Exploring the technologies transforming design, marketing, and business.
Welcome to the first edition of A Nerd’s Life, my monthly exploration of the technologies, tools, and ideas that have him geeking out.
Think of it as a mix between a love letter to tech and a field guide for businesses. Each month I’ll dive into a set of technologies I’m experimenting with, researching, or obsessing over, and, crucially, how they can actually help brands and businesses.
Because here’s the thing, being a nerd isn’t about collecting trivia or playing with toys (although, let’s be honest, toys are half the fun). It’s about curiosity and imagination, the ability to look at new technology and think, “What else could this do? How could this solve a problem in the real world?”
So, let’s start with five technologies that are shaping design, marketing, and digital right now and explore how they can make a difference to businesses that are willing to experiment.
Each month, I’ll put one standout technology through its paces and bestow on it the ultimate accolade: the highly sought-after badge of honour ‘Nerd Verified’.
1. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (no surprise here!)
As a nerd, I can’t help but treat AI like my new lab partner, brilliant, unpredictable, and endlessly fascinating. But from a business perspective, AI is no longer an experiment; it’s an essential tool.
How it helps business:
Faster creative production: AI-powered tools like Adobe Firefly, Veo can generate images, vectors, and textures instantly, which means quicker concepting for campaigns. Instead of waiting days for mock-ups, designers can get drafts in minutes and refine them.
Content at scale: AI copywriting assistants (Jasper, ChatGPT, Claude to name a few) can churn out variations of headlines, emails, and ads so marketing teams can test and optimise faster.
Smarter campaigns: Predictive analytics and customer modelling help brands target the right people at the right time, improving ROI by multiples rather than percentages.
Nerd view: AI isn’t here to replace creatives, it’s here to free them from drudgery. Businesses that embrace AI as a co-pilot, not a threat, will outpace those who hesitate.
The team are currently producing several video ads completely within AI. More on this soon.
2. Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)
I still remember my first time strapping on a VR headset and feeling like I’d stepped into the pages of a comic book. Now in 2025, AR and VR aren’t gimmicks anymore, they’re practical tools for brand experience.
How it helps business:
Try-before-you-buy: Retailers can cut returns and boost conversions by letting customers see how furniture looks in their home, or how a jacket fits, before purchase.
Immersive storytelling: Brands can take customers inside their world, whether that’s a car launch in VR or an AR-powered product reveal. It’s not about spectacle, it’s about creating emotional connections.
Design evolution: Teams are already thinking spatially, how interfaces and experiences translate into 3D environments, not just flat screens.
Nerd view: The best part is how this changes expectations. Once customers experience AR/VR with one brand, they start expecting it everywhere. Early adopters gain a loyalty edge.
Have a quick peek at our Team Altrini case study for lots of AR goodness.
3. Voice Search and Conversational Interfaces
I love gadgets that talk back to me. Whether it’s smart speakers, in-car assistants, or glasses whispering answers in real time, conversational tech makes digital feel human.
How it helps business:
SEO shifts: Voice queries are longer and more natural. Brands that optimise for conversational keywords will dominate “position zero” in search results.
Local advantage: With “near me” searches booming, local businesses can leapfrog bigger competitors if they tailor content for voice.
Customer experience: Conversational chatbots reduce friction in support and sales — especially when combined with multimodal design (voice + visuals).
Nerd view: Designing for voice isn’t about keywords, it’s about empathy. If you can answer customers like a human not a search engine, you win.
4. Marketing Automation Platforms
Automation is the unsung hero of nerd life. While I geek out over the flashy stuff, it’s automation that actually makes experiments scalable.
How it helps business:
Smarter personalisation: Behavioural triggers let you send the right message at the exact right time.
Cross-channel flow: Platforms like HubSpot stitch email, SMS, and social together so campaigns feel consistent.
Data clarity: Predictive lead scoring and attribution models mean you finally know where ROI is coming from.
Nerd view: The biggest mistake I see? Businesses collecting too many tools. The power isn’t in having 50 apps; it’s in having the right connected stack that works together.
Get in touch if you need your stack reviewed!
5. Blockchain for Trust and Transparency
Blockchain still feels like sci-fi to a lot of people, but its business applications are becoming harder to ignore. Think of it less as “crypto” and more as a new foundation for trust.
How it helps business:
Fraud prevention: Immutable records mean ad impressions, influencer payments, and affiliate links can all be tracked transparently.
Customer trust: Brands can give consumers control of their data, and even let them monetise it, creating a new value exchange.
Creative opportunities: Token-based loyalty programmes, authenticated NFTs, and digital collectibles are opening new engagement models.
Nerd view: Blockchain is the quiet revolution in marketing. The brands that master trust and authenticity will be the ones people stick with.
We are working with a consumer insurance brand exploring how Blockchain will facilitate personalised micro insurance policies.
The Convergence
What excites me most is how these technologies are blending. AI is helping generate AR/VR content. Voice search is feeding into automated campaign flows. Blockchain is providing the secure backbone for data-driven personalisation.
The future isn’t one technology, it’s the intersections. That’s where nerd thinking thrives, spotting the connections no one else sees and asking, “What if we combine this with that?”
September’s Nerd Verified Badge
The obvious winner this month? Artificial Intelligence.
AI isn’t just another tool in the stack, it’s the tectonic shift underneath all of them. From automating design workflows and generating campaign copy, to predicting customer behaviour with uncanny accuracy, AI is already rewiring how businesses create, market, and scale.
Why does it earn the Nerd Verified seal? Because it ticks both boxes that matter:
1. It excites the nerd in me (curiosity and imagination go wild when you see what’s possible).
2. It delivers tangible impact for businesses right now not five years from now.
Put simply: AI is going to change everything. How we design. How we communicate. How we make decisions. The only real question left for businesses is whether you’ll lean in and experiment, or get left behind while others do.
Final Thought
This monthly series is about more than trends; it’s about exploring how technologies can actually shape the way businesses connect with people.
The speed of change is dizzying, but that’s the fun part. Nerds live for change, for experimenting, for asking what if?. And in 2025, that mindset isn’t optional. It’s the difference between businesses that fall behind and those that stand out.
So here’s my challenge: stay curious. Look at these technologies not as buzzwords but as tools. Ask how they can amplify creativity, build trust, or deepen relationships. Because at the end of the day, it’s not the tech itself that matters, it’s what you do with it.
See you next month, where I’ll explore another set of tools and ideas from the nerd frontier.
Cos Michalia, Strategy & Innovation Director