Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 People are changing; companies must, too Enterprise investments such as those mentioned above mean that technology plays Given the starring role technology has in people’s lives, it makes sense that we take a central role in people’s lives and in business today. But the increasingly strong and technology personally. It also explains why we expect so much more from it going symbiotic connection between people and technology is starting to take strain. Not forward. Just as many current models fail to account for the growing impact of because technology has ceased to be valuable, but because enterprises have not technology, our once unconditional love for unlimited technology is becoming yet re-oriented to just how personal and meaningful technology has become in conditional on us having control and agency. most people’s lives. Some are labeling today’s environment a “tech-lash,” or backlash against technology. This isn’t surprising. Just 20 years ago, digital access was limited by dial-up connections But that description fails to account for the fact that we’re using technology more than and desktop PCs, and individuals remained predominantly anonymous online. Tools ever. Rather, it’s a tech-clash—a collision between old models that are incongruous with like e-mail, forums and e-commerce were more efficient or far-reaching than analog people’s current expectations. counterparts, but hardly vital to people’s existence. Companies didn’t need to closely consider the impact of technology in their customers’ lives; our digital lives were distinctly separate from our “real” ones. It’s hard to find that kind of separation today as technology has become an inextricable part of the human experience. More than half the world’s population—a whopping 7 4.5 billion people—have access to the internet. People are ever-connected on every 8 Enterprises have not yet type of device, globally spending an average of 6.4 hours online daily. re-oriented to just how personal and meaningful technology has become in most people’s lives. 6 Technology Vision for Insurance 2020 | We, the Post-Digital People
