What else in tech will burst like the Metaverse and NFTs did?

This is not another “AI will change everything” piece. It’s a sober look at what has already burst, what’s still foaming like a soap bubble today, and what quietly, boringly—but reliably—delivers results. In short: the Metaverse and NFTs were shiny toys, the GenAI content boom was quick dopamine, and the real winners are those who clean up their data, set clear goals, and let AI do the hard, unglamorous work. Less romantic? Yes. But that’s what works.

APG Media CEO A. P. Girčys spoke on this at the “Įžvalgos verslui 2026” (“Insights for Business 2026”) conference by Verslo Žinios. To share the takeaways more broadly, we’re publishing the key insights here.

Three questions to test whether a technology is useful

To benefit from any tech solution, three questions are enough.

Does the technology change user behavior?
Does it reduce our costs?
Does it improve the quality of the outcome?

If the answer is “unclear,” it’s probably hype. If it’s “yes,” it’s worth planning implementation. When something new explodes into headlines, it’s not always easy to tell which case you’re looking at. So first, let’s recall the tech relics—what burst?

What burst (2024–2025)

In 2024–2025 we saw several high-profile hype cycles deflate. The pattern was the same: big promises, big budgets, but little real-world behavior change or measurable ROI.

Metaverse: losses in the billions

In 2022–2023 almost every conference talked about the Metaverse, but by 2024 the enthusiasm had faded. Meta (Facebook) poured tens of billions of dollars into VR platforms and still posted massive losses—$17.7B in 2024 alone. Businesses quietly pulled back, and search interest for “Metaverse” dropped by about 80%. The hype was overstated; real-world adoption never arrived.

NFT marketing: from a race to a collapse

Everyone jumped on the NFT boom—from Nike’s virtual sneakers to Coca-Cola’s NFT drops. But the market deflated in 2023–2024. Search interest fell by 82%, and NFT values plunged roughly 90% from the 2021 peak. Around 70% of collections became practically worthless. NFTs as a marketing trick ran out of steam; a few innovators are still experimenting, but the mass fascination is gone.

The GenAI content boom has hit fatigue

In 2023, everyone rushed to generate texts, images, and ads with AI tools. At first, it felt like a productivity miracle. But by 2024–2025, audiences grew tired. AI-generated content is recognizable at first glance—too polished, too predictable—and engagement drops. Over 40% of long Facebook posts are now written by AI, flooding feeds with same-sounding material. Audiences are turning back to human voices: podcasts, interviews, and expert commentary where authenticity stands out.

What’s hyped today and likely to burst next

What has already burst is clear. But there are trends today that may not survive contact with reality. Nothing as big as the Metaverse, but still—some warning signs are flashing.

Ads inside AI chats

Recently, companies have started testing ads inside chatbots and conversational AI tools. Early studies show serious risks. A 2024 experiment with sponsored chatbot messages found that users perceived them as manipulative and untrustworthy. Even when clearly labeled “Sponsored,” many participants tried to disable the ads and reported feeling deceived. Researchers warn that hidden ads undermine trust, and current transparency standards aren’t enough. The idea of a “personal salesperson in chat” sounds tempting—but in practice, it backfires fast.

Fully automated AI influencer campaigns

Some promise that AI will soon handle everything—select creators, write briefs, schedule posts, even publish automatically. It sounds efficient, but it ignores the core of influencer marketing: human context and creativity. AI can automate up to 90% of the routine—analytics, reporting, talent search—but it can’t capture tone, brand feeling, or cultural nuance. Real campaigns still need human strategy. Without it, automation leads to sterile results and unpredictable ROI.

What won’t burst—and will create real value

The biggest returns often come from what sounds boring. Quiet revolutions, not shiny ones.

Server-side tracking + AI optimization

It may sound technical, but moving data tracking server-side and layering AI analysis delivers tangible impact. E-commerce companies that adopt server-side tracking see 20–30% more accurate campaign data, because fewer conversions get lost to browser limits or ad blockers. That accuracy lets AI optimize better: Meta and Google automated campaigns show ROAS increases of 15–25%, while new customer acquisition costs drop by around 20%. With cookies disappearing and privacy rules tightening, this “unsexy” infrastructure work will become standard by 2030.

B2B AI assistants that double sales productivity

Generative AI in sales is no longer theoretical. AI can draft proposals, segment customers, and handle follow-up emails—freeing sales teams to spend twice as much time actually talking to clients. Bain & Company data shows AI assistants can double productive sales time from 25% to about 50%. One manufacturer used AI to clean data, predict optimal contact timing, and send personalized messages—its sales pipeline grew by over 20%. Another firm mined building-permit data to generate tailored offers and added $1B in new business. These are not futuristic dreams—they’re happening now.

AI bid optimization in advertising

Google Performance Max and Meta Advantage+ are AI-driven campaign modes that, when set up correctly, outperform manual control. For one e-commerce brand, PMax lifted revenue by 76% compared to traditional campaigns. The key is human input: clear goals, quality tracking, and good creative. AI handles the grind, but humans must feed it the right data and direction. By 2030, most digital campaigns will likely run this way—with humans setting strategy, and AI optimizing performance.

Soap bubbles burst. Serious solutions deliver results.

If someone promises overnight magic, it’s probably a bubble waiting to pop. Leaders shouldn’t chase every shiny object just because it’s trending. BCG research shows that half of early AI adopters admit they haven’t yet seen the ROI they expected. Hype inflates expectations; disappointment follows.

AI isn’t a magic wand—it’s a tool. The winners of 2026 and beyond won’t be those who chase every wave, but those who select real tools and apply them wisely. As one innovation lead put it: “Agencies shouldn’t rush into AI to cut costs—they should use it to create higher-quality work and invest the saved time into better ideas.”

In other words: invest in sustainable innovation, build real AI skills, and fix the fundamentals. The “boring” work—data hygiene, tracking accuracy, clear objectives—creates very un-boring results.

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Visual: Verslo žinios