Most weeks in this space we focus on the biggest story that’s having the greatest impact for businesses right now, but this week we wanted to do something a little different: Take a look ahead.

While it’s important to focus on the things that are happening right now, it can be equally valuable to keep our eyes on what’s coming next so we can consider how we might use them in our own work.

Remember, it was not long ago that the idea of a brand having a TikTok account may have sounded ridiculous, or that podcasts may become a major advertising opportunity.

Here are three opportunities being used by the big brands and early adopters that we’re all going to be leaning into very soon:

Augmented Reality (AR) Content

These are the filters and other creative elements you can provide to users who encounter your content in-feed. According to recent Snap data, users spend over 5X as much time with AR content from brands than they do with video content.

While it’s still unlikely that most small businesses have the ability to create a lot of AR content for themselves, platforms like TikTok and Snapchat are rapidly creating tools that make the creation process much more accessible.

Learn more: Snap’s study, case studies, and suggestions for marketers

AI-Generated Avatars

We’ve all seen AI tools that can help us to create copy, images, and even short video clips. Now, TikTok is the first to use AI to have a lifelike actor say whatever you write for them.

Here’s how it works: TikTok hired a series of actors and programmed their recordings into their Symphony Ad Suite. Advertisers can select from the actors, then simply upload their script along with creative direction, and TikTok will produce the ad for them.

You’re not limited to the stock actors, either. Advertisers can upload their own videos to generate a custom AI avatar that can then be programmed to say whatever they like.

Lead more: TikTok’s AI dubbing tools

Real Work in Digital Spaces

IKEA is paying real people to do work for them on Roblox — a popular gaming environment where users can build their own spaces and create games for other people to play. A recent job posting went viral where IKEA was recruiting for applicants to staff a retail store, with one twist: The store is located in a digital game.

The reason why this may become more than an isolated PR stunt is because of the amount of time that people are spending in similar digital environments.

We already pay staff members to participate in social media and answer questions on digital platforms. This may be the next obvious step as people spend more time in online spaces and more money on digital goods.

Learn more: IKEA wants to pay real people to work in its new store inside Roblox game