There are 5 Macro Trends that will shape the Future. These are:
- The Age of Automation
- The Demise of Driving
- A Re-Think of Retail
- A Printable World
- The Triumph of the Tiny
Which of these Trends do you anticipate will have the biggest impact and state why?
I think the Demise of driving will have the biggest impact, even though some of the others are life changing as well. To not have control of the car at all will be completely a change for me personally. The idea of Uber use while I’m not using my car is not on my radar at this stage of my life.
I understand that sentiment too. I have trouble getting my head around the fact that our grandchildren may never need to learn how to drive. The insurance and responsibility side of things is also of concern. Relinquishing ownership of things for those of us brought up in a materialistic society is certainly something to get your head around.
I think that the age of automation is going to have the biggest impact on our society in the future. It is scary and exciting. It’s scary in the fact that AI can be smarter than humans and can potentially defy its maker. It’s exciting because it will make life easier for humans e.g. if you are having trouble finding something at the shops, a robot can guide and assist you without any human interaction. On a funny note, AI reminds of the Will Smith movie iRobot, where one of the robots become evil and harms humans.
I agree with this Imogen. It’s very difficult to know have pervasive it will be for all our lives in the future and how we can protect ourselves, particularly Identity theft.
Couldn’t have said it better myself Imogen. Exciting yes, but a very scary thought when diving into inexperienced territory. The unknown impact could be beneficial or disastrous. Like any society or community, some with suffer and others will thrive.
I think a printable world will have the biggest impact. If consumers can print whatever they need, all levels of industry and services will be affected. Those companies that don’t adapt will be replaced by ones willing to embrace technology. It will also have a dramatic impact on future employment opportunities. Like the presenter said, printers will end up being an everyday appliance like the microwave.
I feel that the printable world will have a huge impact on society as we know it. As it becomes more mainstream there will be little or no use for humans in many industries & individuals will increasing be able to self service all their needs on a daily basis( food, clothing & even shelter!) In particular i Feel it will completely revolutionize the large scale building, medical & pharmaceutical industries as tissue, cartilage are perfectly matched & buildings/homes are constructed as per 3D designs beyond our imagination.
Absolutely Belinda, many jobs and industries will be replaced by the 3D printer. I’m excited to see how much we interact with 3D printers in the future and will the be as common as microwaves?
Who is actually going to be employed working at all the industries. I know there will be technology workers, but do we have the training to make this work for the general population?
It is mind blowing Belinda. I hadn’t really considered the printable world until now. Amazing to think consumers can become manufacturers and how many jobs that will mean become extinct.
We already have a situation where access to more from those that can afford it is cutting out the employment opportunities of those that do not have the ability to keep up with the changes. If this technology in AI, driving and retail actually comes to fruition, with fewer menial employment opportunities available in the future where do these people actually constructively obtain employment to earn the funds so that they can keep up? Nano technology will keep us living longer, but the robots will be serving us not human beings, more loss of opportunity. We really need to consider the role of the “less educated” as not all learners will be able to progress to positions of employment offered in the future. What do we need to teach them, and what will be their role in the future world?
Absolutely we should keep in mind the employment. We have already seen massive job cuts across all fields and I would consider this to be a real concern. How is the economy going to sustain the jobless. We are already heavily into Welfare and we hear that some of the jobs are not even invented yet, but can we just get on and start these ‘jobs of the future’ when the employment rate is already climbing due to technology.
This was the first thing that I thought about when they talked about this. Their is not enough jobs for people now and if this happen their would be even less people being employed and more people on government funds. I also think of were is the people interactions? How will this effect people mental health? I believe they need to think about these things before we become a world that is 100% technology. They say we use way too much technology now what will happen if this does become our lives.
Hi. I really think that all of these new trends will have a marked impact on the way we live our lives in the near future, but I think that the age of automation will impact us the most.
This technology is already advancing in leaps and bounds, and it is having a huge affect by using an algorithm to use everything we have done in the past on the technological platform to predict our likes and dislikes and it is already possible for this technology to access our personal records, see where we have been going, what we have been buying, phone calls we have made, whether we have a criminal record….and SO many more things.
It’s already a bit like big brother controlling everything, and a perfect example of this is the roll-out of the COVID-19 tracker app.
Artificial super intelligence, in my opinion soon won’t be able to be kept in check, and the world of “The Terminator” will become a reality.
That scares the hell out of me.
As Richard points out how many ways some of the technology is already impacting our day to day living. The struggle for someone that likes to understand how things work, to potentially fix things – we are getting more reliant on things outside our control and it becomes harder to prepare our students for their future.
the triumph of the tiny will obviously increase lifespans,changing the world as we know it. 200 years old could become the norm as well as biological enhancements which could make our race able to live on planets other than Earth,and lifetimes away.
He Paul. I think that this technology is totally amazing, but I tend to think that it is still in it’s infancy and won’t take off in a huge way for quite some time, and it will only be available to the wealthiest of society. What if after so many people become injected with these robotic nano particles and the age of super artificial intelligence takes hold of this world? What could be the repercussions of that? Could these nano robots become reprogrammed by a new super artificial intelligence to turn against us and attack us from the inside?
I believe that all of five of these trends are going to have a massive impact on our futures. I do believe that the age of automation and the demise of driving will significantly alter the current state of our world due to the huge loss of continuity that we will experience if we cannot drive or partake in simple daily rituals because of AI. It makes me wonder about further tension that will be created between generations within the near future and how this could contribute to a sense of instability within society. Very interesting concepts!
I hadn’t considered how automation and the demise of driving could impact our sense of stability in society. I agree that these technologies would change our feelings of independence and our ability to participate freely in our daily lives. I wonder if they would also have an effect on our feeling connected and part of society? In some ways I feel that these technologies could increase our isolation and remove many social elements from our current daily lives.
The demise of driving. It looks like the good ole Aussie road trip with kids fighting in the back seat and stopping at out of the way places may be in jeopardy. On a serious note, the economical impact for earning an income in any industry that requires a driver is massive. Driving as an occupation, in most circumstances, does not require a high level of education and is easily accessible to people from all walks of life.
While all five trends are going to make massive impacts I choose AI because it has the potential to outdo humans and that’s got to have the most massive impacts. How do you control or regulate something that is smarter than you?
I agree Tony…will we all become subservient to robots/algorithms??
It was particularly scary when he was explaining how the 2 AI were talking to each other and started inventing their own code that those watching couldn’t understand!
Something that is smarter and does not want to be controlled/regulated by a human with inferior intelligence. It’ll be a very interesting issue once it arrives.
Hi Tony.
I totally agree with you on this point. We’re already in a surreal “Big Brother” technological environment with facial recognition, habit algorithms, access to our personal records etc.
If this gets out of control of us humans, the repercussions would be unprecedented, and super intelligence could become like “God’s Eye” to track, hack technology, shut down Governments, worldwide finances etc…… and we could see the world of human existence attempted to be annihilated by machines that could gain control over all technologies and computer chip driven machines.
Scary
It is a scary thought that computers can talk to each other and leave humans out of the conversation and decision making. Does that mean that our work force will need to know more than them or less and just do our jobs- this is a bit of role reversal.
The Triumph of the Tiny with nanotechnology and it’s impact on the detection and treatment of disease has a global impact in an equitable way for most people. This should be continued to be explored further especially in the current climate. Retailing and Driving are interesting but expensive and reliant of people having the means to access. Very Jetson’s!! The thought of “printing your own food” sounds lazy to me and somewhat “plastic” urgghh!
Yes the economics of this is game changing. How would wealth be generated if the manufacturing, wholesaling and retailing industries are reduced by printers. Also it seems like a couple of bug companises like Amazon will become global monopolies.
I think all of these trends will have a huge impact on our future. Each will contribute to mass change in both consumerism and society as a whole. Having lived through the start of computer technology many years ago when we were learning how to use MS Dos and search engines I believe things will move very fast in the next few years in many ways.
Until I watached this I didn’t realise how immediate a lot of this technology is. Certainly when car and retail industries are liining up to get on board thiings are going to strat happpeniing quickly, more quickly than I anticipated. I even think the COVID-19 app is mind blowing!
My question is how can we prepare our learners for these changes? Especially with the ever-changing nature and huge advancements in technology being made everyday.
The world is changing daily and we have seen how quickly this can happen over the past few months. Right now i have seen 3D printing helping to assist in making masks for the pandemic. Retail has also changed how people are shopping, since no one is going out. However, i anticipate that Tiny technology is going to be the thing that we will see big changes in and having the biggest impact on us. Why you may ask? I feel that most of the other things are happening already to an extent and our health is always our main priority. So if i had a choice for Tiny technology to help fix me or a drone dropping me groceries, i feel most people would show more interest for life changing technology.
Good overview Rochelle and well said! Health does come first for sure.
I just wonder about the cost of nano technology. I think it will be super expensive initially at least and something that only the wealthiest people will be able to afford.
Agree entirely Fiona, we have seen that any new technology is expensive initially and then becomes affordable to most…still a discrepancy/social divide, but then once all access, it is obsolete and the next “shiny button” appears.
I think “A Re-Think of Retail”. Shopping is an every day experience for most poeple. Retail is a key driver of economies. Most people own a mobile phone, so the transition will be relatively seamless. The other 4 trends will perhaps be more expensive initially – robots, driveless cars, 3D printers and nano technology.
So true Fiona, especially in this current state of COVID 19 we are already making an increased transition to online retail experiences & I feel this will dramatically spur on the rethink of retail & things like Amazon Go will become a seamless daily reality.
The trend that I envisage will have the most impact on the future of our lives if it does eventuate will be the demise of driving. The ability to drive to any location on your own could become a novelty. This would cause much disruption to the current lifestyles of people and have a huge impact on many businesses that will more than likely see the loss of large number of jobs.
There are some pretty bad drivers out there so I would welcome any improvements on our roads. Especially when it comes to parking.
A very interesting and scary presentation on what the future may hold for us and generations to come. There is always going to be big corporations trying to muscle in and control the technology however so that they can continue their established million dollar enterprises which may prevent any of the changes occurring. Just look at all the different brand names competing in the field of technology for example. Who are going to be the stakeholders? Governments still need workers and taxpayers so that they can control the masses.
I think the Printable world is going to revolutionise how we do we everything. It’s already starting to happen. Imagine being able to print spare parts for you car, whitegoods and electronic equipment. But then how do you install it? I think that it could be useful in the medical world too with printing body parts?? The day to day running of school and home will not be affected for a very long time especially at the slow rate things are currently progressing in those environments. The mind boggles. At time of writing this however I have been unsuccessful in getting my own humble 2D printer to work LOL.
Hope you fixed your printer Pete. I don’t have a printer at home so you’re a step ahead of me! I just wonder about all of the different types of 3D printers that will be required for all of the aspects of our lives – housing, clothing, food etc. I agree that it won’t affect our profession for a good while yet but I wonder how we begin to prepare our students for this future automated, driverless, augmented, 3D printed, nano technology world!?!
