When can I use LinkedIn ID elsewhere, Wasting A Trillion Personal Data Records and Unlocking the True Value of Zero-Party Data
When can I use LinkedIn ID elsewhere, Wasting A Trillion Personal Data Records and Unlocking the True Value of Zero-Party Data
Plus: 25,000 people say that personalised AI is already here, Sharing Personal Information With a Chatbot, and Big Tech Won’t Let You Leave - Here’s a Way Out
Hi folks 👋
Thanks for coming back to Customer Futures. Each week I unpack the disruptive shifts around digital wallets, Personal AI and digital customer relationships.
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INVITATION: Customer Futures Meetup - Copenhagen on 8th Feb
A quick note to invite regular readers of Customer Futures to the first meetup of 2024!
We'll be in central Copenhagen on the evening of 8th of February - it would be great to see you there.
As ever it’s a relaxed get-together to talk about all things personal data, customer engagement, digital wallets and of course Personal AI 😎
When: 5-7pm, Thursday 8th February 2024
Where: Skt. Petri, Krystalgade 22, 1172 København, Denmark
Who: Regular readers of Customer Futures, friends and colleagues... anyone interested in the future of being a digital customer
RSVP: If you'd like to come along, please either
1) DM me here or
2) reply by email to the Customer Futures newsletter
Looking forward to seeing some of you then!
Here’s this week’s mini perspective:
The first mainstream use for TV was pointing the camera at people already doing a radio broadcast. It took 20 years for TV to become a new creative format.
The first mainstream use for the web browser was broadcasting content. It was seen as just another media channel. And it took 10 years before we saw the potential for user-generated content. For publishing. For customer control and engagement.
It’s the fast-following disruption that brings new business models. That brings new uses and industries.
Clay Christiansen gave this a name: Disruptive Innovation.
“Sustaining Innovation” was doing the same thing as before, but in a new way, with new tech. Think of an upgrade to a smartphone. Better camera. AI-enhanced photos.
“Disruptive Innovation” on the other hand was doing a new thing, in a new way. Think Blockbuster (physical rental) vs. Netflix (streaming).
With digital wallets and digital ID so much of the market is doing Tactical Stuff. Things we can already do today.
It’s Sustaining Innovation.
Login. Tickets. Sharing verified ID. Form filling. Payments.
But this approach misses the huge potential of Empowerment Tech. Digital wallets, portable ID with Personal AI.
It misses the Disruptive Innovation. (Which, by definition, we can’t predict).
But that’s the prize. The opportunity.
So what’s the disruptive innovation for digital wallets? It won’t (just) be digital tokens, portable ID and proof of ABC. It will be helping us in our daily lives in ways we can’t yet see.
Health. Travel. Money. Home. Learning. Limitless opportunities.
Yes, innovation is everywhere. But it’s the type - Sustaining or Disruptive - that’s going to count.
20 years for TV. 10 years for the web. I give it 2-3 years for digital wallets.
Want to come with me on the journey?
It’s all about the future of being a digital customer. So welcome back to the Customer Futures newsletter.
In this week’s edition:
Is It Safe to Share Personal Information With a Chatbot?
Unlocking the True Value of Zero-Party Data – Beyond Surveys
Big Tech Won’t Let You Leave - Here’s a Way Out
IATA One ID is not the ICAO DTC
Most Irish citizens want Big Tech’s toxic algorithms switched off
25,000 people say that personalised AI is already here
Wasting a trillion personal data records
LinkedIn rolling out ID verification - but when can I use it elsewhere?
… plus other links about the future of digital customers you don’t want to miss
Let’s Go.
Is It Safe to Share Personal Information With a Chatbot?
The Wall Street Journal covers the ticking time-bomb of personal data and AI chatbots:
“When you ask an AI chatbot a question, its response is based partly on information that includes material dating back to long before there were rules around internet data usage and privacy. And even more-recent source material is full of people’s personal information that’s scattered across the web.
“That leaves lots of opportunity for private information to have been hoovered up into the various generative-AI chatbots’ training materials—information that could unintentionally appear in someone else’s conversation with a chatbot or be intentionally hacked or revealed by bad actors through crafty prompts or questions.
“Chatbot creators have taken some steps to protect users’ privacy. For instance, users can turn off ChatGPT’s ability to store their chat history indefinitely via the very visible toggle on its home page.
“This isn’t foolproof protection against hackers—the site says it will still store the new chats of users who choose this option for 30 days—but it clearly states that the chats won’t be used to train the model.
“Bard requires users to log into Bard.Google.com then follow a few steps to delete all chat activity as a default. Bing users can open the chatbot webpage, view their search history on the right side of the page, then delete the individual chats they want removed, a Microsoft spokesman says. “However, at this time, users cannot disable chat history,” he says.”
We need guardrails around personal data and AI.
Specifically around Personal AI.
And not just to rely on impatient and consent-blind users reading impenetrable privacy policies of the chatbot they’ve only just downloaded, from brands they’ve never heard of.
Unlocking the True Value of Zero-Party Data – Beyond Surveys
Startup DataSapien writes about the potential for customers to share their 360-degree data with businesses.
“Expanding Zero-Party Data to include 360º life data is not just about collecting more information; it’s about empowering customers to actively participate in shaping their brand experiences and the value that they receive.
“It’s a mutually beneficial exchange where customers have more control over their data and brands gain a comprehensive understanding of their audience.
“This approach is rooted in trust and transparency. Customers willingly share their data because they see value in doing so.
“They understand that by safely providing a more complete view of their lives, they enable businesses to serve their needs better, ultimately enhancing their quality of life.”
Spot on. And there’s a twist: it changes market research and surveys forever.
Big Tech Won’t Let You Leave - Here’s a Way Out
Another blistering piece by Cory Doctorow. The inventor of the “enshittification” of platforms. Why and how Facebook, Amazon and Google lock us in… then get worse over time.
He argues for a new exit strategy from the GAFA. How platforms will have to help you with your data, even when you leave for a rival.
The EU’s new Digital Markets Act (DMA) is a huge stepping stone to helping individuals move between services more freely.
“The secret to that un-quittability is high “switching costs”—the economists’ term for the things you have to give up to leave a service.
“You hate Facebook, but you love connecting with your communities, friends, and customers. They’re holding you hostage on Facebook’s behalf—and you’re holding them hostage, too.
"The EU’s Digital Markets Act lets the [EU] commission draft per-service rules to facilitate “interoperability”—connectivity—with new services. This isn’t mere data portability, or downloading a blob containing all the messages you've sent and the photos you uploaded.
“It’s the ability to leave a service, set up elsewhere, and resume the conversations and transactions you left behind. For example, under the DMA, it should be possible to leave Facebook and set up on a community-run Mastodon server, and continue to participate in group discussions and exchange individual messages with the people who aren’t ready to leave (yet).”
I’ve written about the DMA in previous Customer Futures posts. If you care about this stuff and where it’s going, I recommend getting under the skin of it.
The best export from the EU might just be regulation.
IATA One ID is not the ICAO DTC
Two very important posts about how the travel industry thinks about ID.
First from Louise Cole, IATA’s (the airline body) lead on ID tech standards. An expert on both the Digital Travel Credential (DTC) and IATA’s own efforts on Digital Wallets and Verifiable Credentials (part of the One ID programme).
“The DTC provides borders with the ability to receive the complete and intact passport data in advance, directly from passengers, in a way that can be authenticated as securely as if the passenger was at the border gate and enabling robust pre travel risk assessment.
“Using the One ID standards, the aviation industry can leverage off the security and trust that the DTC and/or eMRTD provide while protecting the passenger’s privacy through only receiving the minimum data necessary, in a trusted and verifiable format, enabling simple and contactless experiences for passengers.
“DTC and One ID are not in competition, they are in partnership.”
Then, as a follow-up, a post from Rajeshkumar R, DTC expert and the convener of ISO/IEC JTC1 SC17/WG3 (for those that like TLAs).
His key points:
"👉Were ICAO DTC and IATA OneId in competition – NO. Globally interoperable travel document specification can only be created by ICAO, a UN body that has the mandate to create these specifications under the Chicago convention. It is not competing with anyone else.
👉Are the two complementary – NO. By definition, something is complementary if it addresses a gap in the other. The ICAO DTC is well defined in its entirety for the purpose for which it was created.
👉Can the ICAO DTC be used anywhere in the travel continuum – YES. Just as passports are used for airline, hotel check-in or KYC, ICAO DTC can also be used
👉Must you use ICAO DTC in the entirety of travel continuum – NO. The choice of a credential depends on your risk assessment and appetite and you are free to choose whatever suits you. If you need the same level of assurance as a border inspection process, then the ICAO DTC is the only solution
👉Can other solutions leverage the trust of a DTC – YES. A DTC is an anchor credential issued by an Issuer
👉Is there a shared vision between ICAO and IATA – ABSOLUTELY YES. IATA represents the airline industry, an important part of Civil Aviation, and hence is a natural partner for ICAO. Furthermore, ICAO works with IATA and WCO for the API/PNR specifications, which is an important aspect of integrated border management
👉Are we stronger together – A Big Fat YES”
If you follow Self-Sovereign Identity and Verifiable Credentials in travel, this stuff matters.
Where does ID data come from, what format is it in, and who can use it. Does it work offline, is it private, can we use selective disclosure?
Standards gonna standard.
Most Irish citizens want Big Tech’s toxic algorithms switched off
The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) packs a punch in terms of campaigning on privacy and data rights. And their latest research stats are quite something.
“The new poll also shows that more than four-fifths (82%) of people across Ireland are in favour of social media companies being forced to stop building up specific data about users’ sexual desires, political and religious views, health conditions and or ethnicity, and using that data to pick what videos are shown to people.
Why does this matter? ICCL don’t hang around to land the point:
“Our children are at risk. Just one hour after Amnesty’s researchers started a TikTok account posing as a 13-year-old child who views mental health content, TikTok’s algorithm started to show the child videos glamourising suicide.
