- Social interactions are being transformed by rapidly advancing digital technologies. Over the next decade, interactions will increasingly occur online rather than in-person as distances are compressed. - By the 2020s, remote work and digital communication may replace much physical interaction in both social and professional settings. Digital identities and avatars may become the primary way people represent themselves and socialize online. - Emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and robotics may further reduce the need for human labor and physical activity. If machines develop human-level intelligence, people may interact as much with technology as with each other. - While technology will likely improve many aspects of life, its growing influence could also threaten in-person connections and exclude those without

1. Question J:
How do you imagine social interaction within 10 years, taking into consideration the
impact of technology on human relations?
International MBA Application
Lorenzo Sforza

2. Summary
• Context. Social Interaction and Technology
• Evolution of societies through technology
• Technology and human relations: An evolutionary journey
• Today: A world connected by Digital technologies
– Digital technologies revolutionized our..Interpersonal interactions..
– Digital technologies revolutionized our..Workplace interactions..
– Digital technologies revolutionized our..Everyday life.. (1/2)
– Digital technologies revolutionized our..Everyday life.. (2/2)
• Focusing on the last 2-3 Decades..
• The Future
– The Future: in the 2020s..(1/3)
– The Future: in the 2020s..(2/3)
– The Future: in the 2020s..(3/3)
– What technologies will evolve the most in the next 10 years?
– Intelligent machines and Society
• Conclusion

3. Context: Social Interactions and Technology
“Social interactions refer to particular forms of externalities, in which the actions of a reference group affect an
individual’s preferences” (cit. Jose A. Scheinkman – Princeton University)
To understand the evolution of Social Interactions, a critical step is in the acknowledgement of what major factors
(reference groups) impact the traditional concept of society based on its distinctive identities (Job, Religion,
Community, Family,..). One of these factors is certainly technology.

4. Evolution of societies through technology
Historically societies have been characterized by strong access
barriers (Geographical distance, communication complexities).
Societies used to enclose themsleves as a shelter from externalities.
Technology contributed to eliminate these access
barriers, allowing societies to open up, mix with
other societies and become more and more
interconnected with eachother.
[Individuals through technology changed the way they interact and how they interact]

5. Technology and human relations: an evolutionary journey
Major disruptive technological evolutions in history have always led to behavioral changes within the human population
modifying the way individuals conduct everyday business and personal activities.
From a historical perspective, technology has played an increasingly relevant role in the way we communicate and
interact with eachother.
Low Medium High
Degree of technological influence:
Pre-history/Ancient Medieval
Industrial
20th Century
21st Century/Today

6. Today: A world connected by Digital technologies
• In the Digital Era, boundaries of the physical world are modified and disrupted, quickly merging with the virtual world
enabled by fast changing technological capabilities, that exist to support us and act as facilitators of our lives.
• Distances, cultural segregation, information sharing, complexity of communications are all simplified and reduced in an
always more connected world.
• Which are the technologies that characterize the Digital Era?
• Why are these technologies so relevant? Well, if we consider the number of people that are connected online and that
do so using digital devices are..
– More than 3 billion users connected to the Internet (47% of worlds population). Half the worlds population expected to tbe connected by 2018*
– 72% of users conected to the Internet are estimated to do so from a Smartphone*
– 22% of worlds economy is Digital today, forcasting to grow to 25% by 2020*
Big data Cloud Computing Internet of Things Mobile Technology Artificial Intelligence
*Source: eMarketer, Worldwide Internet and Mobile Users eMarketer’s Update Estimates for 2015 [August 15° Cindy Liu]

7. Digital technologies revolutionized our..Interpersonal interactions..
Allowing
Social Media to..
Socialize: online virtual communities were people
connect and socialize with an almost unlimited and
customizable user base (Facebook, ASmallWorld,..).
.. revolutionize the
way we..
Mobile technologies have taken the
first step towards enabling an on-
the-go digitally connected world..
Share emotions and impressions: Emotions are
shared through videos, pictures posted on mobile
connected communities from anywhere and with who
we want (Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, etc).
Communicate: Instant messaging and free
voice communication substitute traditional voice
calling methods (Skype, Whatsapp,..).
Gather and share ideas with others: Ideas for any purpose
are shared and made instantly available to an unlimited user
base (Pinterest, Tumblr,etc). The concept of crowdsourcing
redesigns the concept of idea gathering, leveraging the power of
connected communities.
Date: People date online masking any form of
physical and emotional inibition (Tinder,..).

8. Digital technologies revolutionized our.. Workplace interactions..
Social Recruiting
Recruiters are replaced
by LinkedIn for finding and
assessing talent.
Video Conferencing and Remote Work
Video conferencing and work chats recreate in the
virtual reality the same conditions as in the physical
workplace. Employees don’t need to physically
meet in order to work together side-by-side.
User-generated
Material for advertisements is not generated by
professionals anymore but through user
generated content shared and retrieved from
user profiles on Social networks.
Connected employees
Machines are connected and circulate
data making it available on demand
reducing the need for people to
physically move information.
Business Communication
Many surveys have identified that
employees use email 40% less
than 5 years ago preferring other
mobile enabled communication
methods.

9. Digital technologies revolutionized our..Everyday life.. (1/2)
I can turn on home air
conditioning, control lighting,
order groceries, manage
appliances directly from my
sofa with my smartphone..
Connected
Home Life
I don’t need to cue at the
bank to cash in a check
or to pay my bills, I can
move around money
instantly through my
home banking app..
Mobile
Money payments
Digital
Shopping
I really don’t have time
to go to the mall today, I
think I will browse
online and buy what I
need directly from
there. Wow that will
save me a lot of time..

10. Digital technologies revolutionized our..Everyday life.. (2/2)
This PokemonGo mobile app
game is fantastic, I can play it
whenever I want also walking
around. I think I won’t meet up
with my friends and just play
this.
Gamification
and Play time
Why am I bringing this
whole stack of printed
docs around. I could just
store them Online and
access them from a pc or
tablet?
On-demand philosophy
Hi, Welcome to your
interactive learning platform.
My name is Jane your virtual
personal assistant to guide
you through your learning
journey..
Education

11. Focusing on the last 2-3 Decades..
Our habits in Society, driven by technology, are evolving at such a fast pace but most importantly, each evolution is
strictly interconnected with the previous. The evolution seems to move with a steady pace.
..In a Passive and
Anonymous way. They
use it only to retrieve basic
data
..by starting to create
virtual online identities
and generate content to
be shared on online
communities.
.. By understanding that having a
virtual identity becomes a prerequisite
to be part of society.
People are more connected through
digital tools with instant access to
services. Physical interactions start to
be less necessary.
?
People in Society approach technology..
Tech Evolution
Tech Evolution
Tech Evolution

12. The Future

13. The Future: in the 2020s..(1/3)
The world in the next decade will be even more connected; the services that
are already today enabled by technology will be accessible to a wider range of
users.
Our social behavior and our interpersonal means of communication will shift
from being less physical to being always more driven by digital tools and
devices.
This trend will be reflected in all major areas and aspects of our lives within
society..
Hi Jack, if you are in
the other room could
you bring me that
document? I need to
make it available to
Christina in Japan
and Max in Nairobi..
Sure John. I will
digitalize it and store it
online so you, Max and
Christina can download
it right away..
Ill text you when it’s
done..

14. The Future: In the 2020s.. (2/3)
Instant and connected ways
of communication will
significantly reduce the need
to physically meet in order to
socialize.
Social media online communities
will probably exist for any topic or
aggregation factor that
characterizes our social life.
Online virtual avatars
will represent a
connected digitally
improved version of
ourselves.
How will the
2020s look
like?
What will change in
the way we relate
to others and the
community?

15. The Future: In the 2020s.. (3/3)
How will the
2020s look
like?
What will change in
the way we interact
in the workplace and
in everyday life?
Remote Work might become more popular
than physical face-to-face work. Business
travels will decrease. Social behaviors in the
workplace (small talks, friendships and
connections) will occur mainly on video
conferencing and work chats.
Manual labor performed by man will
be gradually replaced by machines,
robots and other technological tools
Practicing sports, going
out shopping, cooking
and any other
recreational activity will
involve increasingly less
physical interaction. Any
service will be
accessible and
performable, online and
on-the-go.
3D printing technologies
will allow to print any
physical static object we
need, large or small,
removing the need to build
it or buy it.

16. What technologies will evolve the most in the next 10 years?
The greatest technological improvements in the next decade might revolve around enabling machines to develop
the capabilties to learn from other intelligent forms and mimic their behaviors..
They already start to do so in an impressive way!

17. Intelligent machines and society
If intelligent machines, reach a certain
degree of technological maturity..
[Intelligent machines might rapidly integrate as part of our
society. If this occurs, then we might need to start asking
ourselves not only how we interact but with whom or what we
interact.]
..we will not only seek intelligent interactions with other humans
through technology but always more interact with intelligent
technology itself that will be able to compute ideas and reply back.

18. Conclusion
Technological influence on society will grow significantly over the next 10 years becoming almost a necessary
ingredient in order to properly live and interact.
But it also may cause a threat:
- For those who are not ready to acquire the skills necessary to manage the evolving
technology: Whether the use of technology might have been a choice in the past
and up to today, looking at the pace of evolution, it might not be a choice tomorrow if
basic actions required for living will be accessible through technology.
- For Society as a whole: if at the heart of social interactions subject to technological
evolution, the ability to connect and interact on a physical and emotional bases is
not mantained and practiced.
This may cause an opportunity:
- For a Society that is willing to embrace this evolution to discover new ways of
communicating, working, relating to others, behaving, and in general improving
our life quality.
- Human longevity and overall health may be improved in both developed and
undeveloped countries.

19. Thank you