What the coming age of AI natives portends
While AI does point to a positive future, there’s always the flip side. Will the digital divide increase further with many missing out on the power of AI?
Every year, the average Indian spends around 2,300 hours on their smartphone. They spend nearly 580 hours searching for and consuming, content on over-the-top (OTT) platforms and services. A similar trend is seen in terms of time spent on social media. These are just some of the consumer insights that we at CyberMedia Research (CMR) have tracked annually for the past few years. These insights paint a familiar picture of our lives intertwined with smartphones and technology.
But wait, what if 2024 becomes the year where this picture undergoes a revolutionary makeover, courtesy of Generative AI? In 2023, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and more specifically, Generative AI captured the imagination of the world across domains, ranging from creativity to health care. As an analyst who has closely tracked the trajectory of technology trends, I am particularly excited about what 2024 holds. I believe we stand at the threshold of a year where AI and Generative AI’s real-world impact becomes all-pervasive.
Generative AI promises a future where humans will have the ability to automate mundane tasks and generate text, images, or models on the go. If you were to look at the future of work, those enabled with AI and Generative AI skill sets will outshine those without. In 2024 and beyond, we find ourselves at a juncture where the once scarce resource of time transforms into abundance. This transition opens up possibilities for heightened productivity. Imagine spending more time in nature, or indulging in simple pleasures such as gardening or fitness pursuits.
While humans learn to adapt to an all-pervasive world of AI, what about Generation Alpha? This is a generation born from the mid-2010s onwards. They will be born AI natives. For them, AI will be what smartphones were for those born a generation ago. Interactive toys are competing now with new emotionally intelligent robots billed as AI companions, aiming to educate, engage, and enable personalised learning pathways for children, adapting and growing with them.
For those in school, the rise of Generative AI will usher in a world of change. Today’s children tug heavy bags to school. Fast-forward to a not-so-distant future: Interactive simulations, adaptive textbooks and AI mentors provide personalised lessons tailored to students’ needs and passions. Forget the templatised rote memorisation and standardised tests in vogue now! For the first time, children will be potentially able to break their shackles and leave the rat race to discover their true passions and gifts — aided ably by AI at every step of the way.
The role of teachers will also evolve in this newfound environment of “fail fast”, where they transition into the roles of facilitators of creativity and passion. As these children grow up, they will be able to move beyond the shackles of language with AI-enabled real-time translation tools and language models.
While AI does point to a positive future, there’s always the flip side. Will the prevailing digital divide increase further with many missing out on the power of AI? Will human connection still remain healthy and in vogue alongside AI? Most importantly, responsible AI usage would become imperative. There would still be questions about privacy, bias, and the trusted AI.
All said, AI will continue to transform the world we operate in. There would be more efficiency everywhere, with humans getting the potential to reconnect with themselves and the world they live in.
Generation Alpha will grow up in an AI-led world, with the potential to be truly creative and engaged purposefully with the world around them.
Prabhu Ram heads the Industry Intelligence Group at CyberMedia Research (CMR). The views expressed are personal
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