The document discusses predictions for technology and society in the year 2026. It describes how the 1962 cartoon The Jetsons depicted a futuristic family living with flying cars and robots, and notes that many of the technologies shown have now been realized. The document also discusses predictions that robots will be able to perform more jobs by 2026, including medical procedures, manufacturing, and customer service roles. Some experts estimate nearly half of US jobs could be automated in the next two decades. The summary also touches on predictions that smartphones will have new capabilities like 3D holograms and wireless charging by 2026.

1. 2026
The Family of the Future
By: Kirby Gooding

2. The Jetsons – Are we there yet?
In 1962, Hanna-Barbara created an animated television sitcom known as “The Jetsons”.
This series followed George Jetson and his family through their daily life which was set
100 years in the future. The Jetson family went through life with the help of flying cars,
jetpacks, robots, moving sidewalks and various other technologically advanced products
in what author Matt Novak of the Smithsonian calls America’s “single most important
piece of 20th century futurism”.
Most of these luxuries seemed like nothing but space-age fiction to viewers at the time;
however, here we are, more than halfway to the year 2062 and many of the
conveniences enjoyed by George, Judy, Jane and Elroy now exist in some form or
fashion and more are surely to come in the next ten years.
Although it may be hard to fathom that there is much room for growth considering how
advanced our nation already is, there is always something bigger and better on the
horizon.

3. Can a Robot DoThat?
Although the use of robotics is not a new concept, advances throughout the years have increased the role of the
robot in our society, and more importantly, in our economy. Robots can now perform medical procedures, build
things, fill orders in a warehouse and the list goes on and on.The role of robots will only continue to advance
through the year 2026 as technology makes it easier for them to complete tasks once done by humans.
In her article posted onWired.com, Marguerite McNeal discusses a book published in 2015 and written by Martin
Ford titled “Rise of the Robots”. In his book, Ford predicts that “artificial intelligence and robotics will soon
overhaul our economy”, and many people agree. McNeal also notes that Oxford University researchers estimate
that 47% of jobs in the U.S. will be automated within the next two decades.
Another version of a robot comes in the form of “bots” or “chatbots” which are beginning to show up in social
media platforms. A bot is software that is designed to automate the kinds of tasks that we would normally do on
our own, like making a dinner reservation, adding an appointment to our calendar, or ordering takeout. Bots are
virtual robots or chatbots powered by artificial intelligence which will help us take care of our day to day
activities. Bots are already in existence to a small degree but most experts agree that this technology will be
growing exponentially in the future.

4. Diffusion of InnovationsTheory
▪ Developed by Everett Rogers, this theory tries to explain how an innovation is communicated
over time through different channels to members of a social system.
▪ 4 main aspects to this approach are: innovation, communication channels, time, and social
system.
▪ This theory is present in the development and growth of robots. If it’s through a medical
procedure, online research, assembly lines, and many other tasks they perform, robots are
constantly communicating and working to make our lives easier.
▪ The progress robots have made over the years is remarkable. At first, it was difficult for people to
trust these robotics to complete important tasks, but as time went on this innovation proved its
success.
▪ The success of “bots” has increased in part due to social systems through mass media,
interpersonal communication, organizational purposes and the government. Robots are
expected to become interactive with the public as well, which will increase the amount of time
and communication we use with this innovation.
▪ Once the “critical mass” has accepted this innovation it can be spread throughout the world to
make our day to day tasks more convenient.

5. A Jobless Future?
In her interview with Martin Ford, McNeal asks him to defend his vision of a “jobless future”. He states that he “sees the
advances in technology and it’s becoming evident that computers, machines, robots, and algorithms are going to be able
to do most of the routine, repetitive types of jobs.” He goes on to say that “even professional people with college degrees,
even professional degrees, people like lawyers are doing things that ultimately are predictable and a lot of those jobs are
going to be susceptible over time.”
Whether Ford is correct or not will not be known for some time, but one thing is for sure, he is not alone in his thinking.
Ivana Kattosava’s article on CNNmoney.com provides statistics regarding the use of robots and the likelihood that certain
jobs could be replaced by artificial intelligence in the future. Kottasova quotes a Bank of America study when she writes
that “robots are likely to be performing 45% of manufacturing tasks by 2025, versus just 10% today. She further states
that according to experts at Oxford University, “by the same year, nearly half of all U.S. jobs will be at high risk of being lost
to computers.” and that “jobs previously thought of as secure and now considered high risk include data analysts and
bankers.”
While I do agree that robots will take the place of many future jobs, it is my feeling that our society and economy will adjust
to this change, therefore creating different types of jobs for those displaced workers to do.

