While digital technology undeniably brings in convenience for people and businesses alike, the former are becoming increasingly scrutinising what they see and what they believe as they seek to rebalance technology's role in their lives.
This is the findings of Accenture's 18th annual Life Trends report, which revealed that people’s response to rapid technological advances is mixed, influenced by increased use of AI and generative AI, recent breakthroughs are impacting society’s digital experiences.
This shift in the dynamics of people's trust must be carefully taken into consideration by businesses and organisations to be able to adapt their strategies to meet their clients' needs.
Accenture says insights crowdsourced from around the globe helped identify five macro-consumer trends forecasting the changing dynamic between technology and users, and the challenges and opportunities for brands as they adapt their strategies to meet evolving customer needs.
- Cost of Hesitations: The trustworthiness of digital technology is under threat as a rise in scams blurs the lines between real and deceptive content. Generative AI is amplifying this confusion, challenging people’s trust in digital platforms. Accenture research shows about half of people in China now question online content’s authenticity. Trust erosion is impacting online shopping and brand interactions, with 38% of people in China saying buying online is a mess these days. Brands must reassure customers by creating beacons of trust in communications, commerce, and product.
- The Parent Trap: Parents face the challenge of helping the next generation build a healthy relationship with digital technology. Unrestricted access to the internet and social media is influencing extreme behaviors and exposing young people to many different types of harm. Parents are seeing the effects and feeling the urgency, so they’re mobilising to establish guardrails as governments work on top-down policy. Accenture findings reveal that 64% people in China are aware of technology (algorithms) aiming to keep them long on social media sites, while less have taken the action to remove apps on devices (23%) or notifications (18%).
- Impatience Economy: Many cultures emphasise that education, hard work, and determination can shape a desired future. However, last year’s Decade of Deconstruction trend revealed that goals and priorities are increasingly shifting. Today, eight out of ten consumers in China say they wish companies would respond faster to their changing needs. About 77% now prefer quick solutions over traditional methods, often turning to crowd-sourced information for faster results, willing to take the risk, even for health and financial goals. Notably, influencers were once largely focused on style, travel and music but their remit has expanded to include life fundamentals like health, wealth and happiness. When companies fall short, consumers look to the digital crowd, pushing brands to keep up to maintain loyalty.
- The Dignity of Work: The dignity of work is increasingly being tested by business pressures, technological advances and shifting dynamics. As generative AI enters the workplace, dignity needs to be factored into new expectations around how people will work with the technology. More than eight out ten people in China find generative AI tools helpful at work, saying that they make work more efficient (43%) and improve the quality of work (35%), while some are concerned that they limit creativity (11%), make work more transactional (22%), and create anxiety about job security (11%). Leaders must foster motivation and agency, as they are key to producing high-quality work.
- Social Rewilding: People are increasingly seeking depth, authenticity, and sensory richness in their experiences, aiming to engage with the world in meaningful ways. Reflecting a renewed desire to reconnect with nature and each other, people are seeking balance between technology and moments of joy and well-being. We found that 52% of people in China attributed their most enjoyable experience in the past week to something mix of digital and physical experiences, while only 16% noted a digital experience. The shift presents organisations with opportunities to rethink their roles and align with people’s growing desire for more immersive and authentic experiences.