Scary for sure. It’s incredible how quickly the technology is changing. It was funny watching the kids on the Microsoft 95!
The Age of Automation – Simply because this gets the most media coverage and is seen more frequently in movies etc. Consumers are the main drivers of change and if they see this often enough it will become commonplace and desirable.
The media does play a huge role in influencing the consumer. With many places having larger populations, Automation could help assist the congestion of traffic and the issue of parking in these cities.
The demise of driving and self driving cars could be beneficial in terms of road related fatalities, eliminating many causes of road injuries and deaths, drink driving, speeding, distractions.
I also agree with you Rochelle, that many places having larger populations, self driving cars could help assist the congestion of traffic and the issue of parking in these cities.
I agree with the idea of driving and self driving cars contributing to a reduction in traffic related deaths and injuries- I think this is a great preventative measure instead of having to police people who are driving dangerously or using drugs, alcohol or phones.
All of the 5 trends will have a large impact on how we prepare students for the future.If for example what jobs and income can they secure in the future ?It seems if everything can be done for us in the future with retail services made simple,no need to drive yourself,no need to ever use cash,what exactly do we do to maintain an interest in life.?I think the Printable world will be an amazing asset ,with 3D printing being used already to improve our lives and the Triumph of the tiny could mean in the future we could be disease free.But at what cost to individuals ?It seems the wealthy would be able to afford this future ,but would everybody else?
That’s something I also found very interesting, Noelene. How do we prepare our students for the workforce for jobs that are yet to be created? What jobs will our students be partaking in if we lose jobs we’ve also known of to AI and robots? Very interesting to think of what is to come within the near future in terms of technological change. I am very intrigued by the types of jobs that will be created and how this will alter the state of our society within the near future.
What jobs will be available? Do we all just kick back and become entertained each living moment as the technologies suggested will mean that there will be no work left to be done. We will need better health care systems that reduce conditions brought about by stagnation as we will just have to stay in one spot and it will all be delivered to us.
As a Music teacher I believe that a Printable world will have the most significant impact. If we can print musical instruments in addition to clothes, body parts, houses, food and household goods then there will be equality for all, providing every household has a 3D printer, and with reference to the microwave oven example, every household just might have one in the near future.
WE would be able to print more guitars and recorders!!
You can NEVER have too many guitars!
The printable world is an exciting thought. Just imagine what we could do for students and even for ourselves at home. It is a scary thought that it could put so many businesses out of business and people out of work. Or they would have to find a way to restructure.
One question about the printers of the future, will we have to operate them or just tell it what we want? Look at consumerism today how many people have far more than they need? Will all people get an even share of the goods available to be printed, or will it be a sliding scale depending on how rich you are? If we have to operate them and we do not make the grade with regards to learning how, do we just miss out on the spoils?
Ironically I had to reassure the forum that I was not a robot. It was a very interesting thesis on the “jobs of tomorrow” and interesting developments ahead of us. Technology, enterprise and business are always constantly evolving and it often happens without us actually noticing too much, then it is second nature.
I always think that retail interactions will be the most significant. The recent events have shown us how business adapts quickly to change. Some of these predicted events will occur and others (like the nuclear vacuum cleaner) won’t be so successful.
I will look forward though to smiling at the customs official when I pass seamlessly through passport control.
You are a very insightful man Glen!
What an exciting and engaging presentation! I think that each macro trend will impact individuals to different degrees and at different points in time. In regards to my current students, perhaps the demise of driving will have the biggest impact on their lives. Living in a rural area, driving and maintaining your own car is essential at present. How liberating to simply be able to order an automated vehicle!
I agree it was and exciting and engaging presentation but it concerns me for the future of most students.
All trends highlight technological issues, both positive and negative. The Age of Automation and A Re Think of Retail can provide significant efficiencies for business. One side to be considered is as we become more connected through technology are we becoming more disconnected with each other. I do worry that with greater automation, there will be less opportunities for human interaction which may have a significant impact on the mental health and well being of a number of people. On the positive the nano technologies mentioned in The Triumph of the Tiny could really improve the chances of survival for people with serious conditions. I do hope that as a society we do not become too complacent because a machine can do it all for us. I have high hopes that technology will enable us to significantly reduce our impact on the environment and find better ways to do things while maintaining social interaction.
Very interesting to see where the world of technology is heading. The impact that nano technology can have in the medical arena is out there and the possibilities seem endless. The age of automation seems to be at the forefront of the others though and the flow on effect into the world of retail and driving etc will have impacts on employment rates (and health of workers if we are all sitting behind a computer for our work) moving into the future. Society still needs a role for some of our battlers so if we replace most of these jobs with robotics and artificial intelligence what happens to employment rates, crime rates, social interaction and the overall health of society.
Great points Rohan and there will definitely have to be extra support for sure to ensure everyone is employed.
The age of automation will by far have the biggest impact on our lives in the future. We are currently in the early stages of AI technology and robotics, both in terms of capability and user uptake. This relatively limited AI is already having a major impact on our society. With advancements in AI, I believe that almost all sectors will become at least partly reliant on this technology. AI will fundamentally change the careers students will have in the future and it will be important that educators prepare students for this.
Yes very true Trent. My concern is how do we prepare to prepare the students for this future when some of us are playing catch up not having grown up with the levels of technology seen today. Interesting times.
I agree Trent. AI is already an extremely powerful tool used within society, and as you mentioned, in terms of its capability and potential, it is quite ‘simple’ and ‘limited’ at the moment. As a teacher, I wonder how we can best equip our students for life outside of school. Is the current education system relevant to learners? I wonder how the education system will change within the years to come in order to cater to how the world is changing because of automation and AI. In terms of the potential and capability of super intelligence and how human like it is likely to be based on concepts such as google duplex, will our role as educators still be relevant? I hope so!!
