Knowledge and meaning in a technology-driven world: a rapid review

The rapid advancement of digital technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), virtual and augmented reality, the Internet of Things (IoT), and the Internet of Everything (IoE), has reshaped human life, raising existential questions and challenging traditional sources of meaning. This study addresses the problem of how these technological transformations affect individuals’ processes of meaning-making and the management of knowledge in the digital era. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between digital technologies, digital literacy, and knowledge management, with a particular focus on their implications for existential inquiry and meaningful engagement with technology. A rapid review methodology was applied to analyze 18 peer-reviewed studies indexed in Scopus, published between 2010 and 2024. The analysis explored their relevance to existentialism, meaning-making, and human existence in the context of digital technologies. The thematic analysis identified five key themes: AI and existential concerns, technology and human experience, embodied cognition and technology, digital literacy and knowledge management, and technology and meaningful interaction. The findings indicate that digital technologies substantially reshape identity, autonomy, and individuals’ search for meaning, while digital literacy emerges as a central capability for navigating these changes and supporting effective knowledge management. The study highlights important implications for research and practice, suggesting that strengthening digital literacy is essential to foster more meaningful interactions with technology and to mitigate potential negative existential and cognitive effects. Limitations include potential selection biases, reliance on self-reported data, and cultural and socioeconomic constraints that may affect the generalizability of the results.