A new generation of virtual assistant–think: child of Siri–will fundamentally change the marketing landscape, according to new research from Mindshare UK’s Future Media Lab and Goldsmiths, University of London.

An estimated 170 million wearable tech devices could be in use as soon as 2017, according to a recent estimate by IMS Research. Yet while virtual assistants (VAs)–a “smart” character or system delivering information and recommendations to a user based on data gathered from that user’s wearable tech devices–will become mainstream soon after, few if any brands are yet to consider the implications.

“In a short time, VAs will cause massive disruption to the ways we all live,” Dr Chris Brauer, lead researcher at Goldsmiths, University of London suggests. “They will integrate themselves into our lives, correcting our behavior, alerting us to and protecting us from danger.”

And, according to Mindshare research director Jeremy Pounder: “VAs will fundamentally change the marketing landscape.”

The joint study–based on expert interviews, a month spent observing volunteers using a range of different devices simulating what VAs will do, then quantitative research–set out to investigate what next generation of VAs will look like, what people will want from them and how they will be used.

Initially, a variety of different VAs are likely to be used for different sets of data, according to the findings. And the aspects of our lives consumers believe will be most likely to benefit are related to our health, finance, friends and family, environment and purchasing recommendations.

the Launch Screen

Though the smartphone is most likely to house the first wave of next generation VAs, later iterations could well take a variety of different shapes or forms, however– and not necessarily a watch.