Nesta FutureFest Survey

Survey of 1,002 UK adults on attitudes towards the future on behalf of Nesta ahead of its FutureFest conference.

As many Britons say they feel optimistic (19%) as feel pessimistic (21%) about the future; one in four say they are worried (24%) while one in six (17%) are excited about the future.

Seven in ten Britons (72%) say developments in technology over the next twenty years represent an opportunity for society. Opinions are most divided on the developments in the analysis of internet usage data: 37% think this is a threat, 39% an opportunity.

Three in five Britons (60%) think technology will have a positive impact on their personal wellbeing over the next twenty years.

Two in three Britons (65%) would prefer to be living in today’s world, rather than in twenty years’ time – even younger generations prefer today to the future (55% vs. 45%). Britons also would prefer living in today’s world rather than that of twenty years ago (56% vs. 44%) – even older generations prefer today’s world (55% vs. 45%).

One in six British adults (17%) would go on a date with a robot, if they could ensure a perfect match and tell no difference – a quarter of young Britons (26%) say they would do this.

One in five Britons (20%) say they would use DNA-matching or pheromone matching to help find a partner – three in ten young Britons (31% of those aged 18-34) say they would do this.

One third of British adults (34%) say they would have a microchip implanted in their hand so that they could enter their home or log onto a work computer with the wave of their hand; among those Britons who use contactless cards frequently, half (50%) would do this.

Britons are most likely to say that tea would remain the most popular drink in Britain in 2036. One third say this (33%), followed by one quarter who say it would be coffee (26%). One in ten (9%) think it would be a drink not yet invented.

Date Published: 27th April 2016

Client: Nesta

Methodology

ComRes interviewed 1,002 British adults online between 15^th and 19^th April 2016. Data were weighted by age, gender, region and socio-economic grade to be representative of all British adults aged 18+. ComRes is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.