6. IsYour Job at Risk?
According to the Bank of America Study, some jobs are more likely to be replaced by artificial intelligence than
others as shown in the graphics below:

7. Cell PhonesThroughout theYears*
• The world's first handheld cell phone became available to the public in March 1984.
Weighing 1.75 pounds, it was sold for $4,000. Its battery life was about 30 minutes.
• Motorola's 1989 update, weighing a little less than a pound, was lauded as the first phone
that fit in your jacket pocket.
• The first flip phone, Motorola's StarTAC came along in 1996 at a cost of $1,000. Weighing
3.1 ounces, it was one of the first to let users switch between vibrate alerts and ringtones.
• TheTmobile Sidekick was released in 2002, and was a big hit among teens due to the ease
of texting with its QWERTY keyboard.
• In 2007, when Steve Jobs introduced the very first Iphone, he said, "Today, Apple is going
to reinvent the phone." And he was correct. It contained a touchscreen phone, modeled
after a tablet computer.
*The above data was taken from information provided at www.amny.com

8. How SmartWill Our
Smartphones Be?
The Future of Cell Phones: Joanna Stern of theWall Street Journal discusses several
promising advancements that we have to look forward to over the next 10 years:
 Capable of 3-D holograms – A company called Leia 3D is working on a display that can project a
3-D hologram that looks like it’s floating in front of your phone. Leia CEO, David Fattal, says
“you will be able to see that 3-D selfie pop right off your screen and use your finger to spin it
around. Going back to 2-D after this will be like going back to black and whiteTV after color.
 An always charged phone – Ms. Stern is most excited about this technology which promises to
solve one of the largest complaints about smartphones – battery life. With this advancement, a
person can carry their cell phone into a powered area - a place that has a wireless power
transmitter – and a receiver in the phone can pick up the signal and begin charging itself
automatically. Several companies are currently working on this technology though there a few
hurdles to clear before it becomes a reality.
 Healthcare – Some hospitals and physicians are already using cell phones to help in their
practice, but this will only multiply in the future. Doctors’ offices will communicate with
patients through videos and photos to help diagnose, treat, and follow with them concerning
their medical conditions as well as sharing MRI, X-ray and test results. Additional work needs
to be done in order to endure doctor/patient privacy rules are adhered before this concept
becomes generally accepted.

9. Uses and GratificationsTheory
▪ This theory gives insight into what people do with technology and sees the users as actively
seeking to use different media to fulfill different needs. This theory helps us understand
why people choose to use certain types of technology to satisfy their needs.
▪ Uses and Gratifications theory is ever so present in the use of our cell phones. We have
become so reliant on our cellular devices for so many different needs.
▪ I, for example, would be completely lost without the GPS on my phone to get me pretty
much anywhere I have never been before. I also feel almost empty without my phone,
which serves as a type of companionship between us and our cell phones.
▪ Cell phones serve as a huge, if not the main, source of communication for us. Whether I am
making a call, texting ,emailing, or facetiming, I rely on my cell phone for communication
and I see nothing but growth in this area in the future as our society becomes even more
dependent on our devices.

