study commissioned by Intel and conducted by Penn Schoen Berland.
The study’s agenda was to examine global attitudes toward technology innovation challenges existing perceptions on technology champions and hotspots.
It revealed the contrast in what is believed globally. A majority of millennials agree that technology makes people less human and that society relies on technology too much,but still believe that technology enhances their personal relationships and expect innovations to positively impact education, transport and healthcare.
Millennials are also slightly more willing than their older generation to anonymously share birth dates, GPS records and online shopping history if it helps to improve experiences.
“At first glance it seems millennials are rejecting technology, but I suspect the reality is more complicated and interesting,” said Dr. Genevieve Bell, anthropologist and director of Interaction and Experience Research at Intel Labs. “A different way to read this might be that millennials want technology to do more for them, and we have work to do to make it much more personal and less burdensome.”
Also mentioned, older women and those living in emerging markets are enthusiastic about the role of technology in their lives. Globally, women over 45 years of age are slightly more likely than younger women to say that people don’t use enough technology.
“Women historically have become avid users of technology when that technology solves a problem, helps us organize our lives and that of our families as well as aids us in saving time and time shifting,” added Bell.
High income earners are the most willing to anonymously share personal data and are most likely to own technology devices and engage with technology on a regular basis.
While showing personal benefits is the most compelling way to close the gap between those who will share and those who won’t, even showing societal benefits such as improved health treatments or lower costs of commuting helps to make the case for sharing.
“The need for us to show personal meaning and relevance has never been more important for the technology industry,” Bell said. “Listening to what people really want and creating technologies that adapt to a wide variety of personal experiences is the future of technology.”