The Internet of Generative Things: What’s Next for IoT and AI
Written by: Jason Segarra
Published: August 20, 2025
TL;DR
- IoT is still unfolding – it’s not a finished story, but an evolving vision that continues to expand in scope and impact.
- Generative AI is the next catalyst – lowering barriers through natural language interaction and enabling innovation from anyone, not just seasoned developers.
- Soracom helps users make things happen – allowing customers to adapt, experiment, and leverage successfully as each new piece of the IoT + AI puzzle comes into play.
The Next Piece of IoT’s Journey
For more than a decade, IoT has been about connecting devices, capturing data, and building the foundation for smarter systems. But for a future-forward concept like IoT, the real question has always been: what comes next?
At Discovery 2025, Soracom CEO Ken Tamagawa described how generative AI could be the key to the next stage of this journey.
“For more than 10 years, we have been looking forward to a future where everything is connected and resonates to improve the world,” said Tamagawa. “I believe that the recent advancements in AI have filled this missing piece, marking a crucial turning point in this evolution that we are all witnessing together.”
Modern generative AI large language models (LLMs) are opening the doors to myriad possibilities and opportunities for innovation – and while gen AI won’t be the final piece of the IoT story, it certainly appears to be the next step in its evolution.
Why AI Matters Now
Connecting devices and collecting data have always been the core functions of IoT. Yet once these table stakes are sorted, the real challenge is in making sense of that data and acting on it.
Consider a logistics company operating fleets of connected trucks. With all of these vehicles streaming telemetry data on fuel efficiency, engine health, cargo temperature, and route information, extracting insights from that data would require a team of data scientists writing advanced code to process potentially millions of data points, correlate them with weather and traffic conditions, and then recommend optimizations. That level of expertise, not to mention the time and cost it would take to act on it, creates a barrier for many companies.
Generative AI changes this equation. Instead of relying on specialized coding, a fleet manager could simply ask: “Which trucks are most likely to need maintenance in the next 30 days?” or “Show me routes where delays are driving up fuel costs.” The AI can interpret the natural-language query, analyze the IoT data, and return actionable insights in seconds.
This is the missing link IoT has been waiting for: a way to unlock the value of connected devices with the speed, clarity, and accessibility innovators need.
The Internet of Generative Things
Soracom calls this convergence the Internet of Generative Things. At this new crossroads:
- Cameras paired with AI can detect intruders or cut food waste in retail.
- IoT sensors feed directly into AI prompts to optimize operations in real time.
- Business users can query IoT data with natural language and get actionable insights instantly.
These aren’t distant hypotheticals, either – they’re live case studies already emerging across Soracom’s global customer base.
Always Ready for the “Next Piece”
For Soracom, this moment is about more than just AI integration. It reaffirms the company’s mission to help innovators “make things happen.” IoT will continue to evolve, and new technologies will continue to reshape the possibilities.
As Tamagawa explained: “This is Soracom’s new corporate philosophy – making things happen. Not just connecting things, but initiating actions proactively and positively.”That philosophy underscores Soracom’s role: ensuring customers are always equipped for the next piece, whether it’s AI today or the innovation that comes tomorrow.
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