I agree. Although I think all sectors are already reliant on this whether they know it or not.
The trend that I feel will have the greatest impact will be ‘The age of Automation’. In my opinion, the biggest concerns relate to how we engage in society, security issues and privacy concerns. The main driving force that makes this the most influential trend is the excitement of living an automated life but also the fear and concern towards the application of Artificial Intelligence. A large majority of individuals in society today owns some sort of device that can be identified as our own personal assistant, enabling our lives, informing our decisions and making life, in some ways, more efficient. We are then concerned with the level of advancement in automated technology that may incur negative impacts on life. One concern involves intelligence taking the place of humans in many industries, causing job loss, restructuring industries and changing societal norms. With industries and organisations needing to know their clientele on a personal level to cater to your needs and your own personal devices housing information in order to assist you, the notion of privacy and security is somewhat lost to the world. When we understand how much of our life is engaged in, or connected to an automated lifestyle we are then pointed towards understanding the next level of impact.
I would have to agree with you Apii. Social scenarios of any kind are what make us human. The more artificial the world becomes, the less humanised our interactions are.
Yes personal security, data security (does this even exist anymore?) and what will we be ingesting without our knowledge. The trust backyard veggie patch seems important now, and organics
Wow. What incredible insight this PD has on the future technologies that could potentially change the world we know. It is both incredibly exciting and somewhat scary at the same time. In my opinion, I think ‘The Age of Automation’ is going to have the biggest impacts on the future. ‘The Age of Automation’ is obviously already impacting us today, both positively and negatively. Advantageous aspects would include the greater opportunities for those with little access to things such as transport, shopping (especially those medically limited) and time. It would make life much easier for those with busy lifestyles. However, on the other side of the Automation, there are definitely some scary possibilities, with the loss of many jobs, industries and rise of level 3 AI (Artificial Super Intelligence). We have already seen many predictions in movies about what might happen if AI becomes smarter than we are, most shedding light on the negatives etc. With technology like this continually updating and improving, the possibility of these predictions may become our reality in future years. It is so important, especially now with the increasing use of technology in student learning, that we as educators prepare our students for the ever-changing world of 21st century technology and what their possibilities may be. This will definitely not be easy as we accustom ourselves with what might be, but the benefits for the students will be totally worth-it.
So true, Alisha, the current impact of Automation has affected us in many ways. We tend to concentrate on the positive, which is a good thing because we cannot stop progress. We do need to consider the negative aspects especially for future populations and prepare them to be ready and able to participate.
A great PD presentation but also one which invoked excitement and wonder about future trends and at the same time a questioning of what my, our, purpose as a species will be if all these trends come to fruition! I think the retail sector will move in leaps and bounds as it has already changed significantly and can appeal to all generations and cope with change quicker than many other sectors. We only have to reflect on what has occurred during this devastating Corona time. Many industries have had to shut with thousands of job losses but the retail sector is still coping and accumulating profit due to it’s ability to use on-line forums. I would hope that ‘The Age of Automation’ would be our next big endeavour as I can foresee only positive changes for our environment and greater independence for our elderly and disabled community members.
I agree, scary and excited together! How we prepare our learners for these changes is the question I struggle with. A major impact of all these trends is the loss of employment across all sectors. New jobs will be created but will there be enough for everyone who wants to work? The retail sector will lose all those lower-skilled jobs that introduce our young people to the workforce and also keep casual and part-time workers in employment. Will there be jobs for them in our future? There will definitely be a shift in profit-making for business.
Yes Jen, this is what Rohan and i were discussing. With automation what will happen to employment and then the economic cycle that goes with it (income, spending). We know that paying employees is a big outlay for businesses but what happens when machines are doing the work for many people in society, are these people going to be supported and if so how?
Ahh these things have been issues for a very long time. Some jobs will evolve and prosper and some disappear, with technological progress. Not too many driveway attendants around filling your car with petrol these days, but the petrol station has a barista. Technology promises so much, but we have to be able to interact with it for successful integration into our societies. The cleverness is how we use it.
Quite true Gail, hopefully automation will assist rather then hinder all our populations
Hi yes I think with our current world situation with the virus we have seen an adaption in retail already occurring and it will stay even if life ever goes back to a normal! Our students are already great at using phone apps for daily life.
Each of these trends will have such massive impacts that I am not sure I could choose one as being anymore influential than any other, particularly as the technology each involves overlap one another. After all, the Demise of Driving is not possible without automation. Also, each of these trends will massively impact the types of jobs available for our students, and thus, these skills they need to acquire in order to contribute to our society as informed, financially secure citizens. Indeed the trends discussed have the capacity to completely erase many of the jobs that our students would expect to be involved in as adults. However, forced to choose, I would have to say that ‘A Printable World’ may have the largest impact – who needs retail when you can print it at home? Also, assuming that 3D printing will have the capacity to produce whatever you want, then you will be able to print your own AI Automaton, driver-less car, and nanotechnology. And if 3D printers are, as the presentation claims, to become as common and affordable as microwaves, then being able to print your own goods affordably will help those from disadvantaged and low-socioeconomic backgrounds.
I agree Zoe about the types of jobs we need to prepare our students for. I am concerned about the technology moving faster than we as educators can cope with (or I mean that I can cope with!). How will we become adequately trained, or re-trained, to build these skills and prospects for our students to allow them to prosper in this very modern future world?
