It might have been the ‘year of mobile’ for at least the last three years, but we’re currently on the cusp of something seriously interesting, according to Wired editor and futurologist David Rowan.
Speaking at a data marketing event hosted by AdRoll on Wednesday, Rowan described a not-too-distant, hyper-intelligent world where mobile devices can read human emotions and respond intelligently.
“We’re in a very early stage of revolution,” said Rowan. “Our changing use of [mobile] devices is reinventing how businesses are going to have to have their conversation with the consumer.”
Rowan added that the growth of artificial intelligence – monitoring not just what people are saying, but what they are feeling – is going to shape what brands get to know about people and how to serve them best.
In 2008, 12% of all digital time was spent on mobile. In 2015, the figure has risen to more than 50%, with the line between ‘online’ and ‘offline’ becoming increasingly blurred.
[advert position=”left”]
In fact, Rowan says that there is no such thing as ‘offline’ anymore – “everything’s connected,” he says. “Anybody who is trying to reach consumers will have to rethink their strategy the whole time. The rules are transforming so quickly.”
As technology evolves, so too does human behaviour. Mobile devices are increasingly becoming a hub of information, enabling us to do almost anything at the click of a button – from being able to communicate and interact, to – and, perhaps most valuably to advertisers – having the ability to make transactions.
With the likes of WeChat and Facebook Messenger, which are connecting people in ways like never before, Rowan says the industry needs to rethink assumptions about what an app actually is – and those companies still relying on the web interface are the ones that are likely to kill their business.
This, Rowan says, is why Facebook’s messenger app is at the forefront of the mobile revolution.
“Facebook messenger is not about messaging; it’s really about creating a new conversation with businesses in a way that treats them as your friend.
“Facebook wants to be the platform where every business feels they need to be – and rather cleverly, by building a platform for messenger, Facebook doesn’t want you to leave the app.”
What’s more, the app is home to vast amounts of invaluable data which consumers are, in spite of growing concerns over privacy and third party access to data, more than willing to share.
“[Users] are committing to having the conversation in one place, sharing all sorts of intent data – where you are, who you’re working with – and there’s an AI operating at scale trying to help you get to that moment of transaction,” Rowan said.
Indeed, Facebook has an artificial intelligence agent called ‘M’ which works within the app – and Rowan says Facebook’s integration of the online and offline world is putting it leaps and bounds ahead of competition.
Whether the idea of human beings and machines interacting with one another on equal levels fills you with excitement or a dystopian dread, Rowan says that “things are certainly getting interesting.”
