Digital Technologies in the Process of Virtualization of Consumer Behaviour - Awareness of New Technologies

Digital resolution is currently one of the most important forces determining changes and their dynamics in the social, cultural and economic dimension. Digital technologies such as the Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence will, according to Gartner's Hype Cycle for Emerging Technologies 2017, play an increasingly important role while creating a new quality of the market space. Yet, these are multidimensional issues whose potential should be considered both, from the perspective of enterprises that create and/or adapt such technologies in their production, logistics or sale processes as well as in consumer perspective taking into account a degree of awareness, interest and fascination of potential buyers, users with such devices and solutions. This is determined by dualism of approach to digital technologies (economic approach vs. humanistic approach) and evaluation of their potential benefits and threats. It seems, however, that virtualization of consumer behaviour as a consequence of impact of technologies such as the Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence, can at the same time be a significant driving force of further processes of digitalization, its dimensions and dynamics. The article attempts to identify the impact of digital technologies (IoT and AI) on attitudes, preferences and decisions of consumers and presented discussion was based on the results of own studies in the analysed area.