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 thought there were some really fascinating possibilities raised in those videos, especially in terms of 3D printing and driverless cars/drones. however I think that the Age of Automation will have the most profound impact as it’s so difficult to predict how AI will develop once let ‘out of the box’, plus AI will be a huge factor in driving so many of the other trends that were identified (driverless cars, walk out stores etc.).
I remember reading about how the computers will get exponentially smarter than us a few years ago and it really frightened me. Then, I think I purposefully forgot about it so that I could go back to functioning in my daily life.
Now they’ve brought it all back up again. Bring me my tin-foil hat!
Age of Automation: What struck me most was when the students were struggling to use a desktop computer and Windows ’95. It’s fascinating to me how quickly technology changes. I started my teaching career ten years ago in Alberta, Canada, and Smartboards were being touted as the “latest and greatest” in technology, and cost around $25,000. Before I left for Australia in Decemeber, our school board was removing them, because they had become “obsolete”. One area of challenge I see for our students now is that as we move to Chromebooks and technology, I think we’re doing a disservice to them in the TRAINING on these products. Most students are (at best), inefficient typers; it’s not their fault! Very few of them have received lessons in typing as I did, and yet they are required to use this technology. Most students could text an essay faster than they could type one.
Hi Kelsey, great point about Smartboards – they seem most often to be used as projectors and nothing else. it always amazes me how quickly technology can come to seem ‘retro’. The concept of ‘digital natives’ is also fascinating in the context of today’s students since, as you say, so many of them struggle with basic tasks like typing, using Word effectively or even searching for information online.
I think the drive less cars will be excellent and will hopefully reduce acciden.ts
Fully. But I do love driving. I will miss that. Except that I won’t because I’ll be napping.
I will miss the driving experience
I think that insurance will be a major issue – who is at fault the vehicle?
I think the progress of artificial intelligence, and subsequent replacement of human with robot, will have the most impact on society. This may possibly result in a dumbing down of future generations. Things that were previously learned will be delegated to the robot knowledge base. Maybe this will mean increased expert knowledge? Or possibly, having technology on hand with an almost infinite knowledge base will increase the uniquely human functions of the mind. Whatever they are ???
That is a really good point I hadn’t considered: the loss of knowledge. Like, yeah, if we don’t need to know it, why bother learning it? (an attitude we come across frequently as teachers) An attitude which would only further elicit human’s subservience to AI overlords.
This will likely impact the way we view privacy. Already we accept receiving targeted mail or suggested advertisements, because it’s convenient. Have we forgotten the medicare breach of information? What breach will be too far?
The rethink of retail will have significant consequences for students working part time to support families as well as ‘unskilled’ school leaver positions. Adaptability, critical thinking and resilience will need to feature in future education. It’s not the technology or the trends but the ability of our students to be capable, critical and adaptable which is key
Hey Jowen! Yes, I was thinking exactly the same thing. Especially because if we cut out all the people involved in production and retail, where does that leave employment opportunities?
Hi Jowen, absolutely, it was fascinating to see how almost every development cited in those talks will lead to potentially massive losses of jobs, especially in unskilled, casual and entry-level positions that so many students rely on to support themselves at school and uni. If these things come to pass its going to be a huge problem for future policy makers to overcome.
Absolutely agree Jowen
The triumph of the Tiny will have the biggest impact – having the technology to detect tumours and other illnesses will be game changing in terms of the longevity of life.
Yes! Isn’t that incredible? I think in the future they’ll look back on our surgeries and practices like we look back at the dark ages and bloodletting. I’m picturing a giant machine that you go into and it just FIXES you. It would be incredible if technology could support the health industry (without creating killer-nano-bots, obviously!)
A game changer, the penicillin of this century.
I agree
I agree that all of these is having now and will continue to have massive implications for society as a whole. What struck me was the thought that in the near future kids wont have to have their drivers licence or learn to drive a car. This has always been a big milestone for young people to go from being kids and reliant on their parents to get them around, to becoming independent young adults ready to take on the world. But Who knows what the future will bring??? its all pretty mind blowing.
Hi Rhonda, I agree that attaining one’s Driver’s Licence is a big ‘coming of age’ milestone. I hope in the future maybe there will be new ones. I am also concerned about how many humans in the auto industry (truck drivers etc) will be out of a job?
It’s interesting to see what exciting things will be there to replace the fun of driving and what employment everyone will have once manufacturing, insurance etc have gone.
