The goal of information technology is to provide value to the customer. For most people, the digitalization of companies has indeed brought many benefits. However, the rapid growth of digital- and information technology is not always in line with the speed of human development and its adaptability. Currently, we live in a world where more people have access to internet than to drinking water (Tolentino, 2016). And where Facebook and Google are creating a solar-powered internet drone to provide even more access to the Internet. (Eddy, 2016). Are we ready for an even more advanced era?
In 2015, a study was conducted on tablets acceptance across generations. It was concluded that “learning a new technology can be a daunting task for adults of any age, but this is especially true in older adults”. (Bowling Green, 2015) This is in line with research from the US Pew Internet research centre, who state that 77% of older people would need someone to help walk them through the process of setting up a new device. The response time for icons on an Apple screen is 0.7 seconds, but the over-65s have a response time of about one second (Wakerfield, 2015). But not only the elderly struggle with new technological inventions, digital illiteracy is present in all social classes and all age categories (Coenen, 2016).
Last week, the ING announced that in the near future they will focus more on their digital banking behavior and close a large part of their offices. Their banks will become “digital-first”, even though over 50 percent of the over-55s does not know how to work with internet banking and in the age group 35-54 this is 25 percent.
And these are just two, in our eyes, simple examples. Internet banking and tablets, along with other technological inventions, have come naturally to our generation. I bet most of our parents and grandparents still like to pay with cash instead of card. What about the further developments such as artificial intelligence? According to a recent study by Oxford Martin School and Citi, 57 percent of workers are currently at risk of automation (Citi GPS, 2016).
In my opinion: We are ready for many things, but that should not be assumed. Not only are there people who could possible need training and help, there are also a lot of privacy and security issues that need to be addressed. And also, we should not forget to stay social. Here on I would like to end with the quote: “If our digital screens are separating us from human interaction, you better believe AI will further tear that tenuous social fabric.” (Brady, 2016).
References:
Brady, R. 2016. Human obsolescence: Are we ready for an artificially intelligent future? Available at: https://techcrunch.com/2016/05/29/human-obsolescence-are-we-ready-for-an-artificially-intelligent-future/
Bowling Green, O. 2015. NEW TECHNOLOGY, TABLETS STILL A STRUGGLE FOR OLDER GENERATIONS. [online] Available at: http://www.newswise.com/articles/new-technology-tablets-still-a-struggle-for-older-generations
Bruggeman, F. 2016. Meer dan de helft van 55-plussers kan niet internetbankieren. [online] Available at: http://deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws/binnenland/1.2785911
Citi GPS, 2016. Technology at work v2.0. [online] Available at: http://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/downloads/reports/Citi_GPS_Technology_Work_2.pdf
Eddy, N. 2016. Facebook’s Aquila Internet Drone Completes First Flight. [online] Available at: http://www.informationweek.com/iot/facebooks-aquila-internet-drone-completes-first-flight/d/d-id/1326356
Tolentino, M. 2016. Data rich: more people have access to the internet than water. [online] Available at: http://siliconangle.com/blog/2016/02/04/data-rich-more-people-have-access-to-the-internet-than-water/
Wakerfield, J. 2015. The generation that tech forgot. [online] Available at: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-32511489
Dear Sanne, thank you for your post. While we (BIM students) may be ready for these changes, I believe the elderly people in my environment might not be. While I am sometimes impressed by what my grandma can still learn (she recently bought an ipad and learns fast), I recall teaching elderly how to use an ipad, and this went extremely slow. I think your example of internet banking also shows that the majority of elderly people are just not ready yet to move completely online. I even think that these numbers might be larger in other countries, as I believe the Dutch are quite advanced (I could be wrong) having for example their DigiD. Thus, I do not think ING is making the smartest move by closing a large part of their offices in the near future, but rather they should implement a slow transition. I think you are also correct that most people from older generations prefer paying in cash, while we are more used to using our cards. Thus, it will be quite interesting to see how these developments will affect older generations. Maybe they can be used as something positive, such as making elderly people feel less lonely.