The vast majority of people surveyed around the world believe that technological progress is improving our planet (72%).
It is the result of the Bosch Tech Compass, a representative survey of public opinion in China, India, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States, on a sample of between 1000 and 2000 people per state aged between 18 and 69. The survey premiered at CES 2022. In view of the rapid and profound changes that technology is leading to in many areas of life, Bosch Tech Compass aims to encourage people to take a closer look at the positive impact of technological progress in the globalized world in which we live.
Technological progress as a key to fighting climate change
While technology has the potential to make almost anything possible, such as making a pizza with a 3D printer, respondents around the world firmly agree that technology should be more focused on addressing the major challenges of our time, rather than aim to meet individual needs (83%). For example, the survey shows that more than three in four respondents worldwide see technological progress as the key to fighting climate change.
“Bosch Tech Compass makes us understand that people want technology that addresses the problems of our time,” he says said Stefan Hartung, CEO of Bosch. “Technology should support us, make life easier in general and make the world a better place. This is why we at Bosch are committed to a Technology for life, serving people. “
Despite global confidence in technological progress, there are differences across countries in the perception of how technology is currently being used. While the majority of Chinese (83%) and Indian (77%) respondents believe that technology is currently being used sufficiently to address the major problems of our time, far fewer people think so in the United States (47%). ), the UK (37%) and Germany (29%).
Western countries have high hopes for green technology, Asia for AI
There are significant regional differences in the assessment of individual technologies and the results they produce. In Germany, the UK and the US, people think green technologies, such as climate engineering, biotechnology and hydrogen, are bringing significant benefits to society, while China and India have high hopes for smart, connected technologies such as AI and 5G. However, around a third of all respondents in the US and Europe consider AI to be the greatest technological threat.
“Building trust in digital technology will be key to resolving these concerns and will also have a direct impact on consumer behavior”, Hartung said. Four out of five people around the world believe that a company’s success in the future will depend on its ability to build digital trust with its customers. Trust is becoming more and more important: for 43% of all respondents, the digital world is more relevant than the analogue one. “This is why Bosch has presented its Code of Ethics on AI, which is contributing to the important public debate on AI and the trust that is nurtured in it” Hartung added.
Car or teleportation?
When asked how they would prefer to move in the future, regardless of technical feasibility, German respondents showed less indecision: nearly four out of ten (39%) would choose teleportation as their preferred mode. This percentage drops slightly, to 34%, for the Chinese, in the United Kingdom to 27%, in the United States to 20% and in India to 10%. However, although the interviewees could choose freely, even with their imagination, teleportation was not at the top of the wish list. The car with human control took first place with 56% of the preferences, followed by planes (40%) and trains (32%).