FuturistU > Tactics > Future of Tech > Module 3 / 4

Phase 2 of Futurism: The Emergence

Instructor: Sean Watson
Digital Engagement
Download the Digital Engagement Trend Report
This module dives into the second phase of Futurism, the Emergence, in which Sean looks at the connection between personalization and technology. How is personal data being used to provide a better quality brand experience? How is it keeping people healthier? Looking at examples from industries such as tourism and healthcare, Sean explores how personal information can be used to improve one's quality of life.

He introduces different ways technology can seem and feel more human, taking on roles in caretaking and service-providing, which ultimately call for a more personal touch.
Related Trend Report: Digital Engagement
Workshop Questions:
1. How can you use personalization to further categorize and archetype your consumer?
2. How can you use technology to enhance personalization opportunities?
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Insights by Trend Hunter AI

Experiential Poster
Physical, touchable media is being reintroduced to deepen sensory engagement
Trend - Brands are incorporating tactile elements into billboards and posters to create immersive, multi-sensory experiences. From textured surfaces to interactive materials, these physical formats invite touch and smell, transforming passive ad spaces into memorable, hands-on brand encounters.
Workshop Question - How can your brand use physical interaction to create more memorable consumer touchpoints?
9.5
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Relationship Management
New AI tools arrive designed to maintain and support existing connections
Trend - AI brands are launching tools that support and maintain existing relationships, whether romantic, familial, or platonic. These tools stand out as they do not focus specifically on dating or forming relationships, but rather assist people in behaving the best they can in various relationships.
Workshop Question - How can we leverage AI technologies to address societal concerns amidst increasing digital reliance and always-online mentalities?
5.3
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Artificial Synergy
Artificial intelligence is used to translate human intent into natural action
Trend - Artificial intelligence has evolved to replicate human biology, helping people regain accessibility, mobility, or even senses that were lost. Utilizing assistive and restorative medical technologies, these systems can understand what the user wants to do and act like a natural extension of the body.
Workshop Question - How can your brand leverage AI to create experiences that feel naturally human?
8.2
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Mini Shaver
Beard trimmers are being transformed into compact devices for easy carrying
Trend - Grooming tools are being adapted for on the go use, which has resulted in the devices taking a smaller form-factor. Smaller than traditional shavers, these devices can be battery-operated, USB-rechargeable, or even manual, making them perfect for consumers who require a quick refresh during the day.
Workshop Question - How can your brand adapt its product to fit varying consumer lifestyles?
7
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Automated Podcast
AI tools that generate podcasts out of predetermined data sets are adaptable
Trend - AI companies are creating podcast-generating tools that interpret provided data and offer it in audio podcast form. This is used to make written news more digestible, to better convey one's personal thoughts, and more. These tools are designed to be quick and convenient for novice AI users.
Workshop Question - How could your brand make its products or services more accessible to consumers with busy lifestyles and minimal free time?
6.7
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Stretchable Display
Electronics brands are creating malleable displays for unique technology
Trend - Brands in the more designer end of the tech spectrum are releasing products with stretchable and malleable displays. These use AMOLED technology and are built in such a way that they can be twisted and bent without breaking or stopping the image from being displayed.
Workshop Question - How could your brand leverage emerging malleable display technologies to overcome traditional design limitations and create innovative new experiences for its customers?
6
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Controlled Impulse
Budgeting and savings apps are used by Millennials to prevent impulse purchases
Trend - While personal finance management apps have existed for over a decade, the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) and data collection algorithms have made recent apps far more effective than before. These modern budgeting apps are used to prevent unnecessary spending while saving toward goals.
Workshop Question - How can your brand leverage AI and data collection to help its customers make more informed purchasing decisions?
3.9
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
AI Diagnostic
Artificial intelligence tools are used as a starting point for medical care
Trend - Physical AI-powered tools, in conjunction with cameras and advanced AI models, are being used as a starting point for disease diagnoses. While these tools cannot legally diagnose someone of a condition, they can be used to more quickly point doctors in the correct direction, increasing efficiency.
Workshop Question - How could your business leverage third-party artificial intelligence tools to increase its overall efficiency?
5.4
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Visual Aid
Brands are designing packaging to be accessible for consumers with visual impairments
Trend - Brands are creating packaging designs with smart solutions for consumers with visual impairments. These solutions include scannable codes or symbols that interact with smart applications to provide either easier-to-read or audio-based information, more effectively supporting shoppers.
Workshop Question - How can we leverage technological solutions to make our products more accessible for a wider range of consumers?
6.7
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Consumable Packaging
Food and beverage packaging materials are revamped for waste-free consumption
Trend - Brands are demonstrating an attentiveness to plastic waste by creating edible food and beverage packaging as a sustainable alternative. These packaging options have a number of advantages, including lowering food waste, breaking the cycle of waste, and offering nutritional advantages.
Workshop Question - How can your brand transform a significant source of waste into a circular product?
6.6
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends