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Spotting Tomorrow’s Trends Today: What ChatGPT Revealed About the Next Big Ideas

trends

I had an idea the other day: what if I asked ChatGPT to help me identify the kinds of trends that seem unusual or early right now, but could explode in the next few years? I wasn’t interested in the obvious stuff, like AI or remote work, things that already happening now.

I wanted the fringe ideas. The surprising cultural or behavioral shifts that, if they catch on, could have real business implications.

So I gave ChatGPT a pretty broad but simple prompt: considering all economic, social, cultural, and demographic data right now, give me ten emerging U.S.-based trends with potential commercial upside that aren’t already happening. What came back was one of the better results I've had with the tool, so I thought I would share it here.

In this post, I’ll walk you through that process, share the trends it revealed, and show how we took it a step further, matching each trend to publicly traded small-cap stocks that might benefit if those trends take off. I thought it was a pretty cool look at how to use AI for early-stage trend spotting, and something that matches AI's unique ability to draw conclusions and see patterns from a huge data set.

So the kinds of things I wanted to see here: every once in a while, a trend seems to emerge out of nowhere, think concurrent rise of short-form media (TikTok) along with long-form (podcasts),  remote work, backyard chickens, protein-snack obsession,  or even the teenage obsession with designer perfume. They often begin at the fringe, misunderstood or mocked, before exploding into cultural or economic significance. But what if you could spot these patterns before they hit the mainstream?

So I tried using ChatGPT as a real-time research partner to predict ten surprising trends that aren't big yet, but could be soon. I used deep research with the o3 model to produce a detailed report.

What follows is a breakdown of how we approached it, the trends that emerged from the exercise, and some of the specific U.S.-listed small-cap stocks that could ride the wave if these shifts materialize.

Step One: Defining the Criteria for an Emerging Trend

The exercise started with a prompt to ChatGPT to find trends that are not currently dominant, but show early signs of breakout potential. I specified:

  • The trends should have potential commercial application

  • They should be U.S.-based or primarily relevant to the U.S.

  • They shouldn’t be obvious or already happened (no remote work, generative AI, or crypto)

With those boundaries in place, ChatGPT returned a list of ten unexpected, early-stage trends grounded in observable cultural or market signals. Importantly, the AI justified each pick with a full report and with why now is the moment to watch it. 

Step Two: The Ten Trends Identified

  1. Nomadic Families & Worldschooling: Families swapping traditional school for educational road trips. It's kind of a next-generation evolution of homeschooling. 

  2. The Analog Renaissance: Teens seeking a digital detox via IRL events, flip phones, and film photography. 

  3. AI Companions & Virtual Friends: Chatbot relationships as emotional support systems. The kids are being raised along with AI now, so this is probably a more obvious one.

  4. Neighborhood Microgrids: Communities setting up their own solar+battery energy ecosystems., in reaction to power outages, availability of solar tech, and increased desire for community involvement.

  5. Psychedelic Wellness: Therapeutic psychedelics becoming mainstream mental health tools.

  6. The Toolbelt Generation: Gen Z choosing skilled trades over college, as the economic equation becomes more tilted toward hands-on work and AI takes over knowledge work.

  7. AI-Powered Solopreneurs: One-person businesses augmented by AI tools and agents, building larger and larger businesses without bloated teams.

  8. Virtual Influencers & AI-Generated Entertainment: Avatars and AI YouTubers building real followings.

  9. Mainstream Preparedness Culture: Everyday people adopting "prepper" habits due to a series of calamities like Covid and more awareness.

  10. Post-App Dating: A shift away from Tinder and Match toward curated IRL matchmaking, kind of an "equal and opposite" reaction. Swipe-left dating culture makes people resent it, so they crave in-person connections.

Each of these trends was speculative, but not fantastical. ChatGPT cross-referenced public data points, cultural shifts, media stories, and consumer signals to build the case for each one. In general, I thought the points were well taken and really interesting. It makes me especially aware that each trend now likely has a counter in the future.

Step Three: Finding Small-Cap Stocks with Exposure

The next step: using these trends to identify small-cap U.S. public companies that could benefit if these predictions come true. I prompted ChatGPT again, this time to search for specific businesses whose products, services, or positioning aligned with the trends above.

Note, I'm just putting this here for the sake of interest. Please don't consider this financial advice, and do your own research. It's just a fun exercise.

This generated a watchlist of 50 small-cap stocks. Here are just a few examples (drop me a note if you're a friend of mine and want the full list.)

AI Companions

  • SoundHound AI (SOUN)

  • Innodata (INOD)

Microgrids & DIY Energy

  • CleanSpark (CLSK)

  • Stem (STEM)

Psychedelic Therapy

  • Compass Pathways (CMPS)

  • MindMed (MNMD)

Trade Education

  • Lincoln Educational Services (LINC)

  • Universal Technical Institute (UTI)

AI-Powered Solopreneurs

  • Fiverr (FVRR)

  • Upwork (UPWK)

Virtual Influencers

  • Roblox (RBLX)

  • Unity Software (U)

Preparedness Culture

  • Vista Outdoor (VSTO)

  • Generac (GNRC)


Some of these are obvious plays. Others are more speculative—but that’s the point. The process was about connecting nascent cultural energy to commercial structures that might scale with them. For my own purposes, I also then took the list of 50 and had another AI narrow down the list to three in each of the ten trends that had the most potential for explosive growth.

The Real Takeaway: Trendspotting + ChatGPT = Strategic Edge

This was a creative exercise, but also a serious demonstration of how AI can help sharpen your radar for change. By collaborating with ChatGPT, framing constraints, refining directions, and interrogating results, you're able to generate insights that are grounded, timely, and actionable.

For founders, this can surface startup ideas. For investors, it highlights early exposure. And for curious people, it’s just a fun way to think about the future before it arrives.

 

Disclaimer:
This post is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or trading advice. The companies and trends mentioned are speculative and should not be interpreted as a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Always do your own research or consult a licensed financial advisor before making investment decisions.