11 Quirkiest Jobs That Will Be Billion-Dollar Industries by 2026 (Includes 4 Wildcards)

10. Bonus 3 — Sensor Privacy Auditors (Wildcard)

When cities and companies plaster environments with cameras, microphones, and environmental sensors, privacy risk grows. Sensor privacy auditors specialize in assessing deployments, recommending anonymization techniques, and certifying compliance with emerging privacy rules. Deloitte and McKinsey emphasize privacy and security as business-critical elements for IoT adoption, and companies increasingly hire third-party assessors for trust-building. This job feels quirky because it's a fusion of ethics consulting and hardware auditing. Demand signals include corporate procurement language, security certification pilots, and advisory services reported by consultancies. Regulatory momentum—state-level privacy laws, sector rules—would accelerate demand for independent auditors. While the niche could become highly lucrative within a decade, direct forecasts labeling it a billion-dollar industry by 2026 are limited; evidence instead shows growing professionalization and potential as embedded services within larger compliance markets.