The majority of Londoners (52%) feel fully prepared for technological change, believing they have the necessary skills to take full advantage of new technology, according to Fujitsu’s Transforming Britain report. What’s more, the recent report revealed Londoners tend to be the most positive about technology, and to the changes taking place in the UK at the moment with two-fifths (65%) agreeing with this notion.
Despite the positivity in London, the rest of the UK tends to be more sceptical. For example, only 4-in-10 in Wales and 2-in-10 in the North East of England feel positive about the changes taking place in the country. In general, the public’s attitude towards tech and how ready the UK is for a future driven by technology differs significantly from region to region.
Whilst Londoners are the most confident about the UK’s readiness for a digital future (45%), only a quarter of those in the South West (26%), and under a third (27%) in Northern Ireland, believe the UK is prepared.
“It is vital technology lives up to its promise to positively impact the entire country. To ensure the UK remains at the heart of digital transformation, companies need to take responsibility for educating people. It’s not enough to simply innovate and send a product out, businesses need to take responsibility for the impact it has and work harder to educate the nation on the benefits these changes can bring in the long run,” said Rupal Karia, Head of Public and Private Sector at Fujitsu UK & Ireland.
Although the UK’s outlook is positive overall, there is a note of caution for technology providers, with the findings highlighting a significant comfort level gap with new innovation between regions. When it comes to being served by a robot in a supermarket, Londoners and those living in Wales couldn’t be further from each other. While almost half of those in London (47%) would be happy with this, only a quarter in Wales would feel the same.
Similar data emerged when looking at whether people would put their child in a driverless car on their own. Londoners were the most convinced of all regions (30%), whilst only 1-in-10 respondents from the North East would be comfortable doing the same. Similarly, those in London and Scotland (35% and 31%) would be happy to be diagnosed by an AI doctor; whereas only 2-in-10 of those living in the North East, South East, South West and Wales would be comfortable with that.
Despite this, the UK is on the same page when it comes to 5G and electric cars. Nearly all regions believe 5G and electric cars will have the most positive impact on the UK. In London this was 52% and 51% respectively. Outside of London, those living in the South East believe electric cars will impact their lives (47%), whereas, 51% of those in Scotland felt the same about a 5G network.
Karia continued: “This must be a wake-up call for companies across public and private sector. As the pace of change continues to increase, technology providers need to do more to ensure the public will continue to embrace new technologies at the same rate. We cannot afford a UK where only the digitally savvy can thrive, technology needs to be a uniting force of innovation.”
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