Reddit Future Tellers Research on Redditors’ Outlook for Emerging Tech Revealed at CES 2023

Reddit shared new research at CES 2023 in Las Vegas Thursday on how 2,000 U.S. residents between the ages of 18 and 60 who are regular users of its platform, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter or YouTube feel about emerging technologies and when they believe those technologies will go mainstream. The company said “Reddit Future Tellers: What Reddit Communities Can Tell Us About the Mainstream Technologies of Tomorrow” represents a resource for marketers seeking to understand how today’s discussions are shaping tomorrow’s innovations. Reddit found that Redditors tend to be early adopters, saying that 53% of Redditors in the survey agreed that they were “the first among friends to buy a new gadget,” outpacing TikTok, Twitter and YouTube users. According to the research, 68% of Redditors “like to stay up to date on new technologies and gadgets,” compared with 24% for YouTube users, 8% for TikTok, 7% for Instagram and 5% for Twitter. An analysis of past purchase behavior found that Redditors were quicker on average to purchase new technologies such as lab-grown meats, robot vacuums and virtual reality headsets, and they were 20% more likely than the overall average and 34% more likely than TikTok users to have been early adopters of cryptocurrency. Compared with users of the other platforms in the study, Reddit users were: 37% more likely to purchase home DNA or ancestry kits than YouTube users.28% more likely to purchase a smart body weight scale than Twitter users. Redditors were also found to lean toward self-optimization technology, with Reddit saying they were 58% more likely to spend on fitness and sleep wearables (28.6% of Redditors) than on drones (18.1%). Reddit wrote in its report, “This distinction matters given the amount Reddit users are anticipating to spend in the year ahead. Redditors are two times as likely to spend $3,000 to $5,000 on emerging tech and gadgets in the year ahead (compared with the average competitor platform user). They are also 30% more likely than YouTube users and 20% more likely than Twitter users to spend over $5,000 in the year ahead.” The research also revealed that 60% of Reddit users said they were “the person in their friend group that’s always the one recommending new products or services to others.” Reddit searched conversations on its platform for the most-talked-about tech innovations, and then surveyed Redditors on their predictions for when those new technologies would go mainstream, and its findings were: 2025: Meetings and socializing in the metaverseDNA-personalized skincareInsect proteinsLab-grown foodPersonalized artificial-intelligence-generated music360-degree TV/films via VR headsets 2029: DNA-personalized vitaminsSmart contactsNanomedicine 2035: AI co-workersLab-grown organs Robot chefs and cleaners at home 2050: Space tourismRobot companionsAutonomous vehicles that transform into spaces to work, dine and entertain Finally, the platform shared more “fast facts” gleaned from its research” Reddit users predicted that we will see robots in the office before we see them in homes, and that telepresence robots for coworkers will be mainstream by 2031, while at-home robots as chefs and cleaners aren't expected to go mainstream until 2035 (and robot companions in 2050).27% of Redditors believe flying cars will never go mainstream.Redditors don't believe digital scent to augment television and films will ever go mainstream.Generation Z Redditors are more excited for space tourism than other generations.Redditors aged 55 and up hope to see jetpack transportation by the year 2050.Redditors older than 55 hope to see robot chefs and maids by 2050.Redditors believe insect proteins will be mainstream by 2025.Redditors believe autonomous vehicles will become destinations for work, eating and entertaining in less than 30 years.Redditors think under-skin fitness trackers are too close for comfort and suggest that they’ll never go mainstream.