Despite what the stifling posts on LinkedIn say, AI isn’t everything. So we assembled a panel of marketing technologists and took on the challenge of discussing the most exciting technology developments of our time without ever mentioning AI.
We gathered five smart marketing technologists in a room and asked them what excites them about the world of technology. But for once, let's not talk about AI. How many times do you think you'll make a mistake?
When I tried it, the answer was 9. This is not a reflection on the cleverness of our committee, but rather how pervasive AI has already become in nearly every area of technology. Writing about the industry as well as the product itself, there is no doubt that AI will be everywhere, drowning out all the other interesting stuff coming out of R&D labs around the world. So here's the other The technology trends our panel says you should be paying attention to right now.
1. Wearable technology
As AI advances, our committee says there is a bit of a quiet movement toward truly interesting, easy-to-use, and wearable technology. As Angus Hamilton, chief technology officer at Search Laboratories, puts it, we're on a “relentless march towards wearables…We thought everyone was tired of smartwatches, but then they got smarter… I did.” ring You'll be able to better track what you're doing. ”
Wearable technology is not a new phenomenon, but it has fallen victim to the same hype cycle that AI is on (and the “metaverse” is rolling down).
It's been 11 years since the ill-fated launch of the smart version of Google Glass, but its impact is felt more in the imagination than in the memory. However, a confluence of factors may allow mass-market wearable products in the near future. A cultural shift towards closely monitoring health factors, reduced screen time, and improvements in small battery technology. and cost reduction.
Wearables have been prevalent at recent trade shows, including this year's CES in Las Vegas. There's been a shift in the way these products are marketed, with a focus on health metrics rather than high-tech quirks like Glass. Bracelets like the Whoop band and rings like the unobtrusive products from Samsung and Oura (the latter boosted by Prince Harry's early adoption) promise permanent health monitoring (glucose monitoring like the Zoe The huge success of apps and patches is contributing to a similar market (but alarming some doctors).
Jack Morton strategy director Carey Mahoney said all of this “suggests a shift away from basic mobile phone setups and a rethinking of how we approach interacting with those spaces.” We're breaking the mold and being this small, very restrictive rectangle. ”
And, of course, there are AR headsets like Apple's Vision Pro and its meta competitor, the Quest. Additionally, there are more affordable descendants of Google Glass, like the XReal Air Ultra (not to mention a number of “wearable assistants” that tout its capabilities) and AI credentials (like the Rabbit RI and Humane AI Pin). Sam Drew, head of creative technology at 2Heads, says these inexpensive AR devices may eventually enable mass adoption of wearables. “These products currently need to be connected to a phone, but as technology becomes smaller, more efficient, and has better battery life, people will focus less on their phones and more on glasses, rings, and personal assistant attachments. It will be like that.”
2. Neural sensing technology
Wearable technology clips sensors to the body or clothing. Neural sensors go a little deeper and use EEG technology to monitor brain activity. Again, versions of this technology have been on the market for years (the Muse headband promises emotional monitoring for meditation, for example), but more mature products are emerging at tech shows. It's becoming a hot topic.
Drew from 2Heads says it again. “All of a sudden, you have the potential to tap into people's subconscious and their emotions. You can't break down barriers more than that.” As Drew says, things like Spotify's DJ feature, It’s not hard to imagine integration with (Klaxon’s) AI technology. “Suddenly we can incorporate neurofeedback into the music listening experience, allowing music to be delivered on a deeper emotional level.”
3. Personalization
For Mahoney, the “really big player in these trends” mentioned above is that brands are finally cleaning up the vast repositories of data they have collected over the years for true product and service personalization. “Frankly, every brand has been collecting data, but it hasn't been used…But we want to create an 'omni' experience where it's actually connected, one We are moving closer to a brand experience that starts with the location and continues to the end. – but not in a creepy way. Advertising actually has meaning.. How many people buy something on Amazon and then spend six months seeing ads for products they've already purchased? You’re not giving me an experience!’ I’m just saying. ”
Mahoney says this type of personalization “can go far beyond recommendations.” It's reflected in our customized communications, loyalty programs and the services we offer. ”
4. Autonomous technology
Not unrelated to the above is a change in the way some of this technology is marketed. Suraj Gandhi, director of IPG Mediabrands' performance, global executive of content, says he expects to see more technology that calls itself “automation.” “We now have ‘automated mobility’ rather than ‘self-driving cars’. Everything from lawnmowers to cars to public transport is ‘automated’…labour-centric I think there is a movement away from things that are more focused on convenience to things that are more convenient and give users more time back. ”
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5. Analog backlash?
Skeptical readers may arrive at this point with healthy concerns. Rings that track your body's vitals, bras that monitor your heart rate, headbands that sniff out your emotions – all that data comes back to haunt you in the form of “personalized” ads. Doesn't it all sound a little, yes, creepy?
Our panel is all technology fans and will happily predict various forms of analogy and rejection of technology accordingly. “We're reaching a zenith in terms of government regulations and social considerations about how technology is integrated into our lives,” Mahoney said. “How can we make this part of our world? where Do we want to allow technology? We have technology designed to take advantage of our worst features. So will we change technology? Or will we simply continue to create for our basest impulses? ”
This calculation, Hamilton says, will impact the technologies discussed here in the same way it has impacted social media, for example. “I've talked to a lot of people who find it intrusive and annoying to have notifications constantly appearing on their wrist. You don't want to be constantly interrupted, right? May People have reached a stage where they don't want something that grabs attention every two minutes, they just want a nice watch that looks good. ”
If that's correct, several things can happen. First, big tech companies may embed more opt-outs (Drew says, “We hope that changes in how apps and notifications are handled will allow users to block more digital extensions.”) ”) about their lives”). Second, other technologies will emerge to satisfy that desire.Gandhi says: last The hero of the hype cycle could be something that enables personalization without any creepy tracking: blockchain. “This was exactly the promise of blockchain and his Web3,” he says. “Dynamic contracts without cookies – but Bored Apes and the hype that came with it killed everything and we lost sight of its usefulness.”
And third, Joe Crump, Landor's global executive director of experience strategy, says he expects a shift to analog technology. “I've been working on digital since God lost his shoe, but I'm looking for the rise of analog, or at least a world where analog is on a level playing field. Irrational enthusiasm about the next big thing in digital is laughable to me in the long run. Ask anyone who works at Decentraland how well it worked.”
Instead, we should “focus on the next big thing,” Crump says. human And only then think about how technology can solve it. “It could be things like increased attendance at museums and national parks, or an increase in home births. These things create equal and opposite reactions toward high-touch experiences. Certainly, some of that is Digital will make it possible. But frankly, a lot of it isn't.
“People want experience. outside of their screens. That doesn't mean they don't love screens…but humans change much more slowly than technology. Since time immemorial, we have had a longing to connect with each other, move forward in life, and feel joy. Brands need to get smarter about their fundamental insights so they can give us what we want. In other words, please help us in any way we want. Help us the same way we've always wanted to, not on a screen, but from our friends and friends. from someone's elbow. ”
