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?
Wow! All the macro trends give me a bit of a head spin. The demise of driving has a big impact. There are a lot of positive outcomes, however think about the introduced risks – just of the top of my head, the extra airspace activity that has to be managed, the risk of technology going wrong and potential accidents, the risk of the technology being used for wrong-doing. This side of the technology needs to be thought about too.
I believe the biggest impact would be the triumph of the tiny, imagine what this would mean in the field of medicine and the cure of of present day incurable sickness, i would also love to see the use of micro dust (motes) to be added in diets of people suffering from deadly allergies and also in diabetes management
I am leaning toward “The demise of driving” I think this will impact many careers. It will replace some jobs and influence an increased expectation of productivity in others. Imagine being able to email, conduct meetings, delivering online lessons and more…. from your drone or car.
I am not sure about printable food and its nutritional value…… But I think the idea of printable materials for surgeries and construction will take off.
I agree Liz.
I anticipate that the trend that will have the biggest impact and long lasting impact will be the “Age of Automation”. There has been significant progress in this field in the past few decades take for example the Humaniod type robots, I remember reading that one scientist created one that is just like him. The first two levels of AI narrow and general intelligence are pretty much in society and we didn’t really get a choice. I am would be more cautious about the artificial super intelligence and it’s possibilities.
I think the trend that will have the biggest impact is “A printable World”. I think the impacts will be significant, far reaching and fast. I feel there are many advantages but more disadvantages related to this technology including: * With respect to construction industry (safer processes; cost savings in transportation; manufacturing; delays; handling of hazardous materials etc) * Medicine – artificial limbs; cell regeneration; stem cell growth etc * limited only by ones imagination – any design can be printed on any scale * Equity among people (depending on costs of printers – poorer people will have access to… Read more »
a printable world would be very beneficial for people who loose limbs and other body parts and would love to see the use in cell printing for degenerative eye disorders ,hearing and other degenerative diseases
I am leaning toward the Age of Automation as having the biggest impact in the short term. Automation is apart of our every day lives and will continue to grow and develop. I wonder how long it will be before we are sending emails via voice recognition (probably already doing this) and requesting the email has a particular mood, eg. serious but polite or happy and playful 🙂
yes i agree. Just look at the smart watches, you can talk to them and send a text which is almost the same as an email.
I anticipate that the triumph of the tiny will have the biggest impact on our future, as nanotechnology has the power to influence all of the other trends.
Nanotechnology sounds truly amazing and so excited to see the developments in the medical profession.
I think this area will have the most positive impact on human beings and their quality of life. Nano technology will reduce the need for invasive and exploratory surgery. We will probably start seeing people living even longer – perhaps even extend to embryonic and neonatal surgeries.
yes nano tech is very interesting and very complex. I also agree it will have a huge impact on our future and have the power to influence lots of things that are beyond our control.
I think all AI will have an impact on the new generation that is coming into the world, possibly for the best, not sure.
AI is going impact on all of us in all aspects of life. I guess we need to ready the next generation as well as ourselves to the change by being adaptable, flexible and learning to embrace the new.
I think AI already has a big impact on our daily lives and will continue to do so. From ‘Friend Suggestions’ in Facebook to ads targeted specifically to us based on our search histories to predictive text we all see AI in action several times a day. Due to the financial pay offs AI provides to the business world and the fact that it impacts most of us on a daily basis already I think AI will only continue to permeate more areas of our lives.
I agree Joanne.
I think the age of automation will have the biggest impact as it seems to underpin the other trends . the thought of artificial super intelligence is a confronting thought. I feel that narrow AI and general AI are already part of our lives and their continued development will continue to impact on the way we live and work and experience day to day life .
automation would be helpful to reduce congestion on roads, by having set paths and constant speeds, less intersections and traffic lights, it will also reduce the near misses and accidents on the road by reducing the human error factor yes as seen on the videos who would be held responsible if there is an accident.
A re-think of Retail – Pine and Gilmore had been talking about the “experience economy” 20 years ago and it is finally here! I think its great that we are finally at a point were we are “staging experiences” and I’d like to add to that “staging virtual experiences”. Retail will have a huge impact as it will mean technology can play a bigger role in creating service experiences that have the Wow! factor and are memorable and unique for the shopper. It will be interesting to see how the casual retail role will change especially for young people who… Read more »
Which of these will have the greatest impact? All of them will have huge impacts. A term I’ve heard bandied about is “disruption”. In this context, it means turning things on their head and learning to live in an entirely new world.
