.
Creighton Vance, Director of Media Strategy
2024 media circus: Journalists will walk the accountability tightrope
Skepticism towards the media is skyrocketing as instances of sensationalism and misinformation continue to rise. At the same time, information is spreading rapidly with limited fact-checking on social media, where Americans increasingly get their news. These platforms are too often populated with opinion pieces dressed up as fact, AI-generated content and mendacious pundits. As a result, the United States will walk into this election year more polarized than ever before. Journalists will become increasingly protective of their work and hold one another accountable, as they try to remain above the fray and prevent readers from losing all faith in traditional media. Expect to see more fact checking pieces and an emphasis on getting the story right over all else.
Jessie Foster, Account Executive