Prediction 1: AI Will Start to Enable Empathetic, Intelligent Computing
As powerful and advanced as the tech products we use everyday may be, it's still a stretch to call them "intelligent." Sure, they can perform impressive tasks, but in many ways, they still can't do the simplest of things, particularly in helping us do what we "meant to do" or thought to do, as opposed to exactly what we told them to do.
The problem boils down to a question of interpretation, or the lack thereof. Eventually, we'll all have devices and services that do what it is we're trying to do in the most intelligent, most efficient way possible. The reality of those completely intelligent devices is still a long way off, of course, but in 2018, I think we'll start to see some of the first significant glimpses of what is yet to come, through key enhancements in the various personal assistant platforms (Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri, etc.).
Specifically, I believe practical advancements in artificial intelligence will start to enable a more contextual form of computing with some of our devices, particularly smartphones and smart speakers. Going beyond the simple question and single, discrete response that typically marks these interactions now, we should start to see more human-like responses to our queries and requests. Multi-part conversations, more comprehensive answers, as well as appropriate and even insightful suggestions based on what it is we're doing (or trying to do), will start to give us the sense that our devices are getting smart.