Does convenience serve people?

Digital technologies promise to make everyday life easier, from navigation systems and smart homes to generative AI. But convenience can also have downsides, including hidden costs, loss of skills and reduced human interaction. The Rathenau Instituut is investigating the role of digital technology in our growing ‘culture of convenience’. The project examines the values and interests at stake and considers what policymakers, politicians, companies, institutions and citizens can and should do to address the downsides of technology-driven convenience.