Human communication still has room for improvement. In fact, it may be one of the slowest systems to evolve. The optimal way to communicate depends on the purpose—whether to convey intent, ensure accuracy, share context, or express emotion. Even between people, our communication protocols are filled with inefficiencies.
Take the example of a phone call. The first step after connecting is always to confirm that audio is working—hence the habitual “hello.” That part makes sense. But what follows often doesn’t. If both parties already know each other’s numbers, it would be more efficient to go straight to the point. If it’s the first time, an introduction makes sense, but when recognition already exists, repetition becomes redundant. In other words, if there were a protocol that could identify the level of mutual recognition before the conversation begins, communication could be much smoother.
Similar inefficiencies appear everywhere in daily life. Paying at a store, ordering in a restaurant, or getting into a taxi you booked through an app—all of these interactions involve unnecessary back-and-forth verification. The taxi example is especially frustrating. As a passenger, you want to immediately state your reservation number or name to confirm your identity. But the driver, trained for politeness, automatically starts with a formal greeting. The two signals overlap, the identification gets lost, and eventually the driver still asks, “May I have your name, please?” Both sides are correct, yet the process is fundamentally flawed.
The real issue is that neither side knows the other’s expectations beforehand. Technically, this problem could be solved easily: automate the verification. A simple touch interaction or, ideally, a near-field communication system could handle both identification and payment instantly upon entry. In some contexts, reducing human conversation could actually improve the experience.
This leads to a broader point: the need for a shared language not only between people but also between humans, machines, and AI. At present, no universal communication protocol exists among them. Rather than forcing humans to adapt to digital systems, we should design a protocol that enables mutual understanding between the two. By implementing such a system at the societal level, communication between humans and AI could evolve from guesswork into trust and efficiency.
Ultimately, the most effective form of communication is one that eliminates misunderstanding—regardless of who or what is on the other end. Whether through speech, touch, or data exchange, what we truly need is a shared grammar of interaction. That grammar, still emerging at the edges of design and technology, may become the foundation of the next social infrastructure.