Ericsson ConsumerLab just released its annual "10 Hot Consumer Trends for 2018" report, providing insight on the biggest consumer tech trends for the coming year. The report hits on underlying shifts behind automation and the creation of a leisure society, social media echo chambers, augmented hearing, and other trends. Michael Bjorn, Head of Research at Ericsson and author of the report, sat down with us to discuss the biggest trends to watch out for.
Bjorn fills us in on what he believes is the most surprising trend. He says we used to have to know how to use the devices, but now the devices know how to use us. As an example, Bjorn highlights face recognition technology and says it could help use your mood or expressions to know how to react.
Emerging tech is scary and alluring at the same time, says Bjorn. One of the scary parts uncovered from his research is that half of the people said they'd be spooked if they couldn’t tell whether communication was coming from a bot or a human. Concerns that privacy is at risk have been rising, but he predicts we’ll see more of a demand for services that protect us as well.
Chatbots are all the rage since Microsoft-backed OpenAI launched ChatGPT late last year. Now other tech giants are rolling out their own contributions to the artificial intelligence space, with Google owner Alphabet on Tuesday announcing the launch of a chatbot service called Bard.
Will AI and ChatGPT replace jobs in the future? Cheddar News takes a closer look at its capabilities and what jobs the technology could potentially replace.
Toy's don't just have to be mindless objects we give children to pass time, they can be educational, brain stimulating, and emotionally calming. From toys that tell you stories to ones that let you test your creative side and music making skills, this year's Consumer Electronics Show presented some tech toys that could have some positive impacts on your mind.