Intelligent connected machines to be a major part of life by 2030, consumers predict

Consumers expect connected technology to become more flexible and interactive going forward and see devices enabling more pro-active, and even creative choices in a wide range of everyday life situations by 2030.

The tenth edition of the Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) ConsumerLab 10 Hot Consumer Trends report highlights consumer predictions about the various roles that connected intelligent machines could take on going forward. Each of these roles could be seen as new service areas, opening a range of opportunities for 5G service providers to gradually extend intelligent networks to their customers.

At Ericsson Research, our vision is that advances in AI and cellular communications technology will enable connected intelligent machines to securely communicate across the networks of tomorrow. In the process, they could make the world more responsive to consumer needs than ever before, given that consumers predict intelligent connectivity to enable services that go way beyond the mobile broadband experiences of today.

Based on long-standing global trend research, the ConsumerLab 10 Hot Consumer Trends 2030 report represents the expectations and predictions of 50 million early technology adopters across 15 major cities including Delhi.

In this study, respondents rated 112 connected intelligent machine concepts, ranging from a human-centered to a more rational perspective. The result is an overview of the 10 roles consumers expect connected intelligent machines to take in everyday life by 2030. Each trend in the report depicts a specific role that such machines could take.

Dr. Michael Björn, Head of Research Agenda, Ericsson Consumer & IndustryLab, and author of the report, says: “I was surprised to see that consumer expectations on smarter connectivity are higher than for any other connected intelligent machine type. The Connectivity Gofers trend includes predictions that devices will intelligently adapt to any signal, with use of cellular, Wi-Fi and fixed connectivity being seamless, as well as smart signal locators that guide users to spots with optimal coverage even in crowded areas.”

“This points to opportunities for 5G service providers to gradually extend intelligent networks to cover a whole range of new services for their customers, and each of the machine roles we present in this report could be seen as a whole new service area.”

“The Community Bots trend, for example, highlights the role machine intelligence could take in providing much needed community services. The Explainers puts forward the idea that all connected devices need to be able to explain themselves to users, and Sustainability bots focuses on the increased need for localized intelligent climate advice going forward.”

“What all of these potential services have in common is that they rely on intelligently communicating across devices and thus puts the networking aspect even more in the front seat than today.”

The 10 Hot Consumer Trends for 2030 (global and local insights)

1. Body bots: Get a power-up – 76 percent of global consumers predict there will be intelligent posture-supporting suits. Consumers in Delhi are more supportive with 84 percent voting for this concept idea.
2. Guardian angels: Three-quarters globally believe that privacy guardians will help fool surveillance cameras and block electronic snooping. Delhi consumers stand at 82 percent - clearly, using technology to help guard oneself in the digital world is very important for them.
3. Community bots: Seventy-eight percent global consumers believe electronic watchdog services will alert neighborhood allies to any trespassers. However, a higher percentage of consumers from Delhi (81 percent) prefer gardening devices like mowers that team up to also keep common areas tidy.
4. Sustainability bots: Future weather will be extreme – 82 percent globally and 85 percent in Delhi believe devices will share data and warn about local rain torrents or heat blasts.
5. Home officers: WFH uninterrupted – 79 percent of global consumers say smart speakers will project noise-canceling walls around the home office space. However, majority consumers in Delhi (89 percent) predict smart electricity meters that calculate electricity used for work at home (including related activities) to be a reality by 2030.
6. Explainers: While over 8 in 10 globally predict automated financial management systems that explain how your investments are handled, at 87 percent consumers in Delhi are slightly more interested in the concept idea of cars that only drive autonomously when traffic is calm enough for driving decisions to be explained to the driver.
7. Connectivity gofers: Smart signal locators will be able to guide you to optimal connectivity spots, say 83 percent of global consumers. 86 percent consumers in Delhi have voted for the concept idea of home access points that automatically connect your devices to fiber, cable, 5G and Wi-Fi to be a reality by 2030.
8. Baddie bots: A baddie bot that can be trained to carry out burglaries or attack other people is wanted by 37 percent of global AR/VR users. 87 percent in Delhi believe hacking networks that learn the behaviors of one’s devices in order to infiltrate them and take control will be in use by 2030.
9. Media creators: Machines will curate content. Sixty-two percent globally think game consoles will make original games based on their game play. Majority consumers in Delhi (76 percent) believe it is likely that artificial musicians that write and perform their own music will do better on the hit charts than humans in 2030
10. Bossy bots: Around 7 in 10 global consumers believe that social network AIs will understand your personality and build up a circle of friends that is good for your mental and physical wellbeing. Interest in this concept idea is higher among consumers in Delhi at 84 percent.