ELITRENDS: Trends for 2024 - Consumer Tech

Since the surge in generative AI, discussions about technology have taken center stage in public discourse. The widespread adoption of LLMs and text-to-anything software has fostered a newfound eagerness to explore and experiment, giving rise to a CODE-IT-YOURSELF mindset. With the emergence of highly customized emojis, AI assistants, and an increased tech-savviness among consumers, the trend toward personalized technology is unmistakable. The call to action is clear: encourage your customers to actively participate in designing and rebuilding your products and services. This could involve empowering them to assemble their own tech, providing repair options for gadgets, or allowing them to design their own user interfaces. Can they build it? Yes, they can!

CASE 1 - THE BROWSER COMPANY

DIY browser unveils an AI upgrade for next-level optimization

Arc, developed by The Browser Company based in the US, is an innovative, free internet browser with customizable operating system features. This browser revolutionizes traditional navigation, tabs, and bookmarks; Spaces can be reimagined similar to rooms in a house, and Easels act as a web 'scrapbook.' In October 2023, AI enhancements were introduced, featuring automated page summaries and direct access to ChatGPT from the search bar.

With Arc, users have control over every pixel. Dislike Gmail's 'Compose' button? Modify the font and edit the copy! Tired of YouTube shorts? Remove that section from the site. For those who are more cautious, downloadable templates provide insights into how others are remixing their user interface.

THINK: How will you consider various levels of tech literacy in your own CODE-IT-YOURSELF initiatives?

CASE 2 - AMBESSA PLAY

DIY flashlight kit, co-designed with displaced kids

Ambessa Play, a social enterprise based in the UK, specializes in STEM kits with the mission of democratizing education and technology. Their inaugural kit is a battery-free, do-it-yourself flashlight comprising ten parts and featuring 16 build steps. Launched on Kickstarter in March 2023, Ambessa Play actively involved displaced children in the design process and committed to donating one kit for every pledge.

The story of Ambessa Play serves as a poignant reminder that every child possesses untapped ideas and inventiveness, with the potential to create new technologies rather than simply consuming them. Given the prediction that 65% of today's primary school children will pursue careers in fields that do not yet exist, fostering training for inherent ingenuity becomes essential.

THINK: How will you provide students and workers with the agency over your curriculum?

CASE 3 - BLUESKY

Social platform lets users choose their own algorithm

Bluesky, the decentralized alternative to X, unveiled 'custom feeds' in May 2023. These customizable feeds empower users to prioritize specific content categories (such as content from friends or local news) within the platform's algorithm using a drag-and-drop functionality. Users can seamlessly switch between feeds, and even more advanced levels of algorithmic customization are set to roll out in 2024.

In the ever-evolving landscape of consumer expectations, Bluesky takes personalization a step further. While TikTok's personalized algorithm is widely regarded as groundbreaking, Bluesky goes a step beyond by placing full control in the hands of consumers. When executed effectively, individuals with basic smartphone skills can have complete control over their feed.

THINK: Beyond consumer-led algorithms, what does back-end access to your brand experience look like??