I think I would have to award the Triumph of the Tiny as having the most impact on individuals.
The Triumph of the Tiny has my vote for the biggest impact on society – this will affect all of the other macro trends – making printers smaller, cars (driver-less or not) more compact, phones that could be embedded under the skin – everything will be at your fingertips -literally. It will be an instant fix – may be that broken power point will be able to fix itself – it will be embedded with a micro-printer – the future really is becoming only limited by our imaginations.
I agree, Wendy. The possibilities of nanotechnologies are limitless.
I believe the Rise of AI will have the biggest impact – it seems to underpin many of the other trends. As a teacher who trains Disability Support Workers I am starting to think about the impact that each of these trends will have for support work but also for people with disability. Robots, driving, retail, 3D printing and nano bots – the possibilities are endless. I cannot wait to see how each of these trends will impact our industry in the future.
AIs are amazing but imagine if the AIs are on the micro level – for those with disabilities for example a paraplegic may be able to walk if the ‘smart dust’ can bridge the nerve damage – all of these trends will have huge impacts on our future and our industry
Wow! Imagine all the people whose lives could be altered for the better. What about all of us living with bad backs. What if Nanobots could 3D print cartridge and repair damaged backs. I know I would be grateful.
HI I think the Triumph of the tiny will be the biggest impact. Reasons: Cancers/tumours will be identified at a root cause early and with the injection of the nano bot smart dust which causes a blood clotting enzyme that will float around the body, identify tumours, inject the thrombin, blood supply to the tumour will be cut off and the tumour will be shrunk within 2 days. There will be no time wasted in going through various procedures to identify tumours. Early intervention and treatment at the same time. No loss of job and income due to what cancer… Read more »
I agree I think Tiny will triumph – everything that can be made smaller will be – and may be we will carry around our portable 3-D food printer and I’ll never have to pack my lunch (or the kids lunches) again.
I agree, Priscilla. The possibilities in the medical fields are so encouraging.
I find it both exciting and terrifying with the types of innovation discussed. Exciting to think how life can be so much easier but as a security teacher understanding how this innovation can be manipulated for criminal purposes.
Great point Kathy. I agree. Where is privacy and security in all of this? Hopefully the AI can keep the hackers at bay : )
The age of automation seems to underpin the other trends – the thought of artificial super intelligence is quite confronting! I think these trends are already part of our lives and it will be interesting to watch their development and impact on the way we live, work and experience life – the potential for health and wellness and the thought that I may one day be able to manufacturer the goods I need is quite mind blowing!
If you look at what has had the biggest impact in the last 20 years you would have to say artificial intelligence. Therefore I believe it will only continue to grow and have a huge impact in the way we live our lives. It’s exciting but yet also frightening at the same time.
I agree Alanna.
Artificial intelligence has made great improvements in the last 20 years.
20 years ago, this was all science fiction and no one had heard of data mining. Yet now, these two terms are known to everyone.
I think we live in a very exciting age.
The biggest impact in my opinion will come from The Age of Automation as this affects many industries and therefore careers available in the future.
I feel that AI is going to have the greatest impact, specifically because it will use all of the other areas to develop new products, new innovations, currently unimagined uses of those technologies. This technology added to “A printable World” and “Automation” will siginificantly change the way that humans interact with the world, each other, the workplace, entertainment, etc. Preparing ourselves to work, play and particpate in this space will be a challenge. From the perspective of a Vocational teacher I feel that we are not preparing our students for this space. All of our funding bodies are focussed on… Read more »
I totally agree Matthew! The soft skills are going to be crucial for student success. Wait… can we just get a tiny microchip inbuilt with soft skills and implant it into our students? Or will there be AI robots specialising in teaching soft skills? : )
I am also a Vocational Teacher who would like a greater emphasis on the Soft Skills that will accompany learner’s into a changing-by-the-minute future. Learning how to learn, problem solving strategies and coping strategies for when Plan A doesn’t work are timeless.
A printable world.
I can see why this may be your choice as being able to print food, build housing, make replacement parts would affect a great number of employment areas.
There may be a limit of what can be printed.
I feel the age of automation will have the biggest impact. AI is at the forefront of most of the changes society will undergo. As with most technological advances there are pros and cons. AI having huge impacts on the way work is undertaken and it will lead to massive changes for some industries. Another concern is the way something like facial recognition will allow states to reduce the level of autonomy and privacy that individuals enjoy. It happens already with CCTV but AI will take it to a new level. So to comclude AI will have the biggest impact… Read more »
The age of Automation.
