The Oura Ring is a wearable device that tracks our sleep, monitors our hearts and breathing rates, and tells us how many calories we’ve burned every minute. It can also predict health events, discerning subtle changes in body temperature that presage, say, the start of a woman’s menstrual cycle. And, in a recent university study, it was able to detect disease, diagnosing COVID-19 among healthcare workers three days before any symptoms appeared.

The device is one of a growing number of smart assistants operating in our homes, cars, and workplaces, as well as on our bodies. Some, like Amazon’s content-curation algorithms, which generate product recommendations, are invisible helpers. Others, such as Google Nest, sit on our kitchen counters and nightstands to help us interact with and control our environments. Still others, like the Peloton bike and Samsung’s JetBot robot vacuum, help with specialized tasks.

Voice-enabled virtual agents are not limited to the pages of science fiction novels anymore: In five years, whether as wearables, appliances, devices, gadgets, or tools, they will be embedded in just about everything we use. Getting information or making a purchase will be as simple as expressing the thought out aloud. As our devices get to know us, absorbing data, discerning patterns, and gauging sentiment and context, they’ll anticipate our thoughts and needs.

Smart speakers will wake us at the optimal time based on our sleep rhythms and morning schedules. Smart mirrors will tell us if the blemish on our chin is acne, or something to call our dermatologist about. Home hubs will gauge whether our plants have enough water and if we’re low on milk, adding items to our grocery lists and moving up delivery dates as needed.

At work, A.I.-enabled voice assistants will transcribe notes and manage our calendars, and afterward, they’ll accompany us to the gym, where they’ll check our vitals and recommend workouts. Should our socks spring a hole, a quick word to our device will have a new pair on its way. These capabilities will create a marketplace whose size will be around $45 billion by 2027, upending commerce.