The future of free time

We’re already seeing generative AI tools like Operator or Adept being used for tasks such as creating travel itineraries and it’s only set to get smarter as travel agents make way to Agentic AI.

Fully autonomous AI agents may soon reason and make decisions independently. When this happens, we’ll likely see multi-agent systems collaborating to complete more complex tasks. For example, AutoGen Studio from Microsoft is currently prototyping and testing multi-agent workflows. 

This true autonomy will allow AI assistants (like Google’s Project Astra) to take on bigger roles in our lives, acting as a digital twin that can understand your world and work towards goals like booking tickets to see your favourite comedian or band, without you having to waste your free time in endless online queues.  

Not only will your time-saving sidekick be able to act as a coworker, carrying out admin tasks, such as note taking or scheduling, but its AI agent pals will save you time elsewhere. Customer service will be more personal and highly tailored thanks to the AI agents that Gartner predicts will resolve 80% of customer issues by 2029. 

What’s more, healthcare will get a shot in the arm, with AI agents supporting diagnostics, logistics and admin, saving you time and headaches. For example, Oracle has announced a clinical AI agent for documentation to "give physicians time back for their patients and themselves".

What does this mean for you? Quicker deliveries, smarter services and fewer delays. Drones have the potential to improve productivity, making tasks quicker, safer and cheaper. And that reality is just around the corner, with Royal Mail, Amazon Prime Air and Wing all currently testing a wide range of drone delivery systems. 

Whether it’s your parcel, a roof inspection or transporting blood samples in a healthcare emergency, drones will assist us in getting what we need, faster and safer. Zipline is already using drone delivery for small items, including food, retail, agriculture products and animal health products – allowing for speedy long-distance delivery and precise home delivery.

While domestic drone use and tests are currently limited to delivery services, we’re likely to see home collection follow, especially for those in remote areas. Essentially, no more waiting for delivery drivers or troublesome trips to a collection point.

Even though fully automated vehicles are likely to be 5+ years away, partially automated ones, and those ready for future upgrades, are already on the rise. As a result, our weekend road trips and workday commutes will see safer roads, fewer accidents and less need for roadside assistance.

Widespread AV use will allow smart traffic management systems to share data, moving intelligently around busy areas, reducing congestion, harsh breaking and accelerating, accidents, and in turn, making journeys faster. Frontier, a project funded by the EU, is already working on this.

But there’s more: AV fleets, such as those offered by Waymo One, will turn commuting time into free time. With the ability of smart traffic systems, and technology that will reduce congestion, your driverless taxi will either let you catch up on work or TV shows in private or simply get you to your destination a lot quicker. Great news for the 15% of £100,000+ earners that would invest in a personal driver if they had more disposable income.

Reduced reliance on personal cars will also cut out waiting for repairs, MOTs, services and general maintenance – saving time and money.

AV use will also allow for more late-night deliveries, with 24/7 delivery services such as WeRide, giving you greater control over your time.

Face-to-face tasks like health checks and prescriptions are moving online, while AI kits will let us into the world of instant at-home testing. For example, DERM Skin Analytics automates access to skin cancer diagnostics, removing the need for “up to 95% of face-to-face NHS urgent suspected skin cancer appointments.”

Patient passports will ensure faster, more effective care by providing healthcare providers with full medical histories. AI-led triaging and referrals, such as Visiba, will free up clinicians' time and reduce delays.

From timekeeper to lifesaver, smarter wearable tech will reduce the need for face-to-face check-ups, preventing health problems going unnoticed. We’re already seeing this trend with Apple watches and the Oura ring, which provides users with vast amounts of health data.

With healthcare in hand, our watches will be able to connect users to healthcare professionals, saving time on having to schedule and travel to appointments. Withings devices already do this with its Cardio Check-Up feature, where human cardiologists will review your data through their app for a ‘health check’ up to four times a year.  

Will their dreams come true? It seems so.

AI powered vacuums are set to get better at learning house layouts and adapting to user preferences, meaning there will be one less chore to do around the house, and more free time for you. This is also closer than we think; see Roborock – a smart vacuum equipped with an arm to move small objects.

43% of £100,000+ earners wish they could spend less time on grocery shipping. Wish granted. Tech will also be able to detect low stock or soon to expire food in fridges and cupboards, either creating shopping list recommendations or automating the reordering items based on expiry dates using tools such as Smart Pantry app.

Some kitchen appliances, like smart fridges, already exist but have limited functionality. Future kitchen tech may bring better interoperability, with devices working together seamlessly to make cooking faster and easier. Platforms like Fresco aim to centralise control with an all-in-one kitchen operating system.

Want a new home? Virtual reality house viewings will save time and hassle, meaning no need to travel for a first look and fewer interruptions for sellers. Matterport already lets viewers move through 3D visualisations of properties, but with more accessible VR in the future, interested buyers can also do a physical walkthrough.

If your lifestyle has you regularly catching flights, you may take advantage of technology that will offer real-time translation tools, breaking language barriers instantly, unlocking smoother, richer experiences.

A tech enabled future means more free time to spend with our pets, but that’s not all of the good news for our furry friends. Smart health and behaviour monitors, such as AI-Tails, detect pain and behaviour changes, meaning a better quality of life for our pets and less time spent waiting at the vets. Training and entertaining will also become easier and quicker, with smart robots like Oro that have our companions’ needs covered.

Education will get a digital glow-up. Blended learning is breaking the old classroom mould, flexing around students’ lives instead of forcing them to fit the schedule. AI-powered personal tutors will take it even further, tailoring lessons to how each person learns best, and creating smart, flexible learning plans that complement traditional teaching. Massive time saver for busy parents. AI personal tutors, like Khan Academy's Khanmigo, tailor learning plans, offering patient, focused support for homework without completing it for students.

Accounts like Lloyds Premier* offer customers with income or assets over £100,000 a one-stop-shop for all of their financial needs from banking and savings to mortgages and beyond.

Tools like readymade investment portfolios and the Premier Planning Hub will make your money work harder for you, allowing you to enjoy the free time that you’ve earned rather than spend it tracking markets.

As finance tech becomes ever more prevalent, it will play a bigger role in our lives, and customers will expect more personalised support and lifestyle benefits. When it comes to our finances, 88% of £100,000+ earners say they would be likely to use financial coaching, which is why Lloyds Premier offers access to appointments with Financial Coaches, empowering customers to make more informed financial decisions. 

Looking beyond the bank balance, 90% of £100,000+ earners would be likely to access virtual doctors’ appointments through their bank, which is good news for Lloyds Premier customers that get access to a Bupa Family GP & Wellbeing subscription service, including virtual GP or nurse consultations, physiotherapy treatment, mental health treatment and other wellbeing services.

In the future, we may also see AI assistants providing increasingly useful insights and playing a bigger role in the management of our finances and investments. 

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