Digital life: looking back, thinking forward 

In 2020, we launched Three Great Things, your go-to fortnightly newsletter with our latest thoughts and inspiration from across the tech, creative, and UX industries.  

Fast forward to today, and we’re celebrating its 100th edition. That’s five years of ideas, inspiration, and the occasional random link that somehow made your Friday better. The ultimate weekend warm-up to get you feeling inspired. 

To mark the milestone, we’re taking a moment to reflect. What’s changed in the last five years? What’s on the horizon? And what have we learned along the way?  

This blog is a bit of a time capsule. A look back at the shifts we’ve lived through, and a look ahead at what might shape the next chapter. Naturally, the team at Great State – thoughtful, curious, and occasionally philosophical – had plenty to say (as they always do), and their reflections are sprinkled throughout.  

Spoiler alert: yes, AI makes an appearance – because of course it does. 

Looking back: 2020 – 2025  

The last five years have been a bit of a whirlwind, let’s be honest. Some changes were expected. Others snuck up on us. But all of them reshaped how we work, create, and connect.

Hybrid working becomes the norm

It’s hard to overstate how much the pandemic changed things and still lingers in the memory for many. Cue flashbacks of themed family quizzes over FaceTime and the surreal routines of lockdown life. Remote work went from niche to necessary and then settled into something more permanent. One colleague summed it up perfectly: 

"Digital has empowered a healthier work-life balance – a shift that’s suited the majority of employees, showing that change isn’t always something to fear, even if a few old-skool voices still cling to the old ways”. 

Microsoft Teams and Zoom became our new meeting rooms, while tools like Figma and Miro took over as our digital whiteboards. Real time collaboration became the norm, with cloud-first ecosystems dominating. And the idea of presence shifted from physical to digital.  

But if anything, all that time apart reminded us how valuable in-person connection really is. The swivel chair moments, chats at the coffee machine, and knowing looks across a table – none of it can be fully replicated online. As much as we’ve embraced the flexibility of remote work, we’ve also learned not to take real human connections for granted.

AI went mainstream

AI has changed a lot in the last five years – take a look at the recent history in the form of 32 otters. And, it’s only the beginning of its capabilities.   

From GPT–3 to GPT–4 and beyond, AI stopped being a buzzword and started being a tool we actually used. Copywriting, coding, design, research – it's all been touched by automation. Designers now generate 3D typography in seconds. Engineers can now build a website while they make a cuppa. Strategists use AI to map out campaign ideas. It’s everywhere and won’t be disappearing anytime soon. 

But it’s not just about speed. It’s about shifting roles. AI hasn’t replaced creativity; it’s changed how we approach it. Work smarter, not harder as they say. AI is helping to create a more streamlined way of working. 

Design got quieter (and bolder)

Minimalism matured. Bold sans serif fonts, generous white space, and vibrant RGB accents (lime green, Monzo peach) became the norm. But this visual clarity wasn’t just aesthetic; it marked a shift in how users wanted to interact with digital products. 

Design became quieter. Less about grabbing attention, more about getting out of the way. UX moved toward simplicity and speed – helping users get what they need and move on, without unnecessary friction. 

Looking ahead, this trend is set to deepen. As one team member puts it: 

“People wanting less digital, not more. They’ll want digital to be a tool that complements their in-real-life life – an almost invisible enabler.” 

The best experiences aren’t the loudest – they're the most intuitive. 

Looking forward 2025 – 2030

Peering into the future is always a mix of educated guesswork and hopeful imagination. The pace of change over the past five years has been relentless – so it’s fair to assume the next five years won’t be any slower.

From emerging tech to shifting cultural expectations to building lined cities in the desert, the landscape is already (quite literally) starting to reshape itself. Here’s what we think is on the horizon – and what might just define the next chapter.

AI will drive breakthroughs

Even those trying to avoid AI predictions couldn’t help but mention it: 

“I reckon there are going to be some massive advancements in cures for diseases owing to AI being able to better assimilate and understand patterns in data.” 

AI won’t just write copy or generate visuals; it'll help solve real-world problems. From healthcare to climate modelling, its ability to process and learn from vast datasets will unlock new possibilities – faster than we think 

One Great Stater painted a utopian picture: AI-driven profits to fund Universal Basic Income, ushering in a golden age of leisure and equality. Others pointed to potential challenges around surveillance or creativity being filtered behind machines. 

But most saw a future full of opportunity – where AI becomes a collaborative partner. It won’t replace us, but it will reshape how we work, learn, and make decisions. The tech itself isn’t the twist – it's how we choose to use it.  

As AI agents become central to the user journey, we’ll need to design digital experiences that work with them – not around them. That means moving beyond linear pathways towards more open, conversational frameworks, where AI can interpret intent, guide decisions, and even act on the user’s behalf. To make that collaboration work, design must prioritise clarity, context, and trust – ensuring humans and machines can navigate the same experience, seamlessly and confidently. 

The tension between innovation and impact is exactly what we explored in our Shifting States report – our deep dive into Gen Z’s expectations for brands and work, as they inherit the digital landscape. Watch our recent webinar to learn how to design next-gen experiences that earn Gen Z’s loyalty.

Interfaces will feel, move and explain

The way we interact with technology is starting to shift. With devices like Apple Vision Pro and whatever comes next, things like augmented and virtual reality are becoming the norm. Take spatial computing for example: we’ve already embedded this on the Royal Navy website.

Clicks and taps will give way to voice, gaze, and gesture. Interfaces will response to how we’re feeling – adjusting to stress, focus, or mood. Expect UX to adapt, not just react to its user.

Privacy will also be front and centre. With tighter regulations, apps will need to build privacy from the start, using decentralised identity and smart techniques like zero-knowledge proofs to give users more control.

Cities, servers, and the weird future

As populations grow, cities will have to get creative. One colleague put it simply: 

“I’m predicting more wacky proposals for urban living.”

Think vertical farms, modular homes, and other ideas that blend necessity with imagination. Design will be key to make these spaces feel more human, not just efficient.

Take Bhutan for example, who plan to build a new capital with mindfulness at its core. The project reimagines city-building through Buddhist values – low-rise, eco-friendly design, nature-first planning, and bridges that double as temples and clinics.

Behind the scenes, the digital world is facing its own space problem. Every TikTok, Reel, and cloud backup adds to the pressure on data infrastructure. 

“We need ultra-efficient servers. Otherwise, where’s all our digital stuff going to go?”

As cities expand and digital life grows, the future needs to evolve with us. Without major upgrades to infrastructure, we risk hitting limits in how we store, share, and stream. The future of urban living isn’t just about buildings – it's about making sure the invisible systems behind them can keep up.

Three Great Things, one hundred editions later

So, what’s the takeaway? That change is consistent. That creativity adapts. That tech evolves. And that people – curious, thoughtful, and slightly chaotic – are at the heart of it all. 

Three Great Things started as a newsletter. But it’s also a mindset. A way to find some sort of clarity in this world of complexity. To celebrate progress without losing perspective. 

And 100 editions in, it’s still the best way to ease into the weekend. Here’s to the next chapter. To bold ideas, quiet design, and great things – three at a time. 

Scroll all you want, but Three Great Things is where the real gems drop. Get subscribed: https://www.greatstate.co/newsletter/