“Recommender systems also promote hate and extremism. Meta’s own internal research reported that 64% of all extremist group joins are due to our recommendation tools… Our recommendation systems grow the problem….”
25,000 people say that personalised AI is already here
My goodness, this is an important study by Oliver Wyman. Remarkable findings on the attitudes, perceptions and misperceptions of 25,000 people across 15 major countries on GenAI.
Some big takeaways (bold mind):
“Some 55% of employees use generative AI at least once a week at work, but 61% of users do not find it very trustworthy. Of those 61%, 40% would nevertheless use it to help them make big financial decisions, and 30% would share more personal data for a better experience.”
“Nearly half of consumers said they would place their faith in AI for big life decisions such as buying a home.
“Some 36% said they prefer AI over humans for financial advice, demonstrating the breadth of service generative AI can produce".
“Consumers are 23% more likely to report that they engage with generative AI financial advisers with the aim of finding connection than they are when they engage with human ones
“They are also nearly four times as likely to be looking for a sense of purpose in their personal finances when engaging with AI advisers than when they engage with their human counterparts.”
Holy Digital Trust Batman.
Over a third prefer AI for financial advice. Let that sink in.
With what training data? What recommendation guidelines? Based on what personal data and intent?
By any definition, Personal AI is already here. It’s just we don’t yet understand the implications of sharing private personal profiles with AI platforms, with data protection. And with privacy and security.
But boy is there a shake-up coming.
Add in digital identity (wallets), and agents that can act on the advice… and we’re not in Kansas anymore, Alice.
A trillion personal data records - that’s a lot of waste
Supply… meet Demand is a new blog from Iain Henderson, a global CRM expert and ‘VRM’ veteran.
There’s an exciting take here on why marketing is fundamentally broken. As seen from someone who knows where the bodies are buried in customer data management and CRM.
One to follow.
“When tools like a CRM system are deployed in an organisation that enables ‘one to many’ relationships to be managed by that organisation.
“But obviously multiple organisations are doing the same in parallel, each creating a silo-ed approach to data sharing between them and their connected base.
“And when the equivalent is deployed on the side of an individual then that builds the same, one individual able to connect to many organisations - but with multiple individuals doing the same in parallel.
“In other words, a giant mess of silo-ed data sharing relationships all doing their own version of the same thing many times over - with huge amounts of duplication, waste and carbon consumption. That’s what we have at present.
“How many personal data records do we think there are in the world right now? I think about a trillion (1,000,000,000,000). My high level logic is that:
There will be zero digital records for a big chunk of that population
For huge chunks of that population there will be many digital relationships in place (my password manager says 853), which ignores the thousands of adtech organisations that have profiles of me
So my best guess of an average of 120 ‘digital twins’ for each person in that 8.1bn takes us to roughly a trillion. And that’s without counting all of the archived and sandboxed records.
“That’s an awful lot of duplicated effort and waste”.
LinkedIn rolling out ID verification - but when can I use it elsewhere?
Ankur Banerjee is one of the smartest people working on SSI. He’s the CTO of the Cheqd network, so knows a thing or two about verifiable credentials and digital ID.
He recently got his ID verified by LinkedIn. And he’s written a great post about the subtle UI. And about the flows.
But now what? Where else, he asks, can we use it? It’s a decent level of assurance (passport chip). So when does our LinkedIn ID become portable?
It’s inevitable, of course. And Microsoft are already going big on digital wallets and verifiable credentials.
Will LinkedIn become the professional’s wallet of choice? One assumes it’s not long until Microsoft gets verifiable credentials to work across:
Office (more ubiquitous auth from your app of choice, so you don’t just have to use MSFT Authenticator);
Active Directory (proof of employment just became ‘one-tap’ - think of it the next time you need to onboard to a new work system or provider, or when you want to get a discount somewhere where employees have to show their ID…); and
OpenAI (into which MSFT have pumped $13Bn)… well now, AI+VCs? That gets interesting, fast.
Here’s some of Ankur’s quick take:
“Interesting design decision here to not make the verified tick too prominent (i.e., no prominent "blue tick", just a subtle status indicator). They must have done some research on this, perhaps while they are rolling this out.
“What I'd really love to see is LinkedIn opening up APIs, so that these verified profile identities could be shared using digital "Verifiable Credentials"… as well as getting a verification tick based on other portable digital credentials - instead of scanning a passport being the only option.”
APIs to a portable ID indeed.
Microsoft is the 800lb gorilla in the digital wallet race. Make no mistake.
OTHER THINGS
There are far too many interesting and important Customer Futures things to include this week.
So here are some more links to chew on:
Mother of all breaches reveals 26 billion records READ
CMOs: It’s Time To End The Age Of BS READ
AI-generated content is raising the value of trust ($) READ
The 2nd episode of “The Future of Identity: Identity Ecosystems WATCH
Salesforce: Why Trust in AI is Job Number One READ
I had my face stolen by AI READ
Let's put an end to media/ad platform attribution READ
And that’s a wrap. Stay tuned for more Customer Futures soon, both here and over at LinkedIn.
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