Some of the most influential technologies in popular culture weren’t designed with their current use in mind. Often, it’s unexpected user behavior or shifting cultural needs that give rise to new use cases, turning industry-specific tools and overlooked features into mainstream essentials. As a result, many niche technologies have found surprising relevance in areas like entertainment, health care and social behavior.
Below, the members of Forbes Technology Council highlight some of the many tech breakthroughs that made surprising — and lasting — marks on culture.
1. Bluetooth
Bluetooth, originally built for short-range data transfer, unexpectedly reshaped everyday life. From wireless audio and smartwatches to IoT and hands-free tech, it redefined how we connect. Its impact spans music, fitness, payments and smart devices, making it a silent force behind modern convenience. – Sameer Mohammed, Ooredoo
2. Artificial Intelligence
AI, once for data processing, now reshapes entertainment, education and social media. Deepfake videos, virtual influencers and AI-generated music transform content. In education, AI personalizes learning, adapting lessons to student needs with real-time feedback. As AI evolves, we must balance innovation with ethics, ensuring it enhances rather than replaces human creativity and expertise. – Geoffrey Alphonso, Alef Education
3. Front-Facing Cameras
Initially a niche feature for video calls, the front-facing camera unexpectedly fueled the rise of selfies and social media culture. Platforms like Instagram, Facetune and Snapchat capitalized on this shift, fundamentally changing how people present themselves online. This small hardware tweak helped drive the influencer economy and self-expression in the digital age. – Zeev Farbman, Lightricks
4. MP3
The MP3 format revolutionized music by making digital audio easy to store, share and distribute. Originally designed for compression, it unexpectedly disrupted the industry through piracy and peer-to-peer sharing. It also enabled digital sales, streaming and podcasts, changing how people access and consume media. MP3’s impact reshaped music culture, democratizing distribution forever. – Craig Hamill, UL Research Institutes
5. Video Calls
Initially built for boardrooms, video calls became a vital bridge between patients and providers when in-person care wasn’t an option during the pandemic. Virtual care is evolving again—not as a temporary fix, but as a strategic tool to help health systems balance demand with caregiver capacity so patients get the care they need, when and where they need it. – Derek Streat, DexCare
6. Recommendation Algorithms
AI-driven recommendation algorithms that personalize options in real time have transformed how we discover and book travel. Originally designed for e-commerce and streaming, they now take part in shaping everything from itineraries to destination trends to even local economies. – Omry Litvak, Mize
7. Ridesharing Apps
The first one that comes to mind is the advent of ridesharing apps and how they have not just redefined but completely disrupted the traditional taxi market. What started as a convenient way to hail rides through an app has transformed urban mobility, labor markets and social behavior in ways few anticipated. This trend continues evolving, expanding into food delivery (UberEats) and other new segments. – Gundeep Singh, EY
8. Smartphones
The smartphone, initially designed as a communication tool, has had a surprising impact on popular culture. It reshaped industries like entertainment, social media and mobile gaming, creating new trends such as influencer culture and live-streaming, and altering how we interact, consume media and create content. – Kirill Sagitov, COYTX GLOBAL LLC.
9. A2A Payments
Account-to-account payments have significantly innovated the iGaming industry by enabling direct, real-time transfers between players’ and operators bank accounts. A2A has become a key aspect for brands within the industry to seamlessly engage with players. Adoption of A2A payments has been crucial in transforming the industry into a faster, more cost-effective ecosystem for players and operators. – Taira Hall, Citizens
10. Social Media
One technological innovation that has had a surprising impact on popular culture is social media. Initially designed for personal connections, it has transformed industries like fashion, media and politics. Influencers shape trends, content creators rival traditional media and grassroots activism gains momentum. Social media’s ability to connect and amplify voices continues to redefine culture. – Deepinder Singh Sethi, Fortive
11. Short-Form Video And Livestreaming
Livestreaming and short-form video platforms have reshaped popular culture, making content creation accessible to anyone. Once a niche trend, they are now mainstream, with AI-driven tools automating editing, captions and personalized engagement. This fusion of AI and video has accelerated the rise of digital storytelling and influencer culture. – Umesh Kumar Sharma
12. QR Codes
QR codes, once designed for automotive use, have evolved into cultural staples. They replaced physical menus worldwide during the pandemic, became artistic marketing elements on posters and tattoos and now seamlessly link offline spaces with online experiences. This shift has reshaped consumer behavior and retail environments on a global scale. – Mohit Menghnani, Twilio
13. Voice And Motion-Activated Devices
Voice and motion-activated and AI-enabled devices like Alexa, Siri and Ring have shaped popular culture and security. Phrases like “Hey Siri” are now common slang for quick info retrieval. Devices like Ring cameras play an unexpected role in forensic investigations, with shared footage turning home security into a community tool. As AI evolves, its impact on daily life grows in surprising ways. – Anupriya Ramraj, PriceWaterhouse Coopers
14. Blockchain
Blockchain technology, initially designed for Bitcoin transactions, has transformed far beyond its original purpose. It created new cultures around cryptocurrency trading, enabled NFT art markets worth millions and birthed decentralized finance platforms that bypass traditional banks. What began as a secure transaction ledger has reshaped concepts of digital ownership, financial access and trust. – Ardhendu Sekhar Nanda, First Citizens Bank
15. Swipe Actions
Popularized by Tinder, Snapchat and Instagram, swipe actions are changing the UX game on mobile, allowing people to communicate and consume content at a much larger scale than originally possible. This creates the need for urgency and better marketing hooks to capture shorter attention spans. It’s rewired and reinforced our needs for instant gratification and punchy content. – Punit Shah, EZ Texting
16. Cloud Computing
Cloud computing prevented internet fragmentation and fostered innovation and global market expansion. It enabled previously impractical use cases like social media and reduced enterprises’ reliance on in-house IT by externalizing non-core functions. This streamlined workflows, eased transitions between companies and freed engineers to focus on innovation, driving societal progress. – Viren Gupta, Box
17. Touch Screens
Touch screens have completely transformed how we interact with technology, making it more intuitive, accessible and widespread than ever before. What started as a novelty quickly became the foundation for smartphones, tablets and even smart home devices. Imagine the uses now in health care, retail and the automotive industry. Swiping, pinching and tapping have become second nature versus pressing a physical button. – Erum Manzoor, Citigroup
18. Web Scrapers
The web scraper, originally designed for indexing, has reshaped industries by democratizing data access. Real estate, finance and e-commerce now rely on scraped insights for pricing, investment decisions and forecasting. It’s an invisible force behind algorithmic strategies, competitive intelligence and even regulatory debates—turning raw web data into power. – Marc Rutzen, HelloData.ai
19. Lasers
From concerts to light shows, lasers have been used to amaze and wow audiences. They have been used in guidance systems, surgical processes and to play back movies or music from a disc. Lasers were and still are a pretty cool tech. However, when irresponsible people shine them directly into people’s eyes or at airplanes, the result can be devastating and potentially catastrophic. – Robert Martin, Oil City Iron Works, Inc.
20. Motion Capture
Motion capture (mo-cap) technology, initially developed for military and scientific applications, has now transformed the entertainment industry, impacting pop culture way beyond movies and video games. Enabling hyper-realistic CGI characters for movies, it’s now expanded to product marketing, news and media and overall content consumption, leveraging AI-virtual influencers and deepfake technology. – Ziva Hallaji, Wipro
Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?
