The World Cup in 2038

 


With the football World Cup in Qatar upon us, I was reflecting on how new technologies and other drivers of change might impact on how the game is refereed and how tournaments - such as the World Cup Finals - are managed, and the criteria for host bids considered. And could there be competition to what has become known as “the beautiful game”?

So to consider the future of the World Cup, I have created a brief scenario to explore some of the changes we might see. 

 

The 2038 World Cup

There’s been a big shake up at FIFA in both how the host nation of the World Cup Finals is selected and how the games are refereed.

As a result of a root and branch review, in large part motivated by increasing pressure from EUFA – including the threat of a break away governing body – the cost of poor decision-making on the pitch, and the increasing importance of both being, and being seen to be sustainable have driven FIFA to embrace the opportunities presented by technology. As a result, the governing body has introduced far-reaching changes to how host nations are selected for each four-yearly tournament.

There were many examples cited of unjust decisions in World Cups behind the decision to embrace technology, including Frank Lampard’s “ghost goal” for England against Germany in the 2010 World Cup Finals and Thierry Henry’s deliberate handball in the build up to William Gallas’s second goal for France in the 2009 qualifier against Ireland for the 2010 World Cup.

And the increasing prominence of the UN Sustainable Development Goals in developing balanced sustainability across environmental, social, and economic domains was also a driver of significant change for FIFA, just like it was for other global and local organisations.

So how did these change drivers impact the organisation of football and specifically the World Cup?

 

Two-Tier Structure

Just like in Rugby Union and Test Cricket, football is now a two-tier sport. The two critical assessments for who is in Tier 1 and who is in Tier 2 are based on results-based ranking and the ability to implement the approved technology solutions for in-play decisions. Tier 1 nations, and their top leagues and divisions, are able to invest in the infrastructure required to meet the need for Automated in-Play Decision-Making; the new AiPDM system.

 

FIFA’s World Cup Host Nation Selection Process

After the issues surrounding the organisation of a mid-season World Cup Finals tournament in Qatar in 2022, the continent-wide staging of the 2026 tournament in Canada, Mexico, and the U.S., the introduction of the two-tier structure, and historical fall out from accusations of corruption in the host nation application process, the process to select a host nation is very different and much more transparent.  

Successful host bids will only be accepted from single countries and each will have to show acceptance of, and evidence of the nation working towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Only a Tier 1 nation can host the tournament. A host nation will also have existing stadia and transport infrastructure to avoid the impact of harmful emissions of new construction projects.

The tournament finals will be contested by just 24 teams to minimise travelling for competing teams and supporters. The majority of tickets will only be made available to supporters living in the host country – to minimise the emissions from international travel – although a scheme by which sections of stadia are organised to admit virtual fans from around the world is in place. Supporters from outside the host country can still be present, albeit virtually. Represented by animatronic supporters, each fan’s chosen face can be projected onto the artificial supporter’s face, through which your voice can also be heard as part of the crowd. Extended reality devices allow the “at home fan” to enjoy the sights, sounds, smells, and physical presence of the live stadium experience.

Although these provisions limit the number of countries able to host tournaments, a greater proportion of the income from FIFA tournaments is made available to developing the game in developing – mostly Tier 2 - countries.

 

AiPDM System

At long last, and a long time after former FIFA President Sepp Blatter changed tack over the use of goal-line technology, FIFA has fully embraced the potential presented by new technologies to help ensure the right decisions are always made in high profile games. Technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), sensors, computer visioning, and edge computing (where data is analysed at the point of collection and not on a distant cloud based server) have been particularly critical in creating what many now consider, a fool-proof decision-making system.

Enabled by AI, sensors (in the ball and woven into players’ shirts), computer visioning, and edge computing, the ball being in or out of play, who got the last touch of the ball so the decision goes the right way, the ball crossing the goal line, and offside are fully automated through AiPDM.

Foul tackles and simulation are assessed as a result of deploying ML, sensors, computer visioning, and edge computing. And automated timing tracks stoppages in play and adjusts active game time accordingly, signalling the referee to blow for half and full time.

The referee and assistant referees’ roles are different. Their primary functions are to communicate automated decisions to the players on the pitch, manage the safety of players - head injury protocols, for example - and act as a mediator for flash points between players and the team’s coaching staff and substitutes.