I believe that the ‘Age of Automation’ will have the biggest impact of everyone’s day to day lives. Developing artificial intelligence will definitely change the way people do, think and act. Younger generations may benefit from this as it may be classified as a source of help. However, for the older generations it may be considered a struggle as it will result in them having difficulties with the change in technology and this may be quite challenging.
Excellent point Tania. The challenges need to be balanced with the benefits
Hi Tania, I agree that the Age of Automation will have the biggest impact on day to day lives. I am wondering if the newer and better technology might actually be easier for older generations as it will become more automated?
In the forever changing world we live in, I can see that all 5 Macro Trends have already, and will continue at an increasingly rapid rate, impacted society across all levels. The one trend which I feel has had a significant impact on society to date is The Age of Automation and the use of AI across all aspects of human life. The fact that we have already adapted and accepted the inclusion of Siri and Alexa into our lives and homes, as well as utilising the world of apps at our fingertips, has increased human efficiency and has left people craving for more advances. Within the teaching framework, we have already started to introduce, and are attempting to keep up with, some of these trends by introducing the use of QR codes, 3D printing, VR Kits and Google Maps (just to name a few) into our lesson plans. Overall, I can see many benefits overriding the negatives with the increased develpment of the 5 trends and am excited to evolve with trends.
Hi Chris the thing about SIRI and ALEXA is still very generational because the younger ones have gained this technology and run with it. Many older people still struggle using technology like ATMS and computers and the speed at which these changes are happening is very frightening for some. I know my parents still have a bank book and go into the branch to take out money. There is not much trust in their minds,
All 5 Macro Trends will have a huge impact in shaping the future, however I feel that The Age of Automation will have the greatest impact. There are many benefits that will make life easier, however I do worry about level 3- Artificial Super Intelligence and the huge problems that it may cause.
Level 3 ASI… we might be able to work from home more often, Bev, while they run our classrooms. The coding and protocols which run this level are astounding. It reminds me of i-Robot.
What a fantastic presentation, this may sound like fence sitting but each technology will have a major impact on our futures; if really pressed i would go with AI and automation, I feel it will see the demise of the working world as we know it.
If you’ve seen Wall-E, that is what this whole presentation made me think of. That yes we’ll see the demise of the working world, but the possible demise of humanity if we are not careful.
I agree. I’m definitely wondering what the purpose of humanity will be aside from being a consumer. What jobs will be left for non-academic people?
In all honesty all of these trends will have a massive impact. However I think with the developments of AI and Automation, and where they are predicting it to go in the future will also have a further impact on the other 4 trends and the capabilities of them. It is worrying that this will impact on many employment areas for students in the future and the education system needs to develop and keep up as we need to address what we are teaching students so that they will be equipped for many of these future jobs. As we will no longer need Personal Assistants, Secretaries, Drivers, Transport workers,shopkeepers, retail assistants, builders etc….which is a worry. What options do our less academic students have for employment and contributing to society as we all know not every student will go into these technological areas.
Michelle, I completely agree with you. Where will our less academic kids go to find future work? I’m not saying that people who work in retail / trades etc are not intelligent – they have skills that are valued and to be applauded. After all, what would we do without our essential retail / trade workers at the moment during the current situation.
Totally agree, there will be totally different ways of doing things in certain industries and there are those who will not have the capacity for those new skills. But there will always be change and it is just as important as ever to teach our students to be problem solvers and collaborate with others to find solutions. With new technologies there will be new opportunities for all types of capabilities.
I found these 5 Macro Trends very interesting. I think the Demise of Driving will have the biggest impact as it will change the way we move from one place to another. Will people still own cars? or will it be easier to use Air Uber to go from one destination to another.
That is quite an interesting view Georgia. With the world rapidly changing, we have many questions however, will be answered in a matter of time. I wonder if there will be less or more cars on the road, impacting our environment.
We may see more “phone zombies” on the streets as they try and navigate to their ride. People loosing their sense of direction as they rely on their App. Just recently we saw the devastation the bushfires caused and the destruction of communications. Similarly, in a pandemic, what measures would be in place for hygiene.
All of the five ‘macro trends’ are very interesting. I think the one that will have the most impact is automation. While there are many benefits to automation, along with a quality of life improvement, it’s hard to predict what challenges we would face. Predicting what stop-gaps would be required to prevent issues in the future would require constant human interaction. Arguably, the benefits of automation would outweigh the risk.
Great points Ben. I agree it is very hard to predict what issues we will face in the future.