10. What Becomes of Social Media?
In 2004, when Mark Zuckerberg launched Facebook from his Harvard dorm room, social media was pretty much non-
existent. Since then, it has become a global phenomenon which has changed the way the world communicates.
Mary Catherine Wellons of CNBC asked
industry experts for their predictions about
the future of social media:
“Mobile is the first step toward the portable
future of social media and how we consume
it, and I think wearables will be a big part of
that. I can see it evolving into an implanted
device in our bodies that will connect to
everything around us” – Piera Gelardi,
Refinery 29, Creative Director “The way in which we both input and observe
media will have completely shifted. Keyboards
on desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones
will become increasingly irrelevant, as
interactions on what was once called social media
will largely be voice-controlled” – Jeremy
Goldman, Author of “Going Social”, Firebrand
Group CEO
“Wearables will completely replace
tablets, and social media will hyper-
accelerate Big Data”, and “who knows if
the social platforms will even exist” –
Nikea Patel, Rebelmouse, Director of
Content
“All I do all week is look at my phone,
reading articles, liking posts, sending
emails/tweets/messages. In the future, I
will “disconnect” by putitn gon Oculus
virtual reality glasses when I get home-
and suddenly I’ll be sitting courtside at
the Knicks game with my Facebook
friends.” – Jason Stein, Laundry
Service Founder & President
“I think that social media will be more
integrated into everything”, “I don’t think
that there’s going to be something called
social media that people will be talking
about in five years” – EllieWheeler,
Greycroft Partners, Principal

11. Social Learning/Social CognitiveTheory
▪ This observational theory focuses on how people learn by modeling the behavior of others. This
happens by observing individuals and also through symbolic modeling through a television,
phone, computer screen or magazine.
▪ Social media plays a huge role in this theory and increases observational learning among
individuals active on social media. Most of what we learn about what is going on in today’s world
comes from various types of social media applications.
▪ Everyone on social media posts pictures or posts that show off their best characteristics and
attributes. No one wants to show the weakest parts of themselves, so this makes others feel that
they need to keep up with the success of their peers; this could include outward appearance,
relationships, work and more.
▪ Reinforcement and punishment determine whether or not a behavior will be performed. For
example, someone makes a post about this diet that led them to losing over 20 lbs and they post
transformation pictures to prove it. This is a reinforcement tool that will increase the chances of
this behavior to be modeled.
▪ Social media has pretty much taken over the digital world and entered the critical mass. It is
difficult to find someone who does not have one source of social media. We spend an incredible
amount of time on social media that it is inevitable for us to model the behaviors of others.

12. While I believe there will be some sort of social media present 10 years from now, It is my firm opinion that
at some point in the future, our nation’s obsession with our smartphones and social media will begin to
wane. I think our pre-occupation with these things will start to take a toll on family and personal
relationships to the point where the family unit as we once knew it will cease to exist. This has already
started to happen as you can go to dinner in a restaurant on any given night and see a family sitting down
to eat dinner with all members slumped over while they check theirTwitter feed, send Snapchats to
friends, or post pictures on Instagram. At some point I think parents will step up and say “Enough is
Enough”, or at least that is what I wish for. Until then, we will continue to spend hours every day with our
heads buried in our phones as the world passes us by.
MyThoughts on Social Media in the Future

13. References
Edwards, C. (2016, July 20). Why and how chatbots will dominate social media. Retrieved from
https://techcrunch.com/2016/07/20/why-and-how-chatbots-will-dominate-social-media/
Kottasova, I. (2016, January 15). Smart robots could soon steal your job. Retrieved from
http://money.cnn.com/2016/01/15/news/economy/smart-robots-stealing-jobs-davos/
McNeal, M. (2015). Rise of the machines: the future has lots of robots, few jobs for humans. Retrieved from
http://www.wired.com/brandlab/2015/04/rise-machines-future-lots-robots-jobs-humans/
Novak, M. (2012, September 19). 50 years of the Jetsons: why the show still matters. Retrieved from
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/50-years-of-the-jetsons-why-the-show-still-matters-43459669/
Ruggiero, N. (2015, March 9). A look back at cell phones-before the iPhone. Retrieved from
http://www.amny.com/lifestyle/cell-phones-through-the-years-1.7585422
Stern, Joanna. (2016, April 6). Smartphones are boring: here’s what happens next. Retrieved from
http://www.wsj.com/articles/smartphones-are-boring-heres-what-happens-next-1459963697
Wellons, C. (2014, October 2). 11 Predictions on the future of social media. Retrieved from
http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/02/11-predictions-on-the-future-of-social-media.html