Accenture Technology Vision 2017 Forecasts a Future of Technology for People, by People
Rapid acceleration of human-centric technology in AI, digital ecosystems and marketplaces will empower people, drive
transformation of business and society
AUCKLAND; Jan. 27, 2017 – People hold the power to shape and apply technology to create positive change, improve lives,
and transform business and society. This according to Accenture Technology Vision 2017, the annual technology report from Accenture (NYSE: ACN) that predicts the most significant technology trends that
people will apply to disrupt business over the next three years.
The theme of this year’s report, “Technology for People,” is a call to action for business and technology leaders to
actively design and direct technology to augment and amplify human capabilities. The report states that we are beginning
to see the emergence of technology for people, by people — technology that seamlessly anticipates our needs and delivers
hyper-personalised experiences.
“The pace of technology change is breathtaking, bringing about the biggest advancements since the dawn of the
Information Age,” said Mary-Anne McCarthy, Accenture Technology Lead, New Zealand. “As technology transforms the way we
work and live, it raises important societal challenges and creates new opportunities. Ultimately, people are in control
of creating the changes that will affect our lives, and we’re optimistic that responsive and responsible leaders will
ensure the positive impact of new technologies.”
As part of the Technology Vision, Accenture surveyed more than 5,400 business and IT executives worldwide. Nearly nine
in 10 respondents (86 percent) said that while individual technologies are rapidly advancing, it is the multiplier
effect of these technologies that is creating innovation breakthroughs.
The Technology Vision details how — with advances in artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things and big data
analytics — humans can now design technology that’s capable of learning to think more like people and to constantly
align to and help advance their wants and needs. This human-centered technology approach pays off for businesses, as
leading companies will transform relationships from provider to partner — simultaneously transforming internally.
CVS Health, in the US, is one example of a company that has established a people-centric approach – in this instance to
improve healthcare. Its smartwatch-compatible mobile app sets customers’ personalised reminders for taking medication,
snaps pictures of their prescriptions to expedite refills, and scans their insurance card so that store clerks are
prepared with up-to-date information. In an industry long associated with impersonal interactions and unbearable wait
times, companies like CVS Health are enabling individual empowerment over personal healthcare while simultaneously
building closer patient-doctor relationships.
The Technology Vision identifies five emerging trends that are essential to business success in today’s digital economy:
· AI is the new UI. Artificial intelligence (AI) is coming of age, tackling problems both big and small by making interactions simple and
smart. AI is becoming the new user interface (UI), underpinning the way we transact and interact with systems.
Seventy-nine percent of survey respondents agree that AI will revolutionise the way they gain information from and
interact with customers.
· Design for Humans. Technology design decisions are being made by humans, for humans. Technology adapts to how we behave and learns from us
to enhance our lives, making them richer and more fulfilling. Eighty percent of executives surveyed agree that
organisations need to understand not only where people are today, but also where they want to be — and shape technology
to act as their guide to realise desired outcomes.
· Ecosystems as Macrocosms. Platform companies that provide a single point of access to multiple services have completely broken the rules for how
companies operate and compete. Companies don’t just need a platform strategy, they need a rich and robust ecosystem
approach to lead in this new era of intelligence. Already, more than one-quarter (27 percent) of executives surveyed
reported that digital ecosystems are transforming the way their organisations deliver value.
· Workforce Marketplace. The number of on-demand labor platforms and online work-management solutions is surging. As a result, leading companies
are dissolving traditional hierarchies and replacing them with talent marketplaces, which in turn is driving the most
profound economic transformation since the Industrial Revolution. Case in point: Eighty-five percent of executives
surveyed said they plan to increase their organisation’s use of independent freelance workers over the next year.
· The Uncharted. To succeed in today’s ecosystem-driven digital economy, businesses must delve into uncharted territory. Instead of
focusing solely on introducing new products and services, they should think much bigger — seizing opportunities to
establish rules and standards for entirely new industries. In fact, 74 percent of the executives surveyed said that
their organisation is entering entirely new digital industries that have yet to be defined.
For nearly 17 years, Accenture has taken a systematic look across the enterprise landscape to identify emerging
technology trends that hold the greatest potential to disrupt businesses and industries. For more information on this
year’s report, visit www.accenture.com/technologyvision or follow the conversation on Twitter with #TechVision2017.
About the Methodology
Accenture’s Technology Vision is developed annually by the Accenture Labs. For the 2017 report, the research process included gathering input from the Technology Vision External Advisory Board,
a group comprising more than two dozen experienced individuals from the public and private sectors, academia, venture
capital firms and entrepreneurial companies. In addition, the Technology Vision team conducted interviews with
technology luminaries and industry experts, as well as with nearly 100 Accenture business leaders.
In parallel, Accenture Research conducted a global online survey of more than 5,400 business and IT executives across 31
countries and 16 industries to capture insights into the adoption of emerging technologies. The survey helped identify
the key issues and priorities for technology adoption and investment. Respondents were mostly C-level executives and
directors, with some functional and line-of-business leads, at companies with annual revenues of at least US$500
million, with the majority of companies having annual revenues greater than US$6 billion.
About Accenture
Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in
strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialised skills across
more than 40 industries and all business functions – underpinned by the world’s largest delivery network – Accenture
works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable
value for their stakeholders. With more than 394,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives
innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com.
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