Hi Zoe,
I agree – Imagine living in a world where 3D printers are as common as microwaves. What an exciting prospect!
Simply mind blowing to try and foresee the impacts of technology on our future. This is by far the most engaging professional learning I have taken part of as a teacher. All of these Macro trends have major implication as how life will be lived. I think the “Age of Automation” will have the biggest impact. It is scary to hear that two robots can come up with their own language and had to be shut down. In my opinion the artificial intelligence of our own creations will out smart us at some point and control will be lost.
I agree Jimmy. I actually fear the loss of control over all aspects of my life. The natural ageing process already does this to our species and many cannot cope with the loss of their independence and the right to make their own decisions and follow their own journeys. It leads to feelings of worthlessness. It’s an important part of our spiritual health (I don’t mean religion), knowing we have a valued purpose in life. Not sure what my purpose would be if AI is in charge!
I agree Jimmy. I agree that the fear and concern we have towards artificial intelligence makes the trend of an automated life the biggest impact when we anticipate advancement. The creation of Advanced AI tech might create an exciting life that enables more than we ever thought was possible but it is hard to ignore the negative impacts that we may experience in the future, impacts that can be related to what is already present. Only just coming into the profession of teaching I can only imagine how my job is going to change from what I have initially learnt.
“In my opinion the artificial intelligence of our own creations will out smart us at some point and control will be lost.”
Terminator 3 all over again. Hopefully Arnie and John Connor will be around when Skynet takes over for real!
I think that the demise of driving will have the biggest impact. We are all so connected by means of transport and access to goods. I have lived in remote towns and not being about to walk down the street and buy products makes you feel isolated and disadvantaged. With the driverless revolution goods and services will become much more accessible to so many more people. Also, with the introduction of Uber air cities will see major changes in travel times. That means more time for work, family and play. This is major. The thought of not having to own a car is so exciting. All that money and time spent maintaining these assets which will no longer exist – fantastic.
I agree with you there, Kim. The thought of not having to shell out excess money for upkeep is exciting. I find the prospect of the driver-less car earning you money while you are at work more exciting, though. It would probably pay for itself!
I agree Kim. I agree that advancements in transportation are super exciting. Saving money and time are all benefits that society would welcome.
I believe that ‘The Age of Automation’ will have the biggest impact on our future. Like anything, the rise of robotics and artificial intelligence will come with its advantages and disadvantages. AI and robotics will bring significant economic benefits to the global economy and generate demand for jobs that may not have existed previously. On the other hand, these forms of smart automation will most likely lead to the demise of jobs that have been performed for years. In the short-term jobs in sectors such as finance and customer service will be impacted upon the most. When looking long-term, the development of things such as driverless cars would heavily impact the transport sector and how people live their day-to-day lives. In summation, I believe that no sector or aspect of our daily lives will be unaffected by such technologies as AI, robotics and smart automation, whether they be positive or negative impacts.
You’re right, many jobs will be impacted by the The Age of Automation – some already are! Consider the self-serve checkouts at our leading supermarket and department stores. But perhaps it will free us up for creating more interesting occupations. Someone has to build, service and fix the automatons.
I believe the largest impacting trend will be trend 3 – a re-think of retail.
This trend will change so much in relation to the shopping aspect of our lives.
We have so much to think about – what about the millions of people who will lose there jobs, what jobs will be created as a result, the continual updating of the technology and software required, who will be responsible for a malfunction and what rights we have as consumers.
I think what is occurring around the world at the moment has provided us with a small glimpse into what this ‘’Re-think of Retailing’ will bring about for society in the years to come. There will no doubt be huge amounts of job loss and I believe that the new jobs that are created as a result will be heavily technological based. Your point about consumer rights is very interesting and these rights will need to keep up with the ever-changing nature of the retail world in the future.
I have no doubt jobs will be lost and perhaps new jobs will become available. One would think the jobs lost will surely out weigh the jobs created… I my opinion, we will lose control of our creations at some point… Like a few movies have predicted.
I think that the Age of Automation encompasses all the other 4 trends. According to Michael we are still in the first stage of narrow artificial intelligence (AI) and we haven’t yet moved into the next phase of general AI where the computers are as smart as humans. The future possibilities are endless. When you look at the other 4 trends they all need advances in AI for the ideas and creations to succeed beyond the testing stages, which are managed and monitored by clever scientists and researchers, to become accepted and used by people in mainstream society.
I did smile at Michael’s comment in the video about the demise of driving that the car will become like a horse in the future – only used for a passion/hobby. Knowing how much people like the freedom of driving their own car I think that there will be many people who may take some time to to change that thinking. Perhaps driver less cars will be more like public transport. In times like the current pandemic, however, driving communal cars may not be desirable. On another note nano technology and 3-d printing may have solved the problems of future pandemics from a medical perspective. We maybe able to print gloves and clothing that repel not only dirt but viruses. Who knows?
I agree the Age of Automation will have the biggest impact. Do you think the AI we create will be controllable?
The point of singularity is the pivotal turning point, hence the name I guess. At this point the machine can learn for themselves and due to their processing speed already being much faster than humans they will race ahead in terms of intelligence, the time between stage 2 and stage 3 would be quite small I think. I don’t however think that they will ever reach stage 2 – personal opinion. I don’t think it is possible for humans to create another being that is in all aspects 100% a human.
Absolutely automation, it will remove the need for training in lower/entry-level jobs and either force workers up into higher-level jobs that require more education, or out of lower/entry-level jobs and possibly into social welfare. I also don’t find it unreasonable to assume that this latter point will drive up profits of big companies and leave the little-guy in the lurch. Big political, social, and economic implications.
