In the relentless march towards an AI-pervasive world, it’s the senses that will play enabler. Body language, facial expression and intonation will aid voice and touch to control consumer interaction with tech devices, easing adoption, says a report from Ericsson Consumer Lab.

More than half of current users of intelligent voice assistants believe this, says Ericsson’s 10 Hot Consumer Trends for 2018 and Beyond report. Two in three people surveyed think this will happen within a mere three years.

Another trend is augmented hearing. Sixty-three per cent of consumers would like earphones that translate languages in real time, and 52 per cent want to block out a family member’s snoring.

Users believe AI can help them sift real news from fake. And three three out of four believe that in only five years they can relive memories by walking into old photos on their smartphone.

And here’s a quirky finding: Forty per cent would like a robot that works and earns income for them, freeing up their time.

And one more: Thirty-nine per cent think their city needs a road network for drones and flying vehicles. And as many worry that the drones will drop on their heads!

All this technology isn’t without its consequences. Fifty per cent think not being able to tell the difference between human and machine would spook them out. Forty per cent would also be unnerved by a smartphone that reacts to their mood.

Michael Björn, Head of Research, Ericsson ConsumerLab, says: ““Today, you have to know all the intricacies of the devices you use. But in the future, the devices will know you instead.”

The insights in the report are based on Ericsson ConsumerLab’s global research activities over more than 22 years, and draw on data from an online survey of advanced internet users in 10 influential cities across the world, performed in October 2017.

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