Can Artificial Intelligence Really Replace Your Smartphone?

Imagine a time when artificial intelligence replaces your smartphone screen, and your own personal 3-D printer is printing out your meals. That time might not be too far away. Those are just some of ideas are presented in this year's Hot Consumer Trends Report, published by Ericsson (ERIC) ConsumerLab. Some of the trends are futuristic, and others are just a little bizarre. But all of them show the power of connectivity and emerging technologies. Perhaps one of the most interesting findings is about smartphones, something most of us can't be away from for even a brief amount of time. 'When we asked people about the future of the smartphone, actually half of the people we talked to said that within five years, the smartphone could potentially be a thing of the past,' said Dr. Michael Bjorn, Head of Research at Ericsson ConsumerLab. Smartphone users believe artificial intelligence will take over common smartphone activities such as searching the Internet or getting travel guidance, according to the report. Dr. Bjorn said consumers would also like to use artificial intelligence for medical and financial advice, and perhaps inspired by that famed character HAL from A Space Odyssey, other simply want to use artificial intelligence as a companion. The survey indicates that consumers truly want to live in a virtual world.