Great points Ben. I totally agree with you about the the age of automation having the most impact. The world is rapidly changing and it will negatively and positively impact everyone.
Drones are cool. However with automation comes breaches of privacy. How about a machine reading facial expressions with someone like Parkinson’s, won’t this cause embarrassment and people being self-conscious?
Personally I can see all of these trends having a significant impact on the world we currently know. Although there are many positive attributes that may be a consequence of each of these, I am fearful that technology is getting ahead of us all. In regard to this, what does future employment really look like for humans? How will this impact the ability of socio-economic status to change for humans, and more concerning what will the future look like for our children. Consequently the area I am most concerned about is the age of automation and the printable world. Although I can see many benefits with this and would love to be able to print anything I need, I feel the reality of the impact this will have on employment and in consequence the economy is frightening!
Completely agree with Benn. This will have serious impacts on the economy and future employment of young people. Although there are benefits to each trend – do we really know and understand how far they are going to go?
I completely agree Benn, it is all a little overwhelming and frightening for our children and our children’s children… I think possible because the changes are so rapid.
Same here Ben I think AI and Automation are going to change our world dramatically. Not sure how positive an impact it will have. Look at what is happening now around how people are living during this pandemic. People are going back to basics and learning how to cook, spending more time with family, starting vegie gardens. These are all things society has been moving away from and it has been a reality check for many.
Great point Benn , the world is changing to fast know.
I agree
Each trend was more mind blowing than the next. I can’t imagine the courses and skills that we would be expected to teach secondary students to get them into entry level jobs for these. The manufacturing at home sounds exciting even for artists. Where do I buy shares for this? no seriously!
AI and the advent of super intelligence will accelerate the development of all other areas. As the machine will be able to do things faster and with more accuracy than humans and can solve problems that currently hold up processes.
Will Humans be able to keep up with this super intelligence? Great point Steven.
The triumph of the tiny as this would enable cancer breakthroughs and treatments of many medical ailments. MOTES could also eventually replace knee cartilage etc for arthritis sufferers, or clear blood clots.
I completely agree. I think this is absolutely fascinating and research in the medical area using such technology will provide health support that may be inaccessible for many people that are suffering from life threatening or debilitating conditions.
With so many people and families affected by various medical conditions and the ongoing implications linked with these, the Triumph of the Tiny within the medical world is definitely one we all should be accepting with open arms. It is amazing to think that the accuracy of surgery, improved recovery time, and identifying and eradicating cancer can all be improved astronomically with the development of nano technology. AND how cool will it be to not have to wash the car ever again – a nice added bonus.
I would think as it has played out for a while now, that the Age of Automation will still be the biggest influence on the next 10-15 years. As the big business strive to improve profits, they continue to replace people with machines, this does create new jobs but for the uneducated, reduces employment opportunities.
Your probably right. However, left unchecked our technology may make us no more significant than pawn’s to the Artificial Intelligence we have created.
I agree with you Brian Automation and AI will drive our new economy.
I agree with Brianna Honess in that the triumph of the tiny will continue to play a significant impact on our lives- the ability of nanotechnology to detect cancer cells is amazing. The population is ageing and these will become increasing utilised to treat cancers and maybe even to treat viruses (to speed up the production of vaccines to help prevent or reduce the impact of future pandemic diseases.
I agree, Carolyn, the benefit to our medical science is huge. Let’s hope we all have enough Super when its our time to retire…. our bodies could be kept going. Exciting times.
It is truly amazing to see the advances that have already been made in the medical world to help people who are sick. The idea that there is more to come is exciting and I am hopeful it speeds up finding vaccines, treatments and possibly more!
I think we will see major improvements to our lives in the areas of health and ageing through advances in nanotechnology. ‘The triumph of the tiny’ will have a great impact.
I agree with you I think that the ‘triumph of the tiny’ will play a significant role in preventing and treating diseases and improve and speed up and improve the reliability and the production of vaccines so that the world does not experience pandemics like we are today.
It will be interesting to see the changes in the curriculums taught in schools once these “industries” start requesting upskilled youth. Stem ? and Steam
Absolutely! The age of nanotechnology is going to be amazing to see develop in our lifetime and positively improve the lives of our children. From improving medical procedures to relieving us from the burden of cleaning our cars, this technology really highlights the rapid advances humans have made in a short period of time.
