Programmatic systems—which use algorithms and APIs to automate complex processes in real time—have been most widely leveraged in digital advertising. But now, programmatic technology’s reach is extending far beyond marketing, as other industries seek to benefit from the significant boosts in speed, efficiency and accuracy it offers.
Programmatic systems are emerging across industries ranging from health care and energy to supply chains and education, enabling smarter operations, creating more adaptive ecosystems, and helping organizations cut costs and scale more sustainably. Below, 20 members of Forbes Technology Council share programmatic applications outside advertising that are transforming industries and improving outcomes for businesses and consumers alike.
1. AI-Driven Satellite Imaging
One example is programmatic Earth-observation tasking, where satellites are made available as APIs so a system can automatically request imagery when triggers occur, such as a storm track, crop stress or a gap in ship tracking. Satellite constellations bid for the task; capture the scene; run edge AI to extract signals like flood depth, yield loss or illegal fishing; and then post results to webhooks or smart contracts. This enables response teams to mobilize hours faster, with no manual coordination required. – Shashank Chaurasia, MooresLabAI
2. Field Safety Monitoring For The Oil And Gas Industry
Programmatic technology can transform the oil and gas industry by automating field safety in real time. Networks of sensors feeding into AI could instantly detect leaks, pressure shifts or equipment stress and trigger corrective actions without delay. This not only reduces risk to workers and prevents environmental harm, but also keeps critical systems running smoothly and avoids costly disruptions. – Bala Manavasi, Magnolia Oil and Gas
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3. Automated Cloud Security
Programmatic approaches in cloud security, such as automating identity access reviews, policy enforcement and compliance reporting, are transforming enterprise IT. In my experience, replacing manual checks with policy-as-code and automated controls not only reduces risk, but also frees engineers to focus on innovation. A quick tip is to start with one high-risk process and automate it end-to-end. – Venkata Kondepati, Ascentt
4. Intelligent Supply Chain Logistics
Programmatic tech in supply chains is reshaping logistics with AI that forecasts demand, automates procurement and reroutes shipments instantly. It reduces delays, slashes costs and adapts to disruptions like weather or geopolitical shifts. This kind of intelligent automation turns reactive operations into proactive ecosystems that learn and evolve continuously. – Laxmi Vanam, Vanguard
5. Streamlined Retail Return Systems
Programmatic returns will reshape retail. Using APIs and real-time data, software can instantly route items to refund, exchange, resale, repair or donation based on margin, fraud risk and location. Automating reverse logistics cuts costs, boosts recovery, drives loyalty, increases profit and lowers carbon footprints for a more sustainable retail model. – Vibhor Kapoor, AdRoll
6. Online Data Collection
There is programmatic, AI-based online data collection. Companies need a constant influx of Web data for competitor monitoring, pricing strategies and various other purposes. Developers spend a lot of time building data collection pipelines. However, in the near future, agentic AI can enable self-driving and self-healing data extraction systems that answer company data needs with minimal oversight. – Julius Černiauskas, Oxylabs
7. Personalized Health Care
Programmatic precision is poised to transform health care. By applying programmatic models to clinical data, diagnostics and treatment pathways, we can personalize care in real time, reduce costs and accelerate outcomes, bringing the same automation and scale that reshaped advertising to human health. – Sven Oehme, DataDirect Networks
8. Applicant Screening
With its speed and data-driven matching, the potential for impact in talent acquisition is clear. The real value isn’t in replacing the human element, but in driving efficiency and precision in screening—freeing managers to focus on cultural alignment, genuine connections and building collaborative, high-performing teams, which are the heart of success. – Neil Lampton, TIAG
9. Accelerated R&D
Programmatic R&D uses self-driving labs where software designs, schedules and runs experiments via APIs, then applies active learning to choose the next best test every hour instead of every quarter. You can start by wrapping one assay in an instrument API and a LIMS, then add a Bayesian optimizer while enforcing audit trails and safety gates. The result is 10-times-faster discovery cycles, lower cost per insight, fewer failed projects, and less waste. – Murugan Lakshmanan
10. Predictive Equipment Maintenance
One transformative programmatic technology application is AI-driven predictive maintenance in manufacturing. By continuously analyzing sensor and operational data, AI algorithms can forecast equipment failures before they occur, minimizing downtime and optimizing repair schedules. This shifts industries from reactive to proactive, saving costs and improving productivity. – Pradeep Kumar Muthukamatchi, Microsoft
11. Personalized Experiences At Scale
Programmatic personalization in product experiences will reshape digital platforms. Imagine feature flags and UI states adapting in real time based on customer behavior and context. This bridges engineering efficiency with delight at scale, moving beyond static releases into intelligent delivery. – Arun Kumar Elengovan, Okta, Inc.