It proved to be a battle with the traditionalists, but even they had to concede, the most important objective is to make the right decision at the right time, and instantly.

 

A Challenge to the FIFA World Cup?

But there’s a question about how resilient and future ready, is the FIFA World Cup, because there’s a new kid on the block – the International Robot Football Association – IRFA - and the Robo-World Cup

This competition started as an exhibition series but has turned into a major sports event in its own right, with major streaming coverage and the opportunity for immersive spectator experiences.

Described by some as the merger of Formula 1 and association football, it’s a global event with qualification to the Robo-World Cup Finals via regional leagues. The finals take place two weeks after the final of THE World Cup, to keep hold of the coat tails of the more illustrious and traditional event, but also to showcase just how competitive and entertaining the robo-version is.

Teams apply for a franchise from the IRFA and are a mixture of works – manufacturer - teams, independent – research - teams, and nationally funded teams from around the world, most notably from; China, France, Germany, India, Iran, Israel, Japan, Korea, Turkey, UK, and USA.

This version of association football is more physical now that humans won’t be hurt. The algorithms designed for and used in the robot players are regulated by ever evolving IRFA rules but there is lots of latitude in the design for aggression, skill, positioning, in-game tactics, and strategy set pre-match. There are also parameters that apply to robot player sizes, weight, and processing capacity.

The spectator experience was designed to be different from the off. For the robo-world cup, the crowd is fully virtual, with tickets allowing spectators to “occupy” spectator bots in the stadium, with optional full immersive experiences through supporters’ extended reality devices. 

 

Reflections

It’s football, but not quite as we know it. And it raises the question of other sports; how will cricket, rugby union, American football, and baseball evolve into the future? What role will technology play in how the sports are managed, played, refereed, and how will the spectator experience change?


Image credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/football-shoe-fire-fantasy-flame-3024154


Is the Future of Intelligence AGI?

Artificial Intelligence is a concept of building a machine capable of thinking, acting, and learning like humans. There is some debate about what Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) actually is – or could be - and even if something approaching AGI is achievable or even desirable.  But let’s go with this: AGI is the intelligence of a machine that could successfully perform any intellectual task that a human being can.

So in this episode of the podcast, I want to take stock of where we are in the development of AGI, the ethical considerations, and the possibilities that achievement of AGI may present to society in the future.

To have this discussion, I am delighted to welcome back to the podcast futurist speaker, analyst, commentator, and author David Wood. To listen to the podcast on You Tube, click below https://youtu.be/c0R0M2UDjSY or listen on Spotify’s Anchor Platform.  

You can learn more about David and his work as follows:

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/dw2cco
Twitter https://twitter.com/dw2
London Futurists https://londonfuturists.com
Future Surge: https://futuresurge.org
London Futurists Podcast: https://londonfuturists.buzzsprout.com
Books:
Vital Foresight –The Case for Active Transhumanism (available via Amazon) 
The SingularityPrinciples - Anticipating and Managing Cataclysmically Disruptive Technologies (Pre-publication review) 

The Informing Choices Mini-Pod is available on the following platforms:

Anchor https://anchor.fm/steve-wells-futurist 
Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/informing-choices-mini-pod/id1536985114 
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7IuO9njK4Yzfn4fUO6QLM9
Google https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8zY2FhZDQzMC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== 
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIxf6tAhDzmP9QuhPwja1UH4ivsx-YTh9 
Amazon https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/4eaf4815-267d-4b4d-a6d4-fb3558a2e306/informing-choices-minipod 
Overcast https://overcast.fm/itunes1536985114/informing-choices-pod 
Pocket Cast https://pca.st/bhv6n89l 
Radio Public https://radiopublic.com/informing-choices-pod-6pkwXL

Credits:
Image https://pixabay.com/illustrations/data-robot-brain-humanoid-mind-7473235
Intro music Aleksandr Karabanov https://pixabay.com/music/introoutro-stomp-logo-3-13783
Outro music Yuri Gagarin https://pixabay.com/music/beats-birds-in-the-trees-1176

 

Humanity in Future Organisations

I often reflect on the pace and scale of change in our world – very often technology enabled – and the challenge of enabling a more human future.

