RESEARCH REPORT
A window into people's behaviours and attitudes to the world around them, including business, technology and societal shifts. This year, five emerging trends explore the cost of hesitations as people go after a healthier, more balanced relationship with technology—for themselves and for the next generation.
10-MINUTE READ
November 20, 2024
People's ability to trust digital technology is under threat, and its additive value has become diluted by authenticity issues. Online, the lines between the real and the deceptive are blurring, making it harder for people to tell them apart and introducing hesitation.
YK Zhang, 33, China
Fraudulent behaviour isn’t new, but with a tool like generative AI, people aiming to commit crimes online can do it more easily. A lack of action from those who should be moderating technology prompts the question: is people's well-being simply considered the cost of progress?
of UK survey respondents have been questioning the authenticity of online content more than before,
of UK survey respondents have seen fake news or articles,
of UK survey respondents have seen fraudulent product reviews online,
of UK survey respondents have experienced deep-fake attacks or scams for personal information and/or money.
Any organisation with an online presence should be actively finding ways to rebuild trust and to enable people to feel confident in their channels and content. Those that do so successfully could enjoy the luxury of becoming a hesitation-free choice.
Whether formalised or driven by what people will tolerate, there will likely be new rules of engagement around using AI, including what is and isn't fair game for "scraping" to train the technology.
Today's parents are facing a tough challenge: helping young people shape a safe, healthy relationship with digital technology. Evidence of the harm it can cause is stacking up, encompassing bullying, abuse, unrealistic beauty standards, deep-fakes, sextortion and age-inappropriate content that once seen, cannot be unseen.
Marie, 44, France
As governments work on legislation, parents and schools are organising, too. People will be watching how brands target children and young people from now on.
of UK 18–24-year-olds agree that social media impacts how they think about their identity.
of those over the age of 55 in the UK say the same thing.
While debate rumbles around how much smartphones and social media affect young people's health, parents are feeling the urgency and they just want solutions.
Brands must be ready for a world in which the next generation has a simpler relationship with technology than their elders. We could see a wholesale rethink of how and where to market to anyone under 16, which would decimate some services and create opportunities for others.
Technology makes it easy to find faster ways to pursue a goal and social media offers a stage on which anyone can share their experiences and advice in relatable, intimate ways. People recognise themselves reflected in others' stories, making their tips feel more relevant.
Stan, 46, US
Whether it's for health, finances or the things that bring joy, hearing directly from people with similar experiences is powerful. Brands that learn from this trend and use it to enhance the services and information they offer will likely build stronger connections with their customers.
of UK survey respondents of all ages get inspiration from social media on how to do things smarter.
of those aged 18-34 would do the same.
would engage more with a brand that educates them through blogs and videos.
Trusted institutions have the right message but not the right medium. Social platforms have the right medium but not always the right messages. Success here means delivering trusted information with a relatable, person-to-person quality and through the right channel.
People's determination to succeed is strong, and they'll always look for new ways to do it. Companies that satisfy their desire for relatability and speedy routes to achieve goals will be rewarded.
For many, work is feeling increasingly transactional and draining, and an emotional distance between workers and work is becoming clear. A relentless push for efficiency is leaving employees feeling like productivity carries more weight for leaders than their skills, experience and contribution to company culture.
Marie, 44, France
What do employees get from the working experience—and what should they expect? There's growing feeling that people's agency and dignity needs to be restored and refreshed in the face of a challenged work culture.
of UK people prize work/life balance above all else.
of employees trust that their company’s leaders have their best interests at heart.
of UK employees say they hear "improving productivity" messages from leaders more than those about improving customer value or workforce development.
Today's workplace makes demands of leaders that need a new mindset and special energy to navigate complex challenges. It means balancing financial pressures and the relentless drive for growth in a volatile economy with dwindling team morale.
Fundamentally, people do their best work when they feel valued, and their best work shapes exceptional customer experience that drives business growth. It follows that organisational success starts with making people feel respected, understood and motivated.
In the same way that rewilding seeks to regenerate the natural world, social rewilding restores people's own natural rhythms. This means rediscovering the deep joys found outdoors, in cultural exploration, in rebuilding healthy routines and reviving lost hobbies.
XJ, Li., 27, China
It's not a rejection of digital, but a search for texture. People are rebalancing the conveniences of technology with the meaningful experiences that await them in the real world.
of UK people surveyed said their most enjoyable experience the previous week was physical.
said their most enjoyable experience the previous week was digital.
increasingly appreciate the “joy of missing out” on technology.
of people say they are intentional about their use of social media.
Social rewilding is about people taking a new direction after years of living a digital-first lifestyle. If people's drive for screen-free experiences results in scaling back their activity online (particularly on social media), marketers will need to find new, imaginative routes to engage. Real-life experiences that feel authentic to the brand will likely chime with people's new, more textural outlook.
As people assess their own digital habits and help the next generation find a healthier balance, stopping to smell the roses is becoming a priority.
Our annual trends report is a labour of love and we would like to thank everyone who contributed from Accenture Song’s global network of designers, creatives, technologists, sociologists, and anthropologists.
Creative Chairperson – Accenture Song
Global Thought Leadership Lead – Accenture Song
Global Research Lead – Accenture Song
Global Sustainability and Thought Leadership Lead – Accenture Song
Managing Director, Global R&D Lead – Accenture Song