Artificial intelligence (AI) has been rapidly transforming consumer technology in recent years. While chatbots and image generators capture headlines, the most commercially successful AI applications are the invisible technologies that offer functionality such as enhancing smartphone cameras, predicting streaming preferences, and solving accessibility challenges affecting billions of users worldwide.
The global artificial intelligence market is projected to reach $3,680.47 billion by 2034, growing at 19.20 per cent annually from its current $638.23 billion valuation, according to Precedence Research.
Consumer AI reached 1.7–1.8 billion users in just 2.5 years, though only around 3 per cent are paying users, highlighting both rapid adoption and monetisation challenges facing the industry.
The business case for invisible AI
Audio technology company Sonos exemplifies this trend with its AI Speech Enhancement feature, developed to address widespread dialogue comprehension issues in television content. The solution uses machine learning to isolate and enhance speech in real time without compromising overall audio quality.
“Dialogue has gotten more difficult to decipher for a variety of reasons, from production errors to rushed mixes. It’s even worse for viewers with hearing loss,” said Karim Zaki, whose team developed the technology. “Traditional enhancement tools offered some help, but they often fell short for real-life needs.”
The addressable market is substantial. The hearing aids market is expected to grow from $8.74 billion in 2024 to $10.98 billion by 2034, while the global assistive technology market reached $26.8 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach $41.0 billion by 2033.
More significantly, over 1.5 billion individuals globally are affected by hearing loss, representing 20 per cent of the world’s population, according to WHO data. In the US, approximately 48 million Americans report hearing loss, with one in three individuals over 65 experiencing hearing impairment.
The challenge lies in monetising invisible improvements. While consumers readily pay premiums for visible features like better cameras or larger screens, they often undervalue background enhancements they cannot easily demonstrate.
AI-enabled devices are expected to account for 20 per cent of the accessibility technology market by 2024, indicating artificial intelligence is becoming standard rather than premium functionality.
Sonos addresses monetisation indirectly by using AI features to drive customer retention and product differentiation. The company offers four levels of speech enhancement, maintaining user control while providing intelligent automation.
“Control is key,” Zaki explained. “We built AISE to be smart and supportive. That’s why we offer four levels of enhancement. The user decides how much or how little they want to adjust the dialogue. AI should empower people, not override them.”
Technical implementation and scalability
Real-time AI processing in consumer devices presents significant engineering challenges. Unlike cloud-based services, consumer hardware must execute complex algorithms with limited computational resources while maintaining battery life and responsive performance.
Sonos’s solution processes audio streams with millisecond precision, separating dialogue from background elements without introducing delay or distortion. “Think of watching a movie with background music and sound effects layered in,” Zaki said. “Sonos’s new AI Speech Enhancement acts like a smart filter, identifying the human voice in the centre channel and gently raising it when needed.”
The development process involved collaboration with RNID (Royal National Institute for Deaf People) and end users, ensuring technological solutions addressed genuine needs rather than perceived problems.
The accessibility-first approach demonstrates broader commercial potential. Features designed for specific user needs often benefit much wider audiences, a phenomenon known as the “curb-cut effect” in accessibility circles.
“For some, AI Speech Enhancement means being able to enjoy a film without turning on subtitles. For others, it makes watching TV possible again,” Zaki noted. “That’s the power of smart design—it can meet a broad range of needs, often at the same time.”
This multi-market applicability is driving investment across consumer technology sectors. Companies are discovering that AI applications solving fundamental human problems create more sustainable competitive advantages than technology demonstrations.
The trajectory suggests AI success will be measured by seamlessness rather than sophistication. “AI is making personal technology feel more human,” Zaki said. “It’s helping devices understand context, learn preferences, and respond in real time. But the real shift is in how we design with AI. At Sonos, we use it to support and elevate the human experience, not replace it.”
Advances in machine learning efficiency and specialised AI hardware are enabling more sophisticated on-device processing, potentially leading to systems that adapt to individual user profiles, environmental conditions, and content preferences.
The companies positioned for long-term success appear to be those starting with human problems rather than technical capabilities, developing solutions that enhance rather than replace human agency, and maintaining inclusive design throughout development processes.
For Middle Eastern markets, the accessibility technology sector presents particular opportunities given demographic trends and increasing digital adoption rates. Government initiatives supporting inclusive technology development align with commercial opportunities in AI-enhanced consumer devices.
The hearing assistance market’s growth trajectory, combined with AI integration becoming standard functionality, suggests significant revenue potential for companies developing localised solutions addressing regional needs and preferences.
The real AI revolution in consumer technology is manifesting through subtle improvements to everyday experiences rather than obvious technological demonstrations. Success requires prioritising user needs over engineering capabilities, maintaining human agency while providing intelligent automation, and developing inclusive solutions that serve diverse populations.
“AI Speech Enhancement is not just about better sound. It’s about helping people feel more included and more connected,” Zaki concluded. “We are proud of the collaboration behind this work and excited about where it can lead. The more we listen and learn, the more we can design for everyone.”