That a big point not looked into much – the level of education required by everyone in all trends.
Who will be at fault if people are less educated?
Interesting times ahead.
As I watching the videos I thought the exact same thoughts – as teachers, how will we be able to teach our future thinkers these skills? Very interesting times. Truly exciting but overwhelming.
Hi Chris,
I agree with your statement about the political, social and economic implications of automation. I believe these new roles will require companies to invest heavily themselves in the education of their staff.
Even higher level jobs can be automated. Lawyers, barristers, judges, magistrates can all be replaced.
The Age of Automation will have an impact on the future in job opportunities and students will be entering into occupations that have not yet been developed. This will then link to the areas of Printable World and Triumph of the Tiny. The medical implications for these areas will be groundbreaking.
Automation also has incredible safety implications – think of the lives saved in dangerous but necessary jobs. All industrial work becomes safer by removing humans from the ground. Mines are already trying to roll this out!
Totally agree Lanie, these future jobs will also require skillsets that perhaps we are not even equipping our students for as it is still all very unknown. It will be very interesting to see the amazing medical advancements that come with the rise of 3D printing and nanotechnology.
At this point in time, given the pandemic sweeping the world, a rethink of retail is sure to be one of the next big things. In the current environment, society has become far more conscious of less physical contact where it is not necessary. In light of Amazon and it’s capabilities (as seen in these short videos), there is bound to be a greater shift toward contactless transactions, point of sale interactions and even delivery of retail products, food etc. The acceptance and uptake of this technology will provide greater avenues for companies such as Amazon to broaden their scope and deliver a service which adapts to the current world climate.
Hi Andrew, yes I agree that in the context of COVID19 we are on the verge of witnessing major changes in the retail industry. In regards to transport of online goods I hope we see another company finally rival Australia Post. Yes how about the Amazon Go store – so convenient meaning we have more time for work and play.
I feel the age of automation will have the greatest impact on our future, as it underpins the other 4 Macro Trends. Without automation there are pre-defined limitations on human beings that restrict growth and creativity.
For example, the scalability of automation means productivity increases. This can be harnessed in two broad ways, one through economy of scale and, two providing a freeing of humans from labour based activities to areas of creativity and ingenuity. This already is the case, as now, post-industrial revolution, our narrative has shifted from the traditional consumption of physical goods to digital and technological services that improve quality of life and enhance life experiences.
It is with economy of scale that automated products and services become accessible to the general population and as a result greater uptake and adoption of automation occurs. This feedbacks to business and organic growth in automation continues. This may continue to a point where we become totally dependant on automation and AI, as a result we lose skills and acquire new subsets of skills. eg. the horse and cart example discussed in presentation and driverless cars. This loss of skills and adoption of new skills will help set us up for future challenges and opportunities.
Freeing Humans from labour intensive work, that is repetitive and mundane, will provide people with even greater amounts of time where they can think. Freedom to think and the prospect of boredom, a time to reflect and be creative, has been a precursor to the best insights known to man, take this quote from Albert Einstein as an example “imagination is more important than knowledge”. As we know some of the best ideas and thoughts about what we do and how we live now, have come from creative minds. If automation provides us this, then we are more likely to have a greater range of ideas, as a species, this will propel us into the future in ways that will help us tackle the problems faced by humanity.
The concept and implementation of automation has been the result of human ingenuity and our want for a better quality of life, coupled with business/the economy’s drive for efficiency and higher returns. This symbiotic relationship has been of mutual benefit and will continue for the foreseeable future as the approach takes away from the equation the physical limitation of humans and replaces it with human creativity, which is infinite. So it is from automation that the ideas and financial support for driverless cars, retail, 3D Printing and nanotechnology have emerged. I am of the mindset that automation has and will continue to be the catalyst for shaping the future.
Hey Beau
I read with interest your post and then I think, hopefully we as a race will be able to evolve and adapt as quick as we can develop automation and A.I., the reliance on it and what it means for different individuals. I wonder if Darwin and his ‘survival of the fittest’ was able to foresee those humans who are more practically minded and not so creative?
Short term I feel that ‘The Age of Automation’ is going to have a significant impact with AI technologies influencing our choices, privacy, jobs, communications etc. Long term I believe the ‘Triumph of the Tiny’ will have the greatest impact. If this technology can already be used to help treat tumors and clean clothes, the potential for these tiny technologies to infiltrate all other aspects of life seem limitless.
Having said this, all five areas are going to have significant impact in the future
So much to take into consideration with this trend.
One of the biggest things I think is with this trend is how aware are students going to be in relation to the impact (both negative and positive) automation will have on our lives.
That’s a good point. I feel as if students are so unaware of the things around them and are so fixed on their immediate surroundings that they too are not looking toward what the future might bring. I think it will catch many young people unawares and unprepared.
The Nano technology seems pretty cool and the the possibilities in the medical field are endless. Not sure how I feel about microscopic robots floating around in my body though. As discussed with Ruby, I no longer need to eat healthy and drink less because a robot can fix me.
yep you wont have to worry.a nano clone will be doing your job and you will have your feet up.
I think the Triumph of Tiny and also a Printable World will have the biggest impact. Nanotechnology will be game changing; with self cleaning cars and clothes, nano bots free in your blood finding tumours etc. All these things are going to revolutionise the way humans do things, particularly human health, The manufacturer, the processor, the distributor all will disappear, however there will be new places and positions for these people that we don’t even realise exist at present.
