More and more "smart" consumer products are being made
available on the market by a hugely diverse range of companies.
These smart products already offer remarkable functionality. And as
they become increasingly sophisticated, they will contain features
that would have seemed like science fiction just a few years ago.
While this technology space holds out enormous opportunity –
both commercially, and for improving many aspects of people's
lives – it comes with risks, especially where reliance on a
data-driven model is concerned.
Already well versed in processing customer data, many companies
will have put in place systems to cope with the regulatory demands
for personal data protection. Others may be well established in the
technology space, but less familiar with the dynamic of getting
products into consumers' hands. And then there will be
companies that are completely new to the market – disruptive
start-ups, moving at high speed to launch their innovative
