In retrospect, this isn’t surprising Just 20 years ago, digital access was limited by dial-up Not only is technology a symbiotic part of people’s lives, connections and desktop PCs, and individuals remained it’s also being embedded in the building blocks of society. predominantly anonymous online. Tools like e-mail, forums Take the evolution underway in education: China is investing and e-commerce were more efficient or far-reaching than $30 billion in edtech by 2020 to ensure its 230 million K-12 analog counterparts, but hardly vital to people’s existence. students have access to individualized learning platforms.6,7 52% Companies didn’t need to closely consider the impact of In Indonesia, non-profit group Room to Read is closing the technology in their customers’ lives; our digital lives were country’s illiteracy gap by building an open-source platform distinctly separate from our “real” ones. that provides access to children’s stories, literacy education 8,9 videos and training videos for teachers. And technology It’s hard to find that kind of separation today as technology isn’t just transforming how people learn, but also what they has become an inextricable part of the human experience. learn: bootcamps that teach coding and web development 10 of consumers say that More than half the world’s population—a whopping 4.5 billion skills have grown 11x in the last six years. 1 people—have access to the internet. People are ever- technology plays a prominent connected on every type of device, globally spending an Given the starring role technology has in people’s lives, role or is ingrained into 2 average of 6.4 hours online daily. Even distinctions about it makes sense that we take technology personally—and why almost all aspects of their “screen-time” are becoming an obsolete way to look at reality as we expect so much more from it going forward. Just as many day-to-day lives. An additional technology permeates the physical world. Daimler is integrating current models fail to account for the growing impact of 19% report that technology intelligent voice control into its Mercedes-Benz vehicles, letting technology, our unconditional love for unlimited technology 3 is so intertwined with all drivers ask their car questions about traffic, weather and more. is fading. Some are labelling today’s environment a “tech-lash,” aspects of their day-to-day Samsung’s digital assistant Bixby is interacting with people in or backlash against technology. But that description fails to their homes via the company’s FamilyHub line of refrigerators.4 account for the fact that we’re using technology more than lives that they view it as an And the last mile is becoming a thing of the past as companies ever. Rather, it’s a tech-clash—a collision between old models extension of themselves. like FedEx, Amazon and Postmates use robots and drones that are incongruous with people’s current expectations. for delivery right to customers’ doorsteps.5