I anticipate the Triumph of the Tiny will have a significant impact on design and innovation particularly on medicine. The ability to treat and diagnose a person could be easier to achieve and perhaps eliminate human error. Nano technology could assist people who either physically can’t or not able not to carry out a task e.g. washing a car. Nano technology cleaning your clothes as you wear them would certainly change my life! Will nano technology be expensive, safe and readily available for people would certainly be a challenge.
I agree Alex in regard to medicine. Imagine how much through automation and nanotechnology we will improve the lives of the elderly.
Eliminating the human error factor, Alex, is a really important aspect. Also, freeing up doctors/surgeons to do other specialist tasks would be really beneficial.
I can see huge benefits in the medical field. Improving people’s health and eliminating risks can only be a benefit. I feel the social/ emotional side of consulting with a doctor/ surgeon is also very important and must maintained.
I anticipate the demise of driving and the printable world may have the biggest impact. The possibilities for the printable world through 3D printing are particularly exciting and beneficial for the medical world. I found the possibility of skin grafts fascinating. The large scale construction currently being testing in China was also very interesting and highlighted the possible advances for the future.
The demise of driving could also have a huge impact on society. Imagining this almost seam surreal. However, the room for error and reliability does concern me.
Great points, Tara. The benefits to the medical field are really interesting.
Well said Tara. I am also excited about the medical advances.
I believe that “A Printable World” will have a large impact on our future. I believe that this will be seen as a priority, particularly due to its current usage and positive impact in the medical field. I thought it was also interesting to think about the use of 3D printers in construction – it would be interesting to see the cost of doing this as opposed to building in the current manner – the cost of materials, but also the cost of manual labour. I wonder whether this would be an affordable and practical means to provide housing in low socio-economic communities.
Yes I agree that this will have a big impact on our future. While the printable world seems practical and cost efficient for the construction companies, what will this mean for our unemployment rate? What will happen to the trades involved with manual labour? They will no longer exist, which means many aspects of our education system will need to change.
3D printers could make construction easier for people and more accessible in areas with limited resources but as Fiona points out, manual labour costs associated with building 3D constructions would be interesting to analyse.
I agree that it will have a huge impact on our futures, but I wonder what the power costs would be for this technology. Would it have an overall negative impact? Will this technology get quicker in the future and require less energy? What are the energy or environmental costs of the materials and power needed for this technology on a larger scale/
I think that the rethink of retail is already having an impact on our world in the current climate of COVID19. Already we are seeing more online shopping models as well as continued use of self checkouts in supermarkets. I believe the changes that are proposed with amazon and walmart are not too far away and will further impact the future employment of such positions. I particularly like the idea of drones delivering items, but again, this takes away jobs from delivery drivers .
This is definitely a very real thought in our current situation! It is comforting to think that we could have a totally contactless delivery of items, though no doubt a difficult move for those hiring delivery drivers! It will be interesting to see moving forward, the companies that thrive due to their accessibility, online presence and forward thinking in terms of AI.
I agree. It is also interesting to imagine how this will impact youth job opportunities. Almost all seniors begin in retail/customer service while at studying.
Wow, some of this stuff is mind blowing. I think the automation and the nanotechnology will have the biggest impacts. We are going to have to be so aware in how we develop this technology so that we (humans!) retain control. How bizarre that AI could make a language to talk to each other and leave us out! Also, that there could be miniature pieces of technology floating in our circulatory system takes us a little step closer to being AI ourselves…
I think you are right Carla and should probably youtube a few videos that explore what is already happening and how they have to keep some of these Artificial Intelligence’s offline so that cant gang up on us, Yet.
I totally agree with you Carla. Humans have to be extremely careful with developing technology and then how it is used or the consequences could be devastating.
I believe The Age Of Automation will have the most significant impact on the world at large. Exciting yes, but very alarming when diving into uncharted territory. The unknown impact could be beneficial or disastrous. It is inevitable for any society or community that some with suffer and others will thrive. For businesses it would mean increased production and productivity and more efficient use of time, ultimately resulting in better turnover and more money $$. On the other hand the use of artificial intelligence would mean an increase in job loses, impact on wages and the uneven balance between technology and man power.
As educators, will this take away from our abilities to form those important relationships with our students? I believe that technology can assist the process of learning, however, it can’t replace the role of the teacher – “Human interaction cannot be replaced by computers and human skills cannot be taught by technology”.
I also agree that the advancements in such technologies will have a big impact on human interaction.
Automation through robots and artificial intelligence will assist to streamline services in various areas such as travel, medicine and security. Will the technology be available to everyone? If so, what will be the human impact it will have on specific service sectors that longer need people. This will inevitably have a profound impact on peoples livelihoods, the need to up skill in line with the technology changes.
I agree human interaction and human skills cannot be replaced by robots. Possibly, as AI takes over more and more jobs, the new ones created will require knowledge in areas which are uniquely human, to do with interactions and non verbal communication or seeing things creatively with eclectic understanding rather than logical understanding.
I believe that the Age of Automation will make the biggest impact because it is the foundation of all the other trends. It is concerning that one day artificial super intelligence might take over and out smart humans. However, at this moment in time, artificial narrow intelligence had made a huge impact in mos peoples’ daily lives. Without AI, driver less cars would not be around, drone technology would not exist, nano technology would not have evolved and 3D printing not be available.
I also found the 3 levels of artificial intelligence fascinating. The implications for ‘artificial super intelligence’ are quite significant.
I anticipate the idea of ‘a printable world’ to have the largest impact as it can provide third world countries with infrastructure and food needed to enhance quality of life. A printable world, alongside the nano-technology (triumph of the tiny) could have a fantastic impact on health and longevity on a global scale.
I agree! Surely this would be a step in the right direction in terms of 3rd world infrastructure and for those in low socio-economic areas. Even if it were possible to print elements of the infrastructure that may be a positive step. The only issue moving forward might be the accessibility of that technology – would we have to print the infrastructure on site in the country/area that it is to be used in, or is it possible to transport these elements from around the world? It would be interesting to see the cost of doing this!
I can see these two areas having the most “positive” benefit in the future.
Lily, i think your statement is very accurate, the implications of these technologies will have a major impact on the ability to improve health outcomes globally.
All of the trends in some way. In all of the trends the workforce is changing and will be impacted in some way. The age of automation – robots to run our lives but to make things easier. will have an impact on privacy – maybe we will be tracked wherever we go, our likes and dislikes known before we go anywhere. This is our changing world and is something we need to look forward to and embrace as best as we can. Change is always hard.
Yes I agree Sharon, all of the factors will have an impact on our world in its own way. Listening to the idea of all of these trends at once is quite overwhelming. The scariest thing is thinking about what jobs our children and grandchildren will have and what this means for their education now. Are we preparing them enough for the future world? You’re right, change is hard and embracing it can come with planning for it too.
I feel automation will have the greatest impact. Too much time is wasted on the banalities of everyday life. Automated food production and preparation, education, creation of media content, interaction with store clerks, the legal system et al. The list is endless. We’ll have more free time to think of more things to automate.
Wonderful presentation with lots of thought-provoking questions. I believe that all of the five trends are going to have a massive impact on our futures. I think a printable world will have a huge impact as will the age of automation and AI. However I believe the The Triumph of the Tiny with nanotechnology and it’s impact on the detection and treat illness and disease could have the biggest impact.
I 100% agree that they will all have a big impact on the future. How amazing would it be to be able to detect and treat diseases through nanotechnology. It would have a really big impact on our lives. Imagine being able to shrink a tumour within 2 days would be amazing. Think of how many lives could be saved through this.
I believe the one ‘macro trend’ that will have the biggest impact of everyone’s day to day lives is the ‘The Age of Automation’. These changes in further developing artificial intelligence will change the way people interact with the people and the world around them. For the younger people, this will help them in all aspects of living, however it will will be an adaption for older people who are unable to understand the complex technology changing and building around them. When booking, scheduling meetings and reservations, some people enjoy the face to face contact and develop their ability to have a conversation. Without this, social communication will be affected and younger people will have troubles with communicating with people they’re not familiar with.
Social communication – this is an important part of life and still needs to be considered
I agree! How will this all impact social aspect of life and interactions with others? The ‘Art of Conversation’ will change along with any social skills people may have learnt prior to all this innovative change. Are all this advancements in technology also making humans more vulnerable?
A re-think of Retail would be a very different habit I think. It seems very impersonal to be fitted and designed from an image. What if they go to a lot of fitting and adjusting and all of the process and then the customer changes their mind on wanting that article of clothing and really was just browsing anyway as half of us tend to do?
I tend to agree with you Diana, the concept store idea didn’t really grab me. But maybe what we knew as an activity (the browsing) will now become the concept store – an activity to pass the time and have a glass of wine too 🙂
I agree with Diana in that I would feel less inspired to clothes shop if I couldn’t browse and feel the fabrics etc when I shop. On the other hand I feel that the Amazon delivery system is amazing and every body’s experience with social distancing and their new obsession with online shopping will actually speed up the need for such services.
I think all 5 will have major impact on our world in the future. Already we are seeing some of these happening now such as 3Dprinting, online shopping, driverless cars etc The Age of Automation will impact more people sooner than others. The Triumph of the Tiny will definitely have a major impact as people will have their lives extended . The idea of nanotechnology altering our ability to survive is amazing.
The idea of nanotechnology to alter our survival is incredible. I am curious to know what the implications of that on the Earth’s state and survivability would be. Considering the growth in population, the demand of natural resources and strain placed on current infrastructure systems. Maybe Artificial Super Intelligence may be able to step in by then.
I am wondering about this too Lily. There was nothing mentioned about how all of this will impact the planet and the way we use it. It seems like we are moving further away from the natural world all the time. Progress is great but to what detriment?
An interesting point Lily. I hope we don’t move so fast we can’t accommodate the needs of the planet.
I anticipate that the trend which will have the biggest impact is ‘The Age of Automation’. However, I think that the ‘Re-think of Retailing’ will have much more of a driving force behind it because of our consumerist society. ‘The Age of Automation’ does encompass most of the other trends and I think we are definitely living with AI in our daily lives right now with our phone and computer usage. Many of the topics discussed excited me, especially the idea of 3D printing at home to replace broken parts. It really does make me question what jobs our students will be doing in the future which we cannot even begin to comprehend today! How do we really prepare them?
I agree with the state of students/young peoples futures. There are children/students out there who are made for face to face contact with people and excellent people skills and not as ‘able’ in a world of IT or AI. Where do these people stand when it comes to having a career based on their personal abilities?
I feel that we will have to keep up with our delivery of lessons with the latest technology and giving problems. Our current Google Classroom delivery has shown how advanced the kids are, some have discovered the dictation capability and I am amazed at how accurate this is in writing their stories. Such a time saver and will we expect more from the students in the future as so much can be done for them.
How funny that we have to show we are not robots when posting to the forum.
Yes, I had a chuckle about the irony in having to prove I was not a robot!
Yes, its difficult to know what skills and information will be of use for students. Today it seems that flexibility and adaptability are the most useful.
The Age of Automation, will have an amazing impact on all people and will influence all the Macro Trends. AI will make many parts of our lifestyle easier, but we will also loose a lot of control and need for decision making. This has both positive and negative effects. It will be interesting to see how the world embraces and adapts to the changes in privacy. I believe that different generations will view this differently. Many people will know no different as they currently live in a very technological world. The different levels of AI ( narrow, general and super) show just what is possible and what is currently happening unbeknownst to us all.
The issues surrounding privacy and decision making capabilities cannot be underestimated. There’s many aspects to AI that are exciting and the world is currently embracing. But is the technology developing too fast at the cost of jeopardized privacy?
I Agree that The Age of Automation, will have an amazing impact on all people and will influence all the Macro Trends. I particularly agree that while it will make life easier to some extent we will lose the control in decision making and therefore how will that change our world? Will we be able to exercise our own brains!
I believe The Age of Automation will have the biggest impact because it lays the foundation for all other trends to exist. This technology is already popular and is widely used. Robots assisting with daily life tasks, for example, helping you find items in a store or guide you to your gate at an airport terminal is exciting to consider. It is scary to think that many of the ideas shown in the video were all examples of ‘narrow intelligence’, I can’t begin to wonder what ‘Artificial Super Intelligence’ will look like!
I agree! The idea of artificial super intelligence is quite scary. Having robots smarter than humans, I wonder what would we humans be doing? Would the teaching profession seize to exist like everything else?
I would anticipate The Age of Automation to be the biggest game changer. In fact, I think it is already changing the world as we know it particularly in terms of industry and employment. I can only imagine that in the future many, many more jobs will be able to be completed by some form of AI. The Google duplex presentation was an eye opener! When ‘it’ was calling to make the appointments it sounded so human – I found that a bit terrifying. I also found the story Michael told about the software that developed its own language scary. I worry that it may reach a point where it is truly out of our hands!
That was truly amazing watching the Google Assistant calls. The calls may be a thing of the past very soon anyway as we all move online.
I believe 4. the PRINTABLE world will have the biggest impact because it will change so much if we can print small, large, extra large items and especially food!
Retail industry, building industry, transport industry, medical industry and food industry. Jobs will change dramatically and younger people out of school will have very different experiences.
