Futurist Amy Webb: Insights from her 2024 Tech Trends Report | Masters of Scale

About this Video

• Video Title: Futurist Amy Webb: Insights from her 2024 Tech Trends Report | Masters of Scale
• Channel: Masters of Scale
• Speakers: Amy Webb, Jeff Burman
• Duration: 00:33:37

Introduction

This episode of Masters of Scale features futurist Amy Webb, founder and CEO of the Future Today Institute. She discusses her journey to becoming a futurist, the importance of strategic foresight, and the convergence of three key technologies – AI, advanced sensor technology, and biotechnology – that are shaping the future. She explains how this convergence creates a "technology super cycle" and offers advice on how businesses and governments can prepare for the future. She also emphasizes the importance of storytelling in conveying complex issues and making foresight actionable.

Key Takeaways

• Technology Super Cycle: Three general-purpose technologies – AI, advanced sensor technology, and biotechnology – are converging and driving a technology super cycle. Advancements in one area accelerate advancements in others, creating a flywheel effect.
• Strategic Foresight: Businesses and governments must develop strategic foresight capabilities to effectively navigate this super cycle. This involves tracking signals, differentiating trends from trendy phenomena, embracing uncertainty, and mapping out scenarios.
• Actionable Foresight: To make foresight actionable, it must be relevant and personalized. Storytelling is a powerful tool to achieve this, as it helps translate complex data and scenarios into relatable narratives that inspire action.
• Alternatives to Regulation: Traditional regulation struggles to keep pace with rapid technological change. Alternative approaches, such as data trusts and economic incentives, may be more effective in guiding responsible innovation.