The next level of people centricity, the Internet of Behaviour (IoB) is a natural extension and evolution of the Internet of Things (IoT), according to Gartner. In fact, by 2023, the research firm predicts that the activities of around 40% of the global population will be tracked digitally in order to influence their behaviour.
What is the Internet of Behaviour?
The IoT is a network of interconnected objects that gather and exchange information and data over the Internet. The IoB, on the other hand, makes sense of this data by attaching it to human behaviours like purchasing habits or the fact that a person follows a specific brand online.
This data is amassed through wearable technologies, via an individual’s online activities or by using their household electrical devices to access valuable information about a person’s behaviour. For example, a business could leverage the IoB to monitor ongoing pandemic regulations; using computer vision to check if employees are wearing masks. They could also leverage thermal imaging to identify anyone with a fever.
What are the major benefits?
The IoB can become a secret weapon for sales and marketing teams, especially if you use it to:
- Track and analyse customer buying habits across different platforms.
- Access information about how users interact with devices and products.
- Analyse information about where a customer is on their buying journey. Brands can then send real-time notifications to customers as they move through a store.
- Close sales and keep customers happy by solving their problems faster.
- Improve monitoring of public safety. For example, vehicle telematics can be deployed to track driver behaviour and flag any activities that are dangerous.
What are the risks of IoB?
As is the case with anything digital, there are always concerns around data falling into the wrong hands. With this increased use of behavioural data, the concern is that it could allow cybercriminals to take phishing scams to a whole new level. In addition to this, fears exist around the ethics of using technology to reward or punish certain behaviours.
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