Technologies becoming increasingly human in their use

As the world continues its rapid adoption of technology, emerging technologies are set to become more ‘human by design’ – much more human-like and intuitive for people to use.

In its Technology Vision 2024 report, experts from Accenture explore how after years of exponential technological advancement, the latest cutting-edge technologies are increasingly evolving to become more human-centric.

“We are moving toward a world where the technology around us will become more omni-present, even more seamlessly embedded across every aspect of our lives,” said Paul Daugherty, chief technology and innovation officer at Accenture. “And as technology evolves, technology – especially generative AI – is becoming more human in its nature.”

Accenture’s researchers suggest that people of all sorts are raising the bar on their expectations, and technology builders and providers are listening to their audience.

The study identifies four key trends in the move to “human by design” technologies:

A match made in AI
The emergence of generative AI provides a more novel way of organizing data, in ways that facilitate human-like reasoning and even mimic creativity. Instead of combing through mountains of search engine results, people will receive curated, personalized responses in the form of advice, a summation of a vast set of results, an essay, an image or even a piece of art.

Meet my agent
Ecosystems for AI – envisioning a world where AI-empowered agents work on behalf of individuals and are part of an interconnected ecosystem. These automated agents not only assist and advise people, but also take decisive actions on their behalf in both the physical and digital worlds.

Working together, machines and people can multiply the collective output of workers and generate immense value for economies, according to the report.

The space we need
The merging of several technologies – such as spatial computing, metaverse, digital twins and AR/VR technologies – will create value in new realities, creating rich, new immersive worlds of personal interaction by extending the physical world into 3D environments.

Daugherty: “These new places and experiences will fuse our digital and physical worlds, bringing us together in new ways, fueling innovation and improving the way we work, live and learn.”

Electronic bodies
Using innovative, embedded technologies – such as AI-powered wearables, brain-sensing neurotech, and eye and movement tracking – a range of new human interfaces can be created. Tapping such interfaces enable societies and organizations to better understand behaviors and intentions, transforming human-machine interaction.

A seismic shift

Commenting on the move to more human-like thinking, Daugherty said: “This important seismic shift in the way people work, live and learn will accelerate a wave of unprecedented change across industries, from retail and entertainment to medicine and manufacturing. Organizations that act now to reinvent their business and ways of working using ‘human by design’ technologies will redefine what it means to be an industry leader.”

“However, key will be that organizations take a balanced, human by design approach that ensures these technologies are used fairly and responsibly.”