What's Next, Now: November 2024
This month, our crystal ball predicts the rise of the chatbots, a new market made for older adults, the return of buttons on tech, and more.
Chatbots are nothing new when it comes to customer service. We’re used to yelling into our phones, “speak to a person!” when we’re frustrated by the automated, recorded voice on the other end. But now, those bots are stepping outside of customer service and taking on the larger internet. The technology is becoming so advanced and commonplace that it’s blurring the once very distinct line of whether you are communicating with a human or with an AI agent.
Joanna Stern, a technology columnist for The Wall Street Journal, recently shared her experience spending time with four of the most popular bots. She commented on how bots like ChatGPT and Meta AI are trained on human voices, making them sound and act more like real people. The bots were able to have charming, friendly conversations with Joanna, but lacked emotional depth. While this isn’t necessarily surprising, it’s likely we’re not that far off from our bots better understanding human emotion.
Not only are these bots refining the way they sound, but they are also getting better at autonomously performing complex tasks, like filling out forms, ordering food, or producing a sentimental family video. Apple’s new ads for its Apple Intelligence AI agent lean fully into this, showcasing examples of outsourcing almost any task to AI. Top AI providers from OpenAI to Google have also recently announced their own internet-traversing AI agent offerings.
Society is still forming and cementing cultural norms around AI. We all seem in agreement that there are, of course, tasks and analysis that AI bots are extremely helpful for. But the boundaries of what is and isn’t acceptable are still being ironed out. Coca Cola’s recent holiday ad is the latest example of pushback against AI-bot created art. There’s also evidence that increasing reliance on human-bot interactions could reduce actual human-human connections and knowledge sharing.
The way bots evolve will influence our norms, even beyond the walls of AI. For example, will the way we communicate with bots start to affect the way we interact with other humans? We predict it will become increasingly important for brands to sound as human-like as possible in all of their communications, to emphasize separation from bots and to avoid losing that authentic connection with customers.
If you’ve been on the Internet over the last few weeks, you may have seen the discourse about the latest New York Times’ piece to go viral, this one titled “The Unspoken Grief of Never Becoming a Grandparent.” Whether or not you agree with the premise, the facts of the article are true — younger generations are having fewer children, and some members of the Baby Boomer generation will never get to experience being a grandparent.
This generation makes up a significant portion of the world’s population, and they’re getting older. Futurists have had their eyes on the upcoming “mass retirement” for years as Baby Boomers start to age out of the workforce. (They’ve even given the phenomenon a catchy name: the Silver Tsunami.) As this generation ages and the birthrate declines, the population will skew disproportionately older. And as modern healthcare helps us live healthier for longer, we could live in a world where older adults make up the majority for some time.
Add in the fact that Baby Boomers are the wealthiest generation, and there’s significant opportunity for a market to develop around the needs and wants of older adults. Whether they’re retiring or staying in the workforce for longer, customized products like specialty banking and financial management tools may turn into a need. How will technology evolve to meet the needs of older adults? What fitness and wellness innovations could they want? What opportunity is there for new healthcare and caretaking solutions? And what about entertainment? While for many older generations grandkids were their priority in retirement, what new avenues for leisure, recreation, and education does this open up?
Our aging population will reshape industries. Expect to see expanded opportunities in community-based experiences, technology tailored for older users, services that promote lifelong learning and entrepreneurship, and innovations in entertainment. This is a moment for brands and organizations to innovate, supporting a generation eager to embrace its next chapter.
Bye-bye, Black Friday?
Yes, it’s that time of year again. The leaves have officially changed, days are starting to get shorter and the holiday anxiety excitement is starting to settle in. Thanksgiving has always been synonymous with the start of the holiday season, with Black Friday as the official launch of the shopping madness. But what used to be a full-on consumer experience — camping out overnight, squeezing through crowded aisles, and fighting for the latest Xbox or Bratz doll — is now not as enticing for consumers when you know Cyber Monday is around the corner.
Black Friday traditions are evolving and have been over the past few years. Now consumers are turning online for deals, taking advantage of what has expanded from Cyber Monday to now “Cyber Week.” According to DriveResearch 2024’s Black Friday Shopper Report, for the second year in a row, in-person Black Friday shopping is projected to be the least popular, garnering the interest of only 29% of respondents. In contrast, online Black Friday shopping continues to explode with a 10% increase in participation from last year.
