The Digital Lives of Australians 2023: Readiness for emerging technologies report is the third in auDA’s Digital Lives of Australians study. The research explores the online experiences of Australian small businesses and consumers and the value they gain from the internet.
Our 2023 report focuses on consumer and small business awareness and adoption of four key emerging technologies: Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics, virtual and augmented reality, and blockchain.
The research was conducted in partnership with SEC Newgate Research via a survey of 1,500 consumers and 400 small businesses.
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Below is a snapshot of our findings:
There is broad awareness of the emerging technologies, yet detailed knowledge is limited
- AI is the most well-known of the four technologies
- 63 per cent of consumers and 80 per cent of small businesses know at least a little about AI
- Despite a proliferation of media coverage on AI, only six per cent of consumers and 12 per cent of small businesses would be confident explaining AI to others
- Blockchain is the least well-known of the technologies
- Only 27 per cent of consumers and 53 per cent of small businesses know at least a little about it
- Across all four technologies, knowledge and usage is higher among:
- Younger consumers
- Full time and self-employed workers
- Higher income households
- Male consumers
- Those with a higher reported confidence using the internet.
Consumers and small businesses recognise benefits associated with the emerging technologies but there are barriers limiting take-up
- Consumers see efficiency and convenience as benefits but hold concerns about data security and privacy
- Small businesses consider efficiency the main benefit and inaccuracy, cost and availability as barriers
- For consumers and small businesses:
- Expense and access are the main barriers to using robotics and virtual and augmented reality
- Skills deficits are a bigger barrier for virtual or augmented reality than the other technologies.
The higher the knowledge, the greater the appreciation… and caution
- Consumers and small businesses with higher knowledge of the emerging technologies are more likely to likely to recognise benefits associated with the technologies than those with lower knowledge
- Those with higher knowledge are also more likely to say they would feel more comfortable if there were stronger regulatory safeguards in place
“Augmented and virtual reality can enable greater opportunities for social interaction, especially for those who are isolated”
- 75 per cent of consumers with higher knowledge of augmented and virtual reality agree (especially for those who are isolated) compared to only 42 per cent with lower knowledge of augmented and virtual reality
“AI will deliver positive economic outcomes”
- 60 per cent of small businesses and consumers with a higher knowledge of AI agree, compared to only 18 per cent of consumers and 34 per cent of small businesses with a lower knowledge of AI
“AI will free up time for other important business activities”
- 78 per cent of small businesses with higher knowledge of AI agree, compared to 35 per cent of small businesses with lower knowledge of AI
“I’d feel more comfortable with stronger regulatory safeguards in place for AI”
- 75 per cent of small businesses and consumers with higher knowledge of AI agree, compared to 45 per cent of consumers and 54 per cent of small businesses with lower knowledge of AI
Consumers and small businesses hold strong expectations that organisations using AI use it responsibly
- Consumers and small businesses hold strong expectations that businesses wishing to use AI applications do so responsibly and are transparent about their use
- Almost 80 per cent of small businesses and consumers think it’s very or extremely important to:
- Have appropriate privacy protections in place
- Have appropriate measures to ensure the ethical use of AI in place
- Ensure outputs from AI apps or tools have been fact checked and are accurate.
Very or extremely important
Download the full auDA Digital Lives of Australians 2023: Readiness for emerging technologies report.