I agree that the printable world will have a major impact on our world. Their will be big changes to all industry and many jobs will have to change. It is an exciting time in education and how we prepare our student for the future, when we ourselves don’t know what to expect.
I agree with the printable world having the biggest impact. It could do some wonderful things for those people and places who lack facilities and food to thrive. Although, I do wonder about the jobs that will be replaced (as all the other ‘macro trends’).
I completely agree and this is my biggest concern too. I am very concerned what the future will look like for our children and their children and the way technology is going it is hard to imagine the extent of it.
A rethink of retailing I feel will be the trend that will have a big impact as it will happen sooner. Already we have seen a change to online shopping as normal and in the current climate of COVID-19 retail shops being closed, those with an online presence will continue to operate. The need for a change in retail is evident and achievable. You look at the large retailers who have continued to struggle as new players come along. It has provided new employment opportunities and will continue to do so currently and into the future. The demise of driving I think will be next as many cars are able to do it with a software update. I am most excited by the health benefits and aspects of the Triumph of the Tiny.
I agree Josh. The change to the retail experience has drastically changed in the current climate. It has shown it’s capability of rapid change and consumer response.
Good point about the visible impact of COVID-19 on retailing. The urgency currently created will certainly see the future come quicker.
Yes, I agree that the changes to the world of retail are well underway, especially with Covid-19. Many people will never go back to the way they shopped before and the retailers will have to adapt to servicing both their face to face and online customers.
I do agree with the Rethink of retailing. Mainly because of our consumer culture and the economic benefits. COVID-19 has accelerated societies ability to continue spending trends, but I do wonder where it will leave us with existing jobs? Will the self-serve check out prevail?
I agree with Joshua I feel that recent events with the COVID-19 is going to speed up the need for alternate retailing realities. It is interesting to see and a bit scary to know that shops are already reading their customers and modifying service to suit each person- I don’t know if I want shops appealing to my emotional state… think of all the chocolate they would try to sell me.
I think Triumph of the Tiny and nanotechnology. If looking at it’s medical uses, human lifespan could be significantly lengthened, resulting in world population growth. What resources are we going to require to meet the needs of that population and what impact will it have on the environment?
That just what I was thinking, Liz. It is wonderful that we may have the technology to save lives and increase longevity, but how do we deal with the consequences of that – like your saying – environmental, population explosion…
I agree Liz! I hope the solutions to problems that will arise because of these technologies are being developed as well. I understand there has to be some level of learning as we go but surely we must consider the impact both positive and negative from the get go.
I think that they will all have a big impact on our future. The triumph of the tiny through the use of nanotechnology and the results that it can have on people with early detection and treatment of diseases will have a global impact on all people. I would like to see this explored more especially with it commented on the fact that it can shrink tumours in a matter of 2 days which is save so many peoples lives. Very interesting to watch these and understand the changes for the future.
It is interesting because this all makes me think of why certain trends will actually become more successful… Surely human global health and wellbeing should be the number one priority. But I feel funding and economic support will be injected where there is capitalist benefit, the retail sector will always prevail because more money is to be made. I cannot help but be cynical!
Just envisioning the ‘Demise of Driving’ with kids not having the same experiences I had of owning their first car or gaining the life skills that go along with owning your own car. ie: financial responsibilities with budgeting the cost of insurance, petrol & licensing among others. But perhaps it will create a new breed of entrepreneur’s that will be able to navigate these exciting times whilst still learning the vital skills come with growing up. My hope is we can maintain healthy balance of the new with old.
How about the algorithms for life preservation when faced with an impending accident. If there’s an unavoidable fatal collision between two cars, does the algorithm support the lives of the car with two passengers? Or does it support the car with the youngest person? Or the car with the smartest scientist?
A car is such a big piece of my life and freedom to go where I wanted. It was such a significant rite of passage to get your licence and was a great moment of my life that I remember with fondness. Will the expectation of having a car at any age be like expecting good wi-fi wherever you go for younger generations. This might be the back in my day moment for me in the future. I feel I will always want to have a car I can control and keep up as a hobby.
It almost feels like we might be denying young people of many ‘growing up’ experiences, including learning to drive! Perhaps a lot of these trends may simply take things away from people – jobs, experience, skill, connectivity…
saw a tv show where the ‘driver’ was sitting and talking to his wife on the phone as his car drove by itself. Thought it was funny until the car crashed into the hospital, as it had reached its destination.
yes, need to maintain a balance of new and old.