While the pandemic certainly accelerated the shift to online shopping, in recent years we have seen brands giving consumers fewer reasons to reserve their spending for just one or two days during the holiday season. Major retailers like Walmart and Amazon now launch Black Friday sales as early as October, blurring the lines between the traditional shopping event and the broader season of discounts. As a result, Black Friday is becoming less associated with the day after Thanksgiving and more synonymous with extended sales periods.
The data is suggesting the decline of Black Friday as we once knew it, as online shopping is only likely going to increase in the new era of AI. However, like we discussed in September, consumers are nostalgic, which means we may see a return of the early 2000s Black Friday experience in the future. If brands are looking for a way to stand out beyond their sales, leaning into the experience and bringing back some of that magic of Black Fridays of the past could help connect with a consumer craving to relive core memories from their childhoods.
Apple ushered in the era of the touchscreen with its first iPhone, leading to what was then called the death of the button. Now, Apple has flipped the switch (no pun intended) and is bringing the button back to life.
Apple’s introduction of the Action Button on the latest iPhone points to a tactile resurgence. Touchscreens have become the default — and cheapest — option for new tech. But now, designers across industries are responding to a consumer call for more physical controls, from inside our cars to on our appliances.
Why the pivot? The Wall Street Journal ties the resurgence to "proprioception," our innate sense of spatial awareness that makes physical controls feel intuitive. Analysts also point out that touchscreens prioritize vision, requiring your focus on the screen for usability. In short, buttons are just simpler and more natural to use. But a longing for buttons is also indicative of a broader cultural push to regain control in an increasingly automated and touch-centric tech landscape. The embrace of other nostalgic technologies like point-and-shoot cameras and digital camcorders represents a desire for simpler times.
Of course, not all designers think buttons are the answer to uncomplicating digital interfaces. Electric carmaker Rivian, for example, thinks the future of cars will be controlled by hands-free, voice-powered technology. Looking ahead, we’ll likely see a blending of old and new worlds, with hybrid designs offering the best of both. If touchscreens dominated the last decade, the next will be defined by our ability to reimagine what physical interaction can look (and feel) like in a digital age.
From elephants using unique name-like calls to birdsong revealing intricate social structures, AI is beginning to unravel the complexity of how animals communicate with one another. This exploration into animal language has captured the imagination of the public and academics alike, as it taps into our deep emotional connection with pets and other animals.
The potential benefits of decoding animal communication are vast. By better understanding how animals interact with each other and their environments, researchers could improve conservation efforts, monitor endangered species more effectively, and enhance animal welfare, particularly for those in captivity. For example, AI could be used to understand how animals experience stress or discomfort, leading to more humane practices in zoos, aquariums, and farms. Having AI decode animal language can allow people to embrace a more emotional outlook towards the protection of animals and make better choices regarding conservation, hunting, and the meat industry.
In addition to scientific research, AI’s ability to decode animal language could open new avenues for improving human-animal relationships. As AI becomes more adept at translating animal sounds, pet owners might gain insights into their pets' emotional states, desires, and needs, fostering deeper connections between humans and animals. This could be particularly transformative for people with disabilities or those relying on service animals.
Looking beyond the immediate applications, AI’s role in decoding animal languages could have broader societal impacts. As AI continues to develop, it may lay the foundation for future technologies that bridge the gap between humans and animals. While some might view this as an exciting step forward, others may question whether we are ready to understand — or even should understand — what animals are trying to communicate. Could AI ultimately change how we view animals and our place in the natural world?
We’ve been watching the rise of Substack and the newsletter space for a while, but a few new boosts to the space caught our eyes recently: Substack continues to collect big names, including media icon Tina Brown and popular digital reporter Taylor Lorenz, while competitor beehiiv is investing millions of dollars in a new media collective to support independent journalism on the platform.
Twitter expats continue to flock to Bluesky. After the election, another 1 million users moved to the federated platform.
A headline that surprised us this month? While the “vibecession” continues to skew our view of how much things cost, the price of college is actually going down. Schools are also starting to prioritize affordable options and even free tuition for students in need.
Want to hear more? Explore the Tier One blog, TOP TALK, for the latest digital marketing trends, tips, and insights.
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