Question J: How do you imagine social interaction within 10 years, taking into consideration the impact of technology on human relations?

International MBA Application

Lorenzo Sforza

Summary

• Context. Social Interaction and Technology

• Evolution of societies through technology

• Technology and human relations: An evolutionary journey

• Today: A world connected by Digital technologies– Digital technologies revolutionized our..Interpersonal interactions..– Digital technologies revolutionized our..Workplace interactions..– Digital technologies revolutionized our..Everyday life.. (1/2)– Digital technologies revolutionized our..Everyday life.. (2/2)

• Focusing on the last 2-3 Decades..

• The Future– The Future: in the 2020s..(1/3)– The Future: in the 2020s..(2/3)– The Future: in the 2020s..(3/3)– What technologies will evolve the most in the next 10 years?– Intelligent machines and Society

• Conclusion

Context: Social Interactions and Technology

“Social interactions refer to particular forms of externalities, in which the actions of a reference group affect an individual’s preferences” (cit. Jose A. Scheinkman – Princeton University)

To understand the evolution of Social Interactions, a critical step is in the acknowledgement of what major factors (reference groups) impact the traditional concept of society based on its distinctive identities (Job, Religion, Community, Family,..). One of these factors is certainly technology.

Evolution of societies through technology

Historically societies have been characterized by strong access barriers (Geographical distance, communication complexities). Societies used to enclose themsleves as a shelter from externalities.

Technology contributed to eliminate these access barriers, allowing societies to open up, mix with other societies and become more and more interconnected with eachother.

[Individuals through technology changed the way they interact and how they interact]

Technology and human relations: an evolutionary journey

Major disruptive technological evolutions in history have always led to behavioral changes within the human population modifying the way individuals conduct everyday business and personal activities.From a historical perspective, technology has played an increasingly relevant role in the way we communicate and interact with eachother.

Low Medium High

Degree of technological influence:

Pre-history/Ancient Medieval

Industrial20th Century

21st Century/Today

Today: A world connected by Digital technologies

• In the Digital Era, boundaries of the physical world are modified and disrupted, quickly merging with the virtual world enabled by fast changing technological capabilities, that exist to support us and act as facilitators of our lives.

• Distances, cultural segregation, information sharing, complexity of communications are all simplified and reduced in an always more connected world.

• Which are the technologies that characterize the Digital Era?

• Why are these technologies so relevant? Well, if we consider the number of people that are connected online and that do so using digital devices are..– More than 3 billion users connected to the Internet (47% of worlds population). Half the worlds population expected to tbe connected by 2018*

– 72% of users conected to the Internet are estimated to do so from a Smartphone*

– 22% of worlds economy is Digital today, forcasting to grow to 25% by 2020*

Big data Cloud Computing Internet of Things Mobile Technology Artificial Intelligence

*Source: eMarketer, Worldwide Internet and Mobile Users eMarketer’s Update Estimates for 2015 [August 15° Cindy Liu]

Digital technologies revolutionized our..Interpersonal interactions..

Allowing Social Media to..

Socialize: online virtual communities were people connect and socialize with an almost unlimited and customizable user base (Facebook, ASmallWorld,..).

.. revolutionize the way we..

Mobile technologies have taken the first step towards enabling an on-the-go digitally connected world..

Share emotions and impressions: Emotions are shared through videos, pictures posted on mobile connected communities from anywhere and with who we want (Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, etc).

Communicate: Instant messaging and free voice communication substitute traditional voice calling methods (Skype, Whatsapp,..).

Gather and share ideas with others: Ideas for any purpose are shared and made instantly available to an unlimited user base (Pinterest, Tumblr,etc). The concept of crowdsourcing redesigns the concept of idea gathering, leveraging the power of connected communities.

Date: People date online masking any form of physical and emotional inibition (Tinder,..).

Digital technologies revolutionized our.. Workplace interactions..

Social RecruitingRecruiters are replaced by LinkedIn for finding and assessing talent.

Video Conferencing and Remote WorkVideo conferencing and work chats recreate in the virtual reality the same conditions as in the physical workplace. Employees don’t need to physically meet in order to work together side-by-side.

User-generatedMaterial for advertisements is not generated by professionals anymore but through user generated content shared and retrieved from user profiles on Social networks.

Connected employeesMachines are connected and circulate data making it available on demand reducing the need for people to physically move information.

Business CommunicationMany surveys have identified that employees use email 40% less than 5 years ago preferring other mobile enabled communication methods.