On Scott’s point re Healthy balance maybe with less P Platers behind the wheel, with the normal age bracket, this could save many lives. Or at least hopefully the technology could support or override there decision making.
I think that the nano technology will have the biggest impact because of its capacity to create change at a molecular or atomic level. This will save lives in a medical sense, but also have enormous economic and social impacts.
I agree, with the development nano technology, treating incurable diseases and detection of life threatening illnesses will be positively impacted and will help and benefit so many people in the future. Early detection and early treatment will not only give sick people a change for a better and longer life but to also save others. A step closer to the cure of so many life threatening diseases out there.
I think the Printable World will make a huge difference to our society. When the consumer becomes the manufacturer, and we do away with all the people currently involved in bringing goods from the manufacturer to the purchaser, the economic and societal impacts will be massive. So many people in our society at the moment are working in manufacture, sales and distribution. When customers no longer need these people involved in their purchases there will be many diverse sections of society whose jobs will become redundant. As we look at how these trends will shape the future, employment and industry will be dramatically changed by these new technologies.
All 5 of these are going to have a huge impact, but the one that is so incredibly life changing is the nanotechnology. The ability to extend our lives through such amazing technology is mind-boggling. The other 4 will impact how we live our lives, but the idea of nanotechnology altering our ability to survive is amazing. I do understand that automation also has a huge role in this as it can also be used medically as well as for a ll the other uses.
Agree that each of these 5 areas will have huge impact in a whole range of ways, many of which we may not foresee! There are some frightening possibilities.
I totally agree that nanotechnology is incredibly life changing. The idea of nanotechnology altering our ability to survive is amazing.
The Age of Automation will severely impact our daily lives. It is something that is evident within all five macro trends and something that has already changed the way we do things. Having Artificial Intelligence has the intention of making life easier, but seems to me that it will involve everyone losing an aspect of control. Control over decisions. Control over privacy. At what stage does the rise of AI become too much? I would love to see it work successfully, but I guess we won’t know until it happens. Also, I think it will also cripple small business, as only those larger companies and brands that can mass produce things will survive.
I agree Matt. That loss of control is something can only be considered as daunting at this stage. After all teachers are known to have a certain need for control.
I like your question of what stage does the rise of AI become to much? I would like to know what processes we as a society have in place to keep this in check going forward.
I agree that automation has already changed the way we do so many things in our society, and in ways that we hardly notice until after they have become commonplace. I think children today have an expectation of technology working in ways that we once thought were impossible. As they grow up I think new generations will re-imagine technology in even more amazing ways too. But I agree that there are concerns about how we control things when we don’t fully understand the potential risks.
I wholeheartedly agree Matt. Whilst this technology excites me & will undoubtedly revolutionize society I am concerned about privacy & slightly fearful about machines being exponentially smarter & more powerful than us…in control. In saying that, I love the robotic vacuum cleaner & other robots that make life so much easier!!
The privacy concerns are surely what is holding it back. I hope that ethical decisions are always a factor in the rapidly developing technology.
I agree – when you thinks about the possibility of governments to access information about us without our knowledge, one can imagine the potential for power, control, corruption and the demise of individual thought, opinion or expression of difference. The ethics around this have to be considered so carefully.
I agree with you Matt. Particularly if computers become more intelligent than humans and they can override human will.
What a great presentation, but somewhat scary. All of these aspects will have a huge impact on life and society but I think The Demise of Driving will affect so many other areas of our life. It even takes out the need to even own a car which in turn effects car companies and even the way we do things, buy things, where we go and what we do. Without the reason to get in the car and drive to the shops or to a friend’s place it will effect all aspects of our life and how society operates.
Very scary indeed. A great eye-opener from Michael. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
I totally agree Felicity. I feel sad for the young adults who may lose this skill or even worse still, never learn this skill.
I feel children and young adults will lose many skills, however learn very different ones.
The age of automation. I think that with so much of our world becoming automated, so much retraining will need to take place for people to be suitable and able to have these kinds of careers in the future.
It is interesting where automation will take us as a society and how many jobs will it replace. I’m thinking that automation and AI will replace far more jobs than we realise.
I agree Pamela. Who knows what kind of jobs the students we teach will end up having?
I agree, Pam. I think automation is happening at a rapid rate and there is no stopping it. I did like the machine that could help you out when you need it, like in the paint department and also the fact that it recognised criminals. Very interesting.