In the upcoming age of AI, two very different classes of companies appear well-positioned to leverage AI's capabilities: startup ventures and multi-billion-dollar giant corporations. Promising AI startups are being launched at an increasing pace in areas like health care, finance, retail, media and cross-industry tech, to name a few. And alongside tech giants like Google or Microsoft, traditional large corporations are employing AI to digitalize their business model and processes. Examples of AI-driven automation and augmentation range from automated customer loan approval and smart infotainment systems at car manufacturer Daimler to predictive maintenance at oil and gas behemoth Shell and AI-assisted medical image reading at industrial manufacturer Siemens. Corporate AI innovation is fairly concentrated with the top-10 patenting firms in the world accounting for more than 15% of AI patents in the period 2011 to 2016.

Technology advancements and marketplace changes are making it far easier for any business to make bold moves quickly. This new reality is certainly not lost on midsize companies, as they watch their larger contemporaries start to embrace speed and agility in their new business initiatives. In response to this new environment, growing companies are facing a pivotal question: how can they keep their edge in innovation and customer service by tapping into intelligent technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and robotic process automation? One solution is the adoption of a business technology platform that simplifies and accelerates the delivery of new experience-centric applications, processes and systems to keep ahead of the pack. IDC predicts that this will be one of the top trends for midsize companies in the 2020s.

The smartest business owners I know are always looking ahead. They're making decisions now that they know will affect their companies five years from now. They're doing so because they have a responsibility to their customers, employees, and communities to keep their companies profitable, growing, and sustainable. These same owners are investing in certain technologies today that will help them meet these goals tomorrow. Here are five technologies that will certainly blow up your small business within the next five years.

The workplace energy of a small and midsize technology business is unlike anything seen in a large enterprise. In the midst of a fast-paced, caffeine-fueled day, the freedom to make a difference at work is always present. This spirit is certainly not limited to growing companies, but it's certainly easier to spot these opportunities and see the fruits of your labor in one. However, not every function may feel the love – especially customer service representatives. They are on the front line, fielding calls from customers who are often angry or disappointed. Whether the instructions were misread, passcodes were forgotten, or a new part is needed, reps can feel burned out after working on the same requests day after day.