Hi Kathy,
I agree with you that Triumph of Tiny will have the biggest impact as the possibilities here are boundless. I feel that the Printable World has some limitations in its infiltration of regular family house holds, although it will certainly change other area’s – building, construction, medical, etc, will benefit significantly.
Hi Kathy,
It is the hope that easing our existence in the world with the technologies discussed opens up new opportunities for employment and vocation, I sincerely hope future jobs are accessible to all. However, I find it hard to grapple with the social and political implications at the same time. Who will get access to these technologies? Who will get access to the education/training necessary to develop and maintain them? If automation is the big first step, and this implies an initial reduction in available jobs (and low-skilled, casual ones), then there surely must be protections put in place for workers of the future to ensure they can live while they upskill. How are teachers going to have to adapt to ensure our students are on a trajectory to acquire these jobs?
I think that the ‘Triumph of the Tiny’ will have the biggest impact on society in the long term. Nanotechnology is likely to revolutionise the practice of science and medicine which will have a significant impact on human health. Thinking about the current Covid-19 health crisis, nanotechnology could change the way we diagnose and treat diseases. This could lead a significant extension to our lifespans. It is interesting to think about how this could potentially transform our society and lead to significant ethical and environmental issues.
The examples Michael used for this trend were amazing and the implications for everyday life as well as medicine are extraordinary. I agree with you about the ethical and environmental issues that will be raised by these nanotechnological advances in medicine. There will also be side effects that will need to be dealt along with celebrating the health benefits.
Perhaps in the future washing machines would be unnecessary. This would save time, water and electricity – all resources that we can’t afford to waste. The future looks amazing and reminds me just how clever human beings are.
I can see all 5 trends having significant impact on our society. Significantly, i believe that the ‘Rethink of Retail’ will have a large impact. Over the last few weeks as the world has evolved through COVID-19, the retail arena has been completely turned on its head. Retail have had to virtually reinvent themselves to survive, and unfortunately many who have been unable to adjust in these changing times have simply lost their business, Automation is an area of significant concern as well. I think it is an interesting point to raise- who is at fault if a computer is driving a car?
I can’t even imagine who would be at fault in an accident with a driver less car, Rae. Hopefully there would be less accidents particularly with driver less trucks. It is concerning about the job loss though I know that new jobs will be created to support this trend. Its not just a reinvention for employers and employees but a total re-think of the world as we know it. Insurance companies, garages, truck stops etc all employ people. In addition what affect will it have on the need for emergency service workers like police and ambulance. The rethink of retail sounds very foreign to me especially the food shopping example with Amazon Go. It will be interesting to watch the changes evolve. Though I don’t think a functioning bar is a great positive to the shopping experience 🙂
I believe that automation will have the biggest impact in the near future. It is already here and infiltrates many aspects of our lives now. The level of automation will increase & this will affect job security, privacy etc to a greater degree than it already is. The positive benefits though will outweigh the negatives. The other four trends will increase in their impact on society as time goes on because they will be more highly developed, more prevalent and will become necessities in the future world (like the microwave).
Hi Suby, I agree automation has been around for a long period of time, it has just become more highly developed. I think without automation the other trends will not be as successful. The key to success with any emerging technologies these days is the ability for them to be automated. The more labour intensive something is the less we as humans and businesses are likely to continue to use these products/service
I have to agree with Beau – although short term I feel Automotive will see the most significant developments as we see greater commercialization of the new technologies. Having said this I also agree with you that all other technologies will somewhat piggy back of the Automotive success.
I think it will be a combination of ‘A printable world’ and ‘The triumph of tiny’. As the printing becomes more sophisticated it will lead to a printable at home of tiny technology. This will take out many of the middle employment opportunities, especially in manufacturing and distribution. On the other hand it will open up new fields in design and a different type of sales.
This is a great point Erin. I also believe that the combination of ‘A Printable World’ and ‘The Triumph of Tiny’ will have incredible implications for our medical research and field abilities. Potentially saving lives in ways that were just not possible before. Making the medical industry more effective, efficient and low cost (hopefully).
All trends do have the capacity to have a significant impact. I do see the age of automation having the greatest impact to begin with, simply because of the amount of people that can/will use variations of it. This is making me consider the potential overlap between trends and the larger scale implications. For example AI linked to the printable world etc.
The role of AI in the field of education is a particularly interesting one. It might lead to greater student engagement due to personalised learning and a shift in curriculum with regard to courses like coding and robotics. Conversely there will be significant challenges that will have to be overcome. For example will AI lead to a lack of personal interaction? There are also issues with regard to equity, addiction and an over reliance on technology.
I think there is the potential for all 5 trends to have a huge impact, but i believe the age of automation could have the biggest impact. As Michael mentioned, the potential for the robots to outsmart the creators is very real and potentially dangerous. It will also mean job losses as humans will no longer be required for many things.
Looking at the current Covid 19 situation across the world, did China use the 3D printing to create it’s hospitals so quickly?
The triumph of the tiny was also interesting, looking at how it can treat cancers. We are an aging population, but how will we survive and thrive if automation is taking over and making humans obsolete?
Imagine what it would be like to have artificial intelligence identify the need to create and print the hospitals or a vaccine for that matter without the directive?
I do think there will be loss of jobs in terms of automation but that may open up other fields of employment, for example in design and control of automation systems.
One thing I found surprising was this notion of a paradigm shift in employment. Professions that were identified as at risk of being disrupted by AI were cognitive and routine in nature (39% of jobs in the legal field). Whereas manual professions (which in the past were vulnerable to automation) will be more sought after.
