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Mark Cuban Predicts These 7 Types of Businesses Will Disappear in the Next 10 Years

If you work in one of these industries, now might be the time to prepare for big changes in the near future.

By Chris Kissell , Edited by Amanda Machado

Updated March 27, 2026

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Billionaire Mark Cuban is among those who believe the emergence of AI and other trends will cause many businesses to disappear in the next decade.

Artificial intelligence and other factors may be coming for your job, so if you work in one of these fields, you may soon need to make adjustments, or you could soon find yourself desperately searching for some clever ways to help pay your rent.

Here are 7 types of businesses that are at risk, according to Mark Cuban.

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Businesses that ignore AI

Cuban's most sweeping prediction is that no business will be safe if it does not master artificial intelligence.

During a recent Arizona State University discussion with Sen. Jeff Flake, Cuban said companies that don't embrace AI today will end up like firms that ignored computers, mobile phones, and the internet a few decades ago.

"There's going to be two types of companies in this world: Those who are great at AI, and everybody else that they put out of business," Cuban said.

Firms that are good at incorporating AI into their processes will have an advantage over those that do not, Cuban said.

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Traditional media companies

For many years, a high barrier to entry helped protect traditional media companies from upstart competitors. Today, AI makes video, audio, and content tools far more affordable.

AI is already posing a major threat to writers and editors. The technology has arguably advanced to the point where it can write articles that are often as good as what humans can turn out.

Cuban said the result is that if you are creative, you no longer have to depend on a third party to create your content. That fact removes the buffer that protected legacy media companies for decades.

Restaurants and fashion brands

Restaurants, fashion labels, and liquor brands are not likely to disappear any time soon. But that does not make them promising industries for workers looking for future opportunities.

These are industries where the barrier to entry is low — anyone can start their own brand — resulting in thin margins. When the economy heads south, people in these industries feel the pain early and often. Restaurants face rising labor, rent, and food costs just as customers pull back on discretionary spending. Clothing brands struggle with inventory risk, trend volatility, and fierce competition.

If you are tempted to invest in such industries, Cuban has a stark message: "That is death."

Businesses that depend on Amazon, Etsy, or other platforms they don't own

It's tough to be in control of your own fate when your success is tied to important decisions that others make.

If you are captive to the whims of a platform you don't own, you could be subject at any time to a sudden increase in fees, or an algorithm that suddenly changes. Such moves can sink your business overnight.

"When I look at investing in companies, if you have any level of dependency on Amazon, it's a negative," Cuban wrote in a 2025 post on X.

Most AI companies

In the 1990s, several different search engines emerged to vie for the hearts of internet users everywhere.

However, within a decade, Google was the undisputed king of the online jungle. Search engines such as AltaVista, WebCrawler, and Ask Jeeves eventually ended up in the wastebin of history.

On the podcast "Pioneers of AI," Cuban said he thinks something similar will happen to many of today's players in the AI race. A few lucky winners are likely to thrive, with the rest quietly disappearing.

Businesses that rely on government contracts and grants

Cuban is on record as saying a recession is likely in the coming months. If and when that happens, he believes businesses that rely on government grants and contracts will be in big trouble.

If tough economic times force governments to rein in spending, nonprofits and businesses closely tied to such tax dollars may not survive long enough to enjoy any eventual recovery.

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Rural and local businesses without scale

If Cuban's predicted recession does indeed come to pass, he believes it will have a nasty impact on small towns and those who live in rural areas.

When this happens, it is sometimes known as a "red rural recession." As the federal government makes budget cuts and cancels grants, layoffs ensue in businesses that operate in these areas.

Unlike major corporations, smaller businesses may not have the means to survive a downturn. Retail, hospitality, and health care companies could all be at risk.

Bottom line

Mark Cuban is well-respected for his business acumen. So, when he sounds the warning about the future of specific industries, it might be smart to at least consider what he has to say.

If you work in one of these industries, now might be the time to prepare for a potential contraction in your work life. Putting more money away today will help lower your financial stress and buy you time if you face an economic shock tomorrow.

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