12. Automated Customer Service Triage
One programmatic application that’s starting to transform industry is the way companies handle customer calls and messages. Instead of manually routing each call or relying on a generic phone tree, software can decide in real time who should handle the call or whether an AI can help first. It makes the experience smoother for customers and helps businesses scale without losing that personal touch. – Todd Fisher, CallTrackingMetrics
13. Precision Farming
Programmatic technology in precision agriculture is set to transform farming by automating real-time decisions on irrigation, fertilization and harvesting based on sensor data and satellite imagery. This reduces waste, boosts yield and adapts instantly to environmental changes, turning traditional farming into a data-driven, efficient and sustainable industry. – Govinda Rao Banothu, Cognizant Technology Solutions
14. Transparent Health Pricing
Medical insurance APIs delivering instant cost estimates based on treatment codes will reshape healthcare transparency. By leveraging payer databases and FHIR standards, these APIs empower patients with real-time pricing clarity while reducing administrative friction for providers and insurers. – Ohm Kundurthy, Santander Bank
15. Dynamic, Context-Aware Voice Applications
Programmable voice could transform the voice technology industry. It uses APIs and data to automate dynamic, context-aware voice applications. For a customer service call, a programmable voice system could check a customer’s purchase history and instantly route them to a specialized agent or offer a relevant promotion, all without human intervention. – Harshal Shah
16. Carbon Offset Procurement
Programmatic carbon-removal procurement treats decarbonization like ad bidding. Real-time emissions are made available through APIs, and a policy engine auto-bids across vetted removal providers—such as biochar, DAC and mineralization—using price, durability and MRV scores. This shifts carbon offsets from annual, manual processes to an always-on, auditable system that lowers both cost and risk. – Pawan Anand, Persistent Systems
17. Construction Permitting
Construction permits are where fax machines go to retire. Imagine programmatic permitting that actually reads blueprints, checks zoning laws and approves simple renovations in minutes instead of months. Cities that crack this will build their way out of housing crises while everyone else drowns in paperwork. – Ishaan Agarwal, Square
18. Personalized Learning Platforms
One programmatic technology application that will likely transform academia is personalized learning platforms powered by AI. This technology tailors educational content and pacing to each student’s individual needs, learning style and progress, moving away from the traditional one-size-fits-all approach. – Terry Oroszi, Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine
19. An Energy Grid Marketplace
The programmatic energy grid will create a real-time, automated marketplace where decentralized sources—such as EVs and homes—bid to sell surplus power to meet industrial demand. This transforms the grid from a rigid utility into a dynamic, resilient ecosystem and accelerates clean energy adoption by solving the challenge of matching intermittent supply with demand. – Hesham Zreik, FasterCapital
20. Inclusive Lending Models
Consumer banking could be disrupted by using programmatic technology in lending to streamline credit decisioning, underwriting and disbursement. By drawing on alternate data sources such as personal cash flow patterns, transaction history and digital footprints from online shopping or social media, lenders can improve prediction rates and extend credit to people who lack a traditional credit history—empowering them with a financial future. – Tipu Usha Vaithee Swaran