The Curious Computer

Artificial intelligence and automation is having a profound effect on industry and the workforce. No longer is the rise of the robots a concern solely for those working on the factory floor.

The impact of smart tech is also being felt in the professions and so called white collar jobs. What is the future of the research sector – a sector that is increasingly reliant on technology? What skills and processes can be undertaken by machines and what, if anything, will still need to be done by humans?

A manifesto for ‘human-ness‘ in the workplace

Ipsos Global Head of Behavioural Science, Colin Strong, , asks whether we humans have anything that machines won’t one day be able to replicate.
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Automation will set us free
Sue Unerman, Chief Strategy Officer,MediaCom UK believes that technology can give us back more time to be ‘productively curious’
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Will technology kill market research?
Phil Sutcliffe, Director at TNS UK, says we should celebrate advances in technology as they enable the mind to get to the 'why' more quickly.
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Focus on the decision
Nick Bonney, ABA Research, wants to move the debate away from the process of research to how insight should bring about commercial action.
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Being human is the one thing we'll always do best
Computers will surpass human ability; the real question is under what circumstances will clients demand to deal with a human, writes Stephen Hampshire, Client Manager at TLF Research.
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Watch the panel debate

You can watch the panel debate from MRS Annual Conference 2016 entitled 'Will curious computers replace curious minds?'

About the paper 

In September 2016, the MRS Delphi Group will publish a paper entitled ‘The Curious Computer: Can technology replace the curious mind?’  which will bring all these contributions together alongside a core paper written by Colin Strong, MD of Verve Ventures. Colin is also a member of the Group.

If you have a view, the MRS Delphi Group welcomes contributions to add to the debate. Email christian.walsh@mrs.org.uk to find out more.