Perhaps increasing the role of humans in our future seems unlikely given what we see of the potential for organisations – both public and enterprise – to adopt and embrace increasingly sophisticated and pervasive automation technologies. But it is precisely this transition that requires us to consider ways of enabling more humanity at the heart of our organisations, perhaps a new way of conceiving organisations.

To consider Humanity in Future Organisations I am joined on this episode of the podcast by Relational Systems Architect, Leadership Development and Impact Coach, and creator of Mycelium – an emergent idea concerned with exploring the nature of the connections between people, systems, and technologies through which we can shape our desired future - Alessandra Marazzi.

In this episode we consider:

  • The drivers of change that give space for Alessandra’s ideas
  • The role of increasing digitisation in presenting hurdles or enablers to increasing human centricity in organisations
  • The desirability of feminine traits that could drive a paradigm shift in how we conceive organisations in the future.

Listen to the podcast on You Tube by clicking below or on Spotify’s Anchor podcast platform


You can learn more about Alessandra and her work by contacting and connecting with her as follows:

Email alessandrac@mac.com
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/alessandra-marazzi
Web alessandramarazzi.com

Credits:
Image https://pixabay.com/photos/team-friendship-group-hands-4529717
Intro music Aleksandr Karabanov https://pixabay.com/music/introoutro-stomp-logo-3-13783
Outro music Yuri Gagarin https://pixabay.com/music/beats-birds-in-the-trees-1176

Future Workplaces and Work

The future of work is often spoken about at events all over the world. Of course, there are implications for where we work too. The topic of remote, on-site, and hybrid working is a major topic of debate as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. But what are the challenges for corporate real estate, from design, build, to occupation and services? How might the future of work impact the future of workplaces?

To consider Future Workplaces and Work I am drawing on my contribution to a panel discussion at a recent CoreNet (the world’s leading association for corporate real estate and workplace professionals, service providers, and economic developers) event, by sharing four scenarios about the workplaces of the future: A World of Multiple Actors; De-centralised, Autonomous Workforce; Ultra-Flex Office Accommodation; and Caught by Indecision.

Listen to the podcast on You Tube by clicking below or on Spotify’s Anchor podcast platform. 

You can learn more about me and my work by connecting with me as follows:

Email steve@stevewells.uk
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/steve-wells-futurist-speaker
Twitter twitter.com/informingchoice   
Articles and Media informingchoices.blogspot.com
YouTube youtube.com/user/InformingChoices
Website stevewells.uk

Credits:
Image https://pixabay.com/illustrations/render-3d-design-office-open-space-2001817
Intro music Aleksandr Karabanov https://pixabay.com/music/introoutro-stomp-logo-3-13783 
Outro music Yuri Gagarin https://pixabay.com/music/beats-birds-in-the-trees-1176 

Humanity's Relationship with the Natural World

Our world today has been created as a result of consumption mindsets, but increasingly we are becoming aware of the unsustainable nature of such an approach. Our growing understanding of the complex and interconnected processes that make up the fragile natural systems on which we ultimately all rely is increasingly shaping our political, business, and personal lives and outlook.

So how might our relationship with the natural world evolve and what role could technology play in helping us enable a more sustainable world?

To consider Humanity's Relationship with the Natural World I am very pleased to welcome Liselotte Lyngsø to the podcast. Lise is a Keynote Speaker, Futurist, and Founder CEO of Future Navigator.

Listen to the podcast on You Tube by clicking below or on Spotify's Anchor podcast platform

You can learn more about Lise and her work by contacting and connecting with her as follows:

Email lll@futurenavigator.dk
LinkedIn liselotte-lyngsø-03a205
Twitter LiselotteLyngso
Web futurenavigator.com

Image Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/man-woman-couple-people-hands-2609375

Is the Future of Hotels Physical or Virtual?

The combination of smart technologies, robotics, new computing paradigms, and immersive technologies in the metaverse represent a potential sea-change across hospitality in general, and hotels specifically. Perhaps in the future we will take our holidays and business trips in virtual spaces in the metaverse which will include simulated physical experiences as well.

To consider the question, "Is the Future of