There will be a loss of jobs due to automation, but there will be a whole lot of new ones instigated/invented to manage this automation
Hi Leeanne,
I agree that all five have an impact, I also believe that there will be more trends that are unknown to us that will also be important drivers in the future. What I know logically is that the success of most products and services is how well the integrate into our life, by that I mean ease of use and adoption. I am of the mindset that automation is a key and it is fundamental to ensuring success in the 4 other trends. Driverless cars need to be automated and have good AI, Nanotechnologies need a level of sophistication where they can be relied on to address the target cells (automation). 3D printing while programmed is automated and people in this field rely on the software to run the hardware with minimal input (automation). Further automation and improvement in AI means better product and a business that can produce same product with better automation and AI had the potential to take a greater market share.
Hi Leeanne,
The biggest most concerning thing for me in all of this is that we are essentially controlling what can or can not be done. We are programming A.I. What motivates this? Convenience, Laziness, Efficiency, Progress, Advancement of the species. It is certainly something that has ethical and moral impacts. Furthermore, our programming of A.I. is causing a shift in the loss of meaningful jobs. Robots to guide us to items in stores, Robots to bring us room service. WOW!
You have made a very valid point about the quick creation of hospitals and at this current time. This is something that will be noted in the future. I agree that automation will have a big impact on the lives of everyone.
The age of automation. The reason I believe that this trend will have the most significant impact is the fact that this is an area where there are a lot of jobs that might no longer require humans to complete. Looking at the supermarket example, where a robot can take care of the customer, but also take care of the stock taking and order through a chatbox with another company.
It is concerning that for all of these changes, the ‘human element’ is taken away. A computer that reads your face and then sends in assistants could be seen as caring, but could also be seen as interfering. Automation has a place, Look at all that has occurred even since Windows 95 was released, but I struggle to believe that anything can truly replace ‘human understanding.
I do also believe that the age of automation will have an incredibly significant impact on the shape of the future. Taking the ‘human element’ out is going to impact industries greatly. I completely agree with Michael in saying that with automation needs to come boundaries – especially in relation to the level 3 AI (Artificial Super Intelligence). This may help with the impact of loss of jobs in our world, which may reduce the negative backlash that comes with the age of automation.
I think all five trends are going to have a major impact on us and as Michael says some of these are already in play. I agree with Janice, I think the demise of driving will have the biggest impact because it will affect the majority of people. Many industries/people will be affected. Drivers of buses, trucks and taxis, People employed in Insurance and Roads and traffic organisations.
People in general will be affected as they will have to decide if they are happy with a driverless car!! scary!!
I agree with the fact that you think that all will have a major impact in the future and on the jobs that will be out there. They are all closely linked and connected. It will be fascinating to see if owning a car in the future is comparable to owning a horse for transportation not too long ago!
Hi Kerry-lea, yes it will be interesting won’t it. Those commuting will have more time to be productive, for example working on their laptop in the back of their car while they’re being driven to work. There will certainly be many people affected by the demise of driving, just thinking about all the truck drivers in Australia alone. Interesting with our current crisis, many of these jobs are currently “essential workers” that in the near future may not exist! I wonder how the driverless cars cope when faced with an accident? Interesting times ahead for sure.
I feel that all five Trends will have a huge impact, however, I do feel the Demise of Driving could perhaps have the biggest impact. This will hugely affect the Automotive industry unless they keep abreast of the times. It is fascinating to me that you will be able to get into your car, put in where you want to go and then either go to sleep or work on your laptop etc. This will do away with the need for Taxi drivers, Uber drivers, bus drivers, truck drivers etc. Imagine the impact that this will have on jobs. There will also be an impact on Insurance companies as Michael says – who is responsible for the insurance if there is no driver? It would also mean that people do not need to get a Driver’s Licence – this would mean a big loss of jobs for those working in Roads and Traffic Services. The Automotive Mechanic role would change totally to be more of a technical nature – retraining would be required and in many instances redundancies as the mechanic may not feel he or she has the desire or the skills to work in the world of advanced IT to service driverless cars.
I too found the discussion of the broader implication of self driving cars on insurance companies interesting. It just goes to show how far reaching the impact of technologies in the future will be.
The facial recognition will have a huge impact, it could be used to automate things that we do but could also be used in a negative way, i.e Big Brother, with a huge impact on our privacy
Hi Peter, yes facial recognition will create a very “Orwellian” society- where every part of our lives can be controlled and monitored. Imagine the potential if the information got into the wrong hands…Obviously legislations regarding the use of facial recognition will need to be considered.
Proactive legislation will definitely need to be considered. Having process’ and policies in place, needs to be in front of the change rather than reacting to new developments after the fact.
Security is certainly a concern with it and a hard one to understand how it will be monitored and maintained.
I understand the need for security, policing etc but what is already happening with facial recognition in other countries is scary & a violation of human rights.
I agree with others who have commented below. The security of AI is very concerning. It has the potential to greatly improve the convenience of our lives, however, this may come at a cost to our privacy.
Agreed! This trend is very scary indeed. And what about identical twins…could be interesting?
I think they will all hage a huge effect on our lives, but I think that the Age of Automation will have the biggest impact as robots will be replacing highly specialised doctors to perform intricate medical procedures,
It will be fascinating to see how this will affect the medical world in a positive way. Would 3D printing of medication reduce the costs and allow local pharmacies to print what is needed? Will the risk of surgery be reduced as the robots will be able to continue without tiring or are able to perform an operation with a higher precision level?
Robots performing operations is certainly concerning, but then again I think we may be surprised at just how may computers/robots are already currently performing these delicate operations. One advantage of faster recovery time is very enticing.