The problem with being a futurist like Dr Catherine Ball is that you’re always waiting for everyone else to catch up. And while you might think that would make someone quite grumpy, Ball describes herself as a pragmatic optimist. We sat down with her to discuss the big trends likely to dominate the conversation at the SXSW festival in Sydney, a hotspot for innovation where cutting-edge technology and groundbreaking ideas are showcased.
Digital doppelgangers
“In the next few years, it’s highly likely that you’ll meet your digital twin – a virtual version of you that lives online, on data servers and in cyberspace,” says Ball. They’re being created for buildings and cities but the next iteration will be accurate digital twins of humans. “The purposes are broad and diverse, including helping with medical interventions as well as improving our understanding of public health issues, such as possible pandemics.” The future is a really personalised space.
Visit CommBank and SXSW Sydney
Don’t miss the CommBank installation in Tumbalong Park during SXSW Sydney, 14-20 October. Through interactive challenges designed to put your scams and fraud knowledge to the test, you’ll learn ways to stay ahead in the digital age and, more importantly, how to be CommBank Safe.
A mind of one’s own
Have you ever bought something recommended to you on social media? Or lost time watching suggested videos in your feed because they appeal so much? We live in a world filled with technology – and highly sophisticated algorithms – that knows us almost as well as we know ourselves. And we spend our time on apps designed to deliver feel-good dopamine hits that keep us hooked. “That’s why when you misplace your phone, you feel very anxious about where it can be,” says Ball. Thought leaders will increasingly be exploring what we need to be aware of in a world of machine drift, mood-altering algorithms and computers making yes-or-no decisions, to claw back some control of our own minds.
The future of work
As one might expect, futurists are obsessed with what’s ahead for work. “Expectations around work-life balance are being challenged in our post-pandemic world, and there are some radical changes coming to our standard working week,” says Ball. In the past, overtime – and the inevitable burnout – was almost standardised for many companies. “It seems now the tide may be turning and the notion of unpaid overtime is now seen as toxic in many workplace cultures.”
Little data is big data
When Ball wants to explain the future of personal data to someone, she starts with some simple questions: have you ever had a relationship with someone who seemed to know you better than you know yourself? Maybe a parent, lover or therapist? “Well, now robots, sensors, cameras and apps on your phone are that someone,” she says. “They collect a huge amount of data and micro-information about your quirks and idiosyncrasies – including the way you walk through a shopping centre and even how you type into keyboards.” The truth is that we know very little about the data that’s collected about us and how it’s used, says Ball. That’s why it’s crucial we know how to protect ourselves from being scammed and hacked. Turning on two-factor authentication for social media and email accounts is a simple first step.
