The future of digital technology according to AEC

Organised by Aquitaine Europe Communication (AEC), the seventh Signaux Numériques (Digital Signals) conference presented future technological, societal and territorial challenges created by digital technology. This year the key topics were algorithms, cognitive technologies, ‘platformisation’ and the use of data.

The Signaux Numériques conference involved two hours of forward-thinking under the main theme of the importance of data, not as in data itself, but data required for algorithms. Summarisable as a set or operating rules, algorithms are used in application recommender systems and websites. Social networks use an algorithm based on the profile and habits of each user in order to provide targeted content. In this way, only 20% of news suggested to a Facebook user is contrary to his/her opinion.  

Today, algorithms are at the heart of debate. Should they lock the application user in a ‘cognitive bubble’? Or, on the contrary, should they expose the user to different opinions and beliefs via future ‘discoverability’ algorithms? Used by big internet companies and industrial giants, algorithms of this type would appear to be ‘opinions formed in code’ that raise legal and ethical questions.

Cognitive technologies capable of analysing our emotional state through body movement, facial expressions and voice rather than through an opinion or a measurement such as a heart rate, was another central theme of the 2017 Signaux Numériques conference. Cognitive technologies make it possible to identify, capture and digitalise feelings, then process this data to give it economic value. Display windows already analyse the shopper’s face in response to luminous messages. The range of applications is immense.

New business models

New business models was the third topic covered by AEC along with changes caused by data and data use regarding business models. The ‘platformisation' of an offering involves connecting – via a digital platform – a product or service offering and a demand. The platform attracts users and vendors by proposing a service that is free or almost free. It was in connection with the topic of ‘platform cooperativism versus uberisation of the economy’ that speakers at the conference discussed trends in the business model of platforms.

This year’s Signaux Numériques conference covered and provided details about other subjects associated with the three topics already mentioned, allowing attendees to look ahead to the main trends in digital technology.  The conference documents and video can be downloaded via the following link: http://www.aecom.org/Vous-informer/Actualites/Actualites/Les-memoires-des-Signaux-Numeriques-2017