Digital technologies revolutionized our..Everyday life.. (1/2)

I can turn on home air conditioning, control lighting,

order groceries, manage appliances directly from my sofa with my smartphone..

Connected Home Life

I don’t need to cue at the bank to cash in a

check or to pay my bills, I can move around

money instantly through my home banking app..

Mobile Money payments

Digital Shopping

I really don’t have time to go to the mall today,

I think I will browse online and buy what I

need directly from there. Wow that will

save me a lot of time..

Digital technologies revolutionized our..Everyday life.. (2/2)

This PokemonGo mobile app game is fantastic, I can play it whenever I want also walking around. I think I won’t meet up with my friends and just play

this.

Gamification and Play time

Why am I bringing this whole stack of printed

docs around. I could just store them Online and

access them from a pc or tablet?

On-demand philosophy

Hi, Welcome to your interactive learning platform. My name is Jane your virtual personal assistant to guide you through your learning

journey..

Education

Focusing on the last 2-3 Decades..Our habits in Society, driven by technology, are evolving at such a fast pace but most importantly, each evolution is strictly interconnected with the previous. The evolution seems to move with a steady pace.

1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s

..In a Passive and Anonymous way. They

use it only to retrieve basic data

..by starting to create virtual online identities

and generate content to be shared on online

communities.

.. By understanding that having a virtual identity becomes a

prerequisite to be part of society. People are more connected through

digital tools with instant access to services. Physical interactions start to

be less necessary.

?People in Society approach technology..

Tech Evolution

Tech Evolution

Tech Evolution

The Future

The Future: in the 2020s..(1/3)

The world in the next decade will be even more connected; the services that are already today enabled by technology will be accessible to a wider range of users.

Our social behavior and our interpersonal means of communication will shift from being less physical to being always more driven by digital tools and devices.

This trend will be reflected in all major areas and aspects of our lives within society..

Hi Jack, if you are in the other room could

you bring me that document? I need to make it available to Christina in Japan

and Max in Nairobi..

Sure John. I will digitalize it and store it online so you, Max and Christina can download

it right away..Ill text you when it’s

done..

The Future: In the 2020s.. (2/3)

Instant and connected ways of communication will significantly reduce the need to physically meet in order to socialize.

Social media online communities will probably exist for any topic or aggregation factor that characterizes our social life.

Online virtual avatars will represent a connected digitally improved version of ourselves.How will the

2020s look like?

What will change in the way we relate to others and the

community?

The Future: In the 2020s.. (3/3)

How will the 2020s look

like?

What will change in the way we interact

in the workplace and in everyday life?

Remote Work might become more popular than physical face-to-face work. Business travels will decrease. Social behaviors in the workplace (small talks, friendships and connections) will occur mainly on video conferencing and work chats.

Manual labor performed by man will be gradually replaced by machines, robots and other technological tools

Practicing sports, going out shopping, cooking and any other recreational activity will involve increasingly less physical interaction. Any service will be accessible and performable, online and on-the-go.

3D printing technologies will allow to print any physical static object we need, large or small, removing the need to build it or buy it.

What technologies will evolve the most in the next 10 years?

The greatest technological improvements in the next decade might revolve around enabling machines to develop the capabilties to learn from other intelligent forms and mimic their behaviors..

They already start to do so in an impressive way!

Intelligent machines and societyIf intelligent machines, reach a certain degree of technological maturity..

[Intelligent machines might rapidly integrate as part of our society. If this occurs, then we might need to start asking ourselves not only how we interact but with whom or what we interact.]

..we will not only seek intelligent interactions with other humans through technology but always more interact with intelligent technology itself that will be able to compute ideas and reply back.

Conclusion

Technological influence on society will grow significantly over the next 10 years becoming almost a necessary ingredient in order to properly live and interact.

But it also may cause a threat:- For those who are not ready to acquire the skills necessary to manage the evolving

technology: Whether the use of technology might have been a choice in the past and up to today, looking at the pace of evolution, it might not be a choice tomorrow if basic actions required for living will be accessible through technology.

- For Society as a whole: if at the heart of social interactions subject to technological evolution, the ability to connect and interact on a physical and emotional bases is not mantained and practiced.

This may cause an opportunity:- For a Society that is willing to embrace this evolution to discover new ways of

communicating, working, relating to others, behaving, and in general improving our life quality.

- Human longevity and overall health may be improved in both developed and undeveloped countries.

Thank you