Just to think that you are talking to a machine and discussing alternative solution to a problem is mind-blowing.
The age of automation is at the forefront of Artificial Intelligence, this is not a science-fiction movie but the real future where AI based Algorithms can accurately predict and make suggestions to site the customer needs is no longer a fiction but reality and this is where the future is heading.
The impact upon our world cannot be overstated and yet to be seen.
Although the reality of having 3D printing in the filed of science, technology and construction may have a huge impact on our future and the prevalence of tiny microscopes are already in vogue, it looks like online or virtual retail operations is taking over the global market at a much faster pace. But I think, the biggest impact in our lives will be caused by automation. The humanistic modifications to IA will seamlessly replace humans in many areas including disease prediction and treatment, holidays and showrooms will be replaced by VR experiences, driving and other human-controlled activities will become automatic… Read more »
The Triumph of the Tiny. This is amazing that microscopic robots can find tumors and treat these with massive results. This will also impact on the aging community and extend out life expectancy.
The Triumph of the Tiny is quite unbelievable, a nano technology that can assist people live a healthy life is important. The idea of self-cleaning clothes is something I would have a hard time to come to terms with.
The Age Automation will have the biggest Impact on the human daily life. We have already seen this occurring in daily activities such as mobile phones and access to buildings. It will stop a number of fraudulent activities and boost security around the Globe
I feel that any increase in security will come at the expense of personal freedom.
I agree with you Adam
I agree, but also wonder, as automation etc gets more sophisticated, the skills of ‘hackers’ and cyber-criminals will also evolve. Skills and Training in cybersecurity will need to be at the forefront of all industry.
I think the age of automation will have the biggest impact on our daily life. It seems that all our daily work can be done by AI. On one hand, it can help us a lot and save our time,. On the other hand, It is a real threat to our life. Will we have our job and our normal human communication in the future?
This is an interesting space to watch. We will change our lifestyles as we will have more time at home which impact on the economy with so many out of work.
it will be interesting to see how jobs will evolve in the future.
I think The Age of Automation will make the largest impact on our lives. The idea that Robots will become smarter than humans is a concern, many Jobs will not exist anymore. The world will change of course and be quite different to what we know. But hey, the world is constantly changing.
it is true the world is constantly changing but the idea of Robots becoming smarter than human is defiantly a concern and i agree many jobs will cease to exist but it looks like the future of Automation will take over sooner than later we just hope its for the better of all mankind.
I agree that many jobs will not exist, however there will be new jobs that we haven’t even thought we needed before!
i think an interesting conversation would come from two Chat Bots conversing with each other and if the outcome would be as predicted.correct booking made or correct appointment made.
One job us humans are grateful that robots can do is investigate suspicious packages to see if they are bombs. Machines can be rebuilt but humans can’t (yet).
Age of Automation as it is impacting on on everyone’s day to day life activities. Other four trends are also evolving from automation and so will influence human life a lot. Imagine in a few years time when machine is going to have the same capability as humans, what work humans will have.. Automation while evolving and moving to level 3 has such a dangerous potential to remove the human life from this planet ( a very scary thought but quite possible with the way AI is evolving and growing.
I agree. When the artificial intelligence develops to a stage faster than the comprehensible level of our human intelligence. It is a real threat to our human life.
Printable World – 3D Printing will change how businesses set up. The manufacture of stations, shoes, jewellery. Household needs can be circumnavigated by not going to the shop. The analogy of 3D printers to microwaves is so true. The production of food in the future is a tricky one unless they are able to predict your taste and mind preferences from day to day, and catering to the whole family.
This will be an interesting space to watch. Im not sure how the older Generation will take to this concept
The Age of Automation – All part of our daily lives – google maps, the time it takes to get to work. Takes the thinking out of preferences, ie. Spotify. We have all experienced these but artificial super intelligence – machines are smarter than us! Having robotics to help while shopping, airport help, etc. The use of robots to work with humans for surgical purposes. Cannot imagine what tomorrow will be like. At the moment it looks a little clinical but we have lived through many inventions that blew our minds away.
True Maureen. Automation in the form of Robotics, AI, AR and VR will have the greatest impact and I hope it will be for the greater good of humanity and not a set back.
The Triumph of the Tiny. Health and Medicine will be treated so differently. Microscopic robots to find tumors and then being able to treat them will change people’s lives. The health of people is so important. Being able to trace the health of people from a very early age has the ability to eventually combat, for example, autoimmune illnesses allowing treatment on even young children who will lead normal lives. So many things will change – washing clothes, no washing of cars with nano technology.
I believe this will be a valuable addition to our Medical system
The age of automation will have such a incredibly large impact on how we will function and live in the future. This I see as the basis for the other four trends that allows them to be enhanced to their full potential. It will not only have a huge impact on the way we work (and hence the education, skills and knowledge that will be required) but also to the way we live. This could potentially lead to a rethink of the “working week” as well as requiring large numbers of people of all ages to be re-skilled.
I agree , with machine becoming so much smarter, the whole working arena will be redefined. Not sure what work roles will be there for people
I think the age of Automation and AI in particular. I think we should be more proactive in advocating against facial recognition as it can be a tool to control societies. Also, as was mentioned, this can be Ok when AI is operating at the narrow level but when it reaches the super intelligence level it was shut down.
Jennifer I agree. I worked at an event earlier this year and facial recognition cameras were used for determining crowd numbers and after patrons realised there was massive backlash. Who knows where that information is kept.
The age of automation will have the biggest impact based on how it will change the way most people go about their day to day lives.
I agree, our daily lives will be very different. There will quite a few people unemployed
Based on my industry – marketing – for consumers one of the biggest impact will be retailing. The retraining impacts for staff, the impacts on assets and infrastructure in retail land and let alone the how organisations will need to repivot the way they do business with changing consumer needs.
We can predict that there will be more unemployment and close of business if the retail industry goes with this change of technology. Will there be any in increase customer needs if there are a lot of unemployment in the future?
Marketing will certainly be impacted, robotics will certainly dimish the role of the traditional retail employee and skew towards Customer experiences. Even then a robot may be able to replicate and humanise many of those transactions as well.
This was my second choice, I agree with you Leanne. If businesses offer an experience that makes customers want to buy from them they may have a small chance.
The age of automation has the biggest impact because this is the one that underpins all the other trends. If we get to the 3rd level of AI, the idea of machines being smarter than humans is a scary thing.
I think the impact of AI on future employment and the diversity of jobs that will need to be created to to drive this work force will change the way we think about the future. The continual need to up skill and be innovative will make our work force be focused on team, not individuals as problem solvers.
I agree. What will this mean for the future humans. If AI becomes stronger than humans and can take our jobs? Where does it leave employment?
Yes, But more of innovation as the humans need to be ahead of machine. Innovative minds are going to be considered most valuable
Yes but what about when we reach the level of Artificial Super Intelligence when the machines become smarter than us?
The Age of Automation – my first through was that AI and robotics are more likely to alter jobs than to eliminate them. As automation tends to be task-based rather than job-based still allowing workers to re skill or re train, new jobs could be undoubtedly be formed just as other are eliminated.
I agree. Think about surgery that is now completed by robotics, it hasn’t replaced the surgeons but changed the role that they play.
I feel that even the idea of Jobs may become obsolete. All of these trends will actually make “work” a very different space in a very short period of time. There are socialogical, political and existential changes as a result of these technologies that will impact on us sooner rather than later.
I agree Matthew, we are already seeing some jobs go due to automation e.g. bridge toll collectors, film projectionists, check-out cashier, railway station ticket seller etc. The impact has already started.
All of these technologies are having an effect today. If not directly, vicariously. As people become more familiar with the notion of robotics, driverless cars, 3d printers and nanotechnology, it becomes normalised. In terms of retail – this is already AI run – and it is ubiquitous. A robot showing me around a store represents only a concrete result of 21st century technology. As people become more used to an of the ‘AIs’ mooted here, it will, just like everything else, in the history of man, become just ‘what is’; what is normal. All technology is simply a tool. Technology… Read more »
So Jennifer, do you think automation will make the biggest impact on our lives?
The age of automation will have the biggest impact because with facial recognition and other forms of artificial intelligence every aspect of our lives will be impacted such as our lifestyle activities. Our identity can be used to mark us for expressing certain opinions and reduce our freedoms.
I agree. Freedom is so important and the thought of AI can be a threat to that is scary.
I feel the age of automation will have the biggest impact, as the changes in this area have been so rapid already and we have only really seen the beginning of the possibilities.
The impact this will have on employment opportunities or the type of study our students will require is going to be completely different to what is currently available.
Innovations can be exciting, just like a new toy. But they are disruptive by nature, and can bring with them many problems that we need to work through. The innovation that will bring the greatest positive impact for the future would be the a policy or universal reform that increases equity in the world and that cleans up all sorts of pollution from the world. The follow-on effect would be immense; as people’s lifespans and quality of life improve, future innovations would then be able to focus on improving the world, rather than fixing it. However, we, as a society,… Read more »
I agree that innovations are brilliant especially in medical science where they can be life saving and reduce risks with traumatic surgery due to robotics being so targeted. However the need for caution and maintaining an ethical and careful approach so that it doesn’t get out of control is important.
I agree that ethical boundaries need to be maintained as well.
Technology and its development is inextricably linked to money. All technological development requires investment. Investors want returns. Where money is involved, ethics and ethical practices are often compromised. To deal with this, governments then put in place laws. These laws then not only affect the development of new technology and there implementation, but also may have unintended consequences for the consumer. Innovation by definition is something that is usually accidental or creative in nature, and therefore, I do not think that ethical practice per se, would figure all that much in its inception. Rather, ethical considerations always tend to lag… Read more »
I feel the age of automation will have a greatest effect upon jobs of the future, it will determine the skills and knowledge that are required in the workforce, or will the workforce as we know it even exist?
I agree and yet another question, then, is how AI and robotics will alter the substance of the many jobs that remain in place. On the one hand, new technology could de-skill occupations, reduce worker bargaining power and wages, and bring an unhealthy degree of workplace surveillance. Yet the same technology could equally raise productivity levels, making it more competitive, open up the door to higher wages, and phase out dull, dangerous tasks.
It is hard to say as they will all have a massive impact! I think the ‘printable’ world sounds mind blowing when you think about printing houses, food, skin and body parts. Consumers as manufacturers takes us into a future that makes it hard to predict employment trends
A printable world? im now sure how i would print my runners at home, it sounds so bizarre.
I certainly wouldn’t mind printing a dining table and chairs! But I wouldn’t do this if the materials needed came from an unethical source, nor if they would have a negative environmental effect. These are things we need to consider.
It sounds interesting printing something and then eating it or even wearing it. Simply amazing
The applications for this could be incredible, printable body parts are already here, the skin grafts using the persons own stem cells is quite mind blowing!
I believe that these five Macro Trends will shape the future. Each one of these trends has huge applications.I think that a printable world will have a huge impact and will change the manufacturing , distribution and freight forwarding business and will definitely affect our students and our curriculums.
I agree Naim – each of the trends has the capacity to change our future in ways that are unimaginable – just thinking about Artificial super intelligence is an extraordinary concept
This presentation was very informative about future trends – I think it will be interesting to see the effects of COVID-19 will be – not only our current world economic climate but how this may shape the progress of retailing, construction, medical….AI
I agree Lydia. Hopefully we will have a rethink of everything we say and do! We need to devise a system that works for everyone. I think the introduction of a universal basic income system would create a much needed new shift in the way forward.
Lydia, I was watching this wondering how quickly these five things have advanced over the last three months due to covid 19….it makes them all the more relevant and on our doorstep now!
I totally agree how things have progressed in a flurry with the current climate but still we dont have a immunization or cure ,some things still take time,and human processes.
Each of the five will have a monumental impact on the world as we know it. I feel that the printable aspect will dominate – the potential is both beautiful and awe inspiring. I hold concerns about automation and AI — while I can see many positive and pleasant applications I can also see potential for abuse of capability and resulting harm. Each of the five macro trends are fascinating and I look forward to integrating aspects of each in my teaching world !
Who is to say one trend will shape the future more than another? I think they will all be interdependent on each other. They will all affect the jobs that we have now which will lead to the type of skills / knowledge / training that we will all need in the future.
I agree and we need to as an organisation rethink and plan our VET delivery to meet new needs.
Yes the needs of learners are changing
Good point about interconnectedness. I find it hard to think about the jobs of the future as I keep seeing the job losses for today
I agree, it changes what skills and training are required.
I agree, they are all tied into one another in some way – and it seems Google will run the world! They have the potential to benefit lives in such a significant way, but I am concerned that all this technology will eventually make us all redundant. A.I will perhaps replace the teacher and the student in the not so distant future.
I’m seeing many connections and overlaps between each of these 5 trends, for example driverless cars and drones use robotics and AI, as do new innovations in retailing. With 3D printing we become our own manufacturers, bypassing the retail world. The retail industry is a massive part of our current lives and I’m guessing changes here, already being felt through online shopping and delivery, will have the largest impact initially – affecting employment in related industries such as construction and transport.
I agree Lisa, the overlap creates a challenge too.. managing the technologies and the inevitable changes !