Talking to Myself: The Future of Communication
Whether we're gesturing at in VR or transmitting thoughts, the future of communication is poised to look very different from today's virtual meetings
As I picked my daughter up from daycare last week, one of her teachers hesitantly asked me if I practice speeches in front of a mirror for work. Seeing the puzzled look on my face, she quickly went on to explain that as my 2.5-year-old, Riley, has started talking more and more by the day—gesturing to anyone and everyone at daycare—she’s also been known to frequently talk to no one at all… and has even gone as far as talking passionately to a wall for several minutes! While it certainly took me a few moments to register the news, I couldn’t help but smile as I pieced it all together. Since she was a newborn, Riley has seen me take endless Zoom calls (often pacing around the house) on my Bluetooth headphones. While I know I’m talking to colleagues virtually around the world, to her, it looks like I’m energetically talking to no one at all.
Ever since that summer afternoon, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking: What does the future of communication look like for me, my daughter, and future generations to come?
Neurodiversity and neuroinclusion: As organizations and individuals alike continue to acknowledge, embrace, and unlock the power of neurodiversity, the innate power of innovation that can emerge from this will be unrivaled. A recent Deloitte publication highlighted that “embracing neurodiversity isn’t merely a nod to inclusivity; it’s a shift towards unleashing the full potential of human ingenuity.” Progress on this front will make way for a multitude of personalization opportunities, and communication norms and accessibility are likely to evolve. For instance, more advanced speech-to-text, text-to-speech, and other modes of communication besides talking could change, making communication easier and quicker for all kinds.
Augmented and virtual reality: The intersection of physical and digital has already paved the way for immersive and engaging experiences. Consider shopping in the metaverse for that perfect engagement ring, or a new mechanic completing job training in AR/VR so they can learn in a faster and safer manner. It’ll certainly change how and to whom we communicate. Riley might have copied my gestures while talking to a wall, but I can’t imagine what she would imitate if I started walking around with a toaster-sized headset! And how might things change if I swapped the headset for chic, tortoise-shell smart glasses? I’d like to think this area is where we’ll see quite a bit of unlock and hopefully technology won’t be happening “to us” but rather “with us”.
Communication skills and the human approach: It’s never been more important to emphasize the capabilities (and creativity) of humans doing the work. Putting humans at the forefront will position companies to flex the “where” and “why” of work and enable us all to focus even further on purpose, strategy, and culture. This shift will put polymaths and serial specialists alike in the limelight and instead of focusing on valuing deep subject matter experts, the ability to effectively story tell will be the premium. You can read more about this in my colleague and friend’s perspective on this here.
The intersection of AI x any emerging technology: AI continues to be at the forefront of tech discussions, and rightfully so. But it’s important to recognize that AI is just one piece of the puzzle. It’s the intersections of AI x emerging technologies that have me eager to see just how seismic the shifts in jobs and talent could be. Whether it’s the evolution of AI x BioTech, AI x Quantum, or even AI x physical robotics…I have a feeling this is where we’ll see new skills, roles, and jobs emerge.
Take the intersection of AI x neurotechnology. Just imagine a world where we really lean into AI-enabled brain computer interfaces connecting our minds to technology. As brain sensors are embedded into the devices we use everyday, from headphones to watches, the ability to use brain activity can change the way we communicate. Of course, there are decisions we’ll need to solve for as a population before this takes off, like privacy and data rights, for instance. But as we do, basic activities like typing an email could be a thing of the past: My thoughts themselves can prompt an email to be written and sent to the desired recipient. Or, if my body temperature is too hot after a long run outside in the Minnesota summer, my air conditioner will automatically adjust. In that future, perhaps we’ll be more likely to see our children mimicking our silence, rather than talking to screens all day.
The future of communication is poised to advance fundamentally, whether it’s 5, 10, or 15 years from now. However it unfolds, I’m eager to see how Riley experiences the evolution as she witnesses me continue on my career journey. And for her, I’d imagine the concepts we talk about today will shape her educational experience from Day 1. By the time she’s a full-fledged middle schooler, I have a feeling she’ll graduate from talking to walls and instead chat with AI agents that can help her with her homework. That just leaves the question of whether she’ll still have to do those not so fun house-hold chores...
I’d love to know:
What has you excited about the future of communication?
What evolutions in tech do you think are bound to flip the script for how we interact and engage?
How can you prepare yourself for these changes?
Kelly Raskovich, Emerging Tech Strategist and Office of the CTO Lead
Ilya Sutskever hypothesized that the driver of human brain expansion was to enhance standing in the community. That strikes me now as self evident, although it had never occurred to me before. Others have explored that possibility such as Brian Hare and Vanessa Woods in their book Survival of the Friendliest. It's striking that the amplifying powers of connections is still so under appreciated. Maybe that's due substantially to the "great man" interpretation of history. Even if some warrant more credit for making progress happen, their agency is always through mobilizing others. Expanding and democratizing the modes of communication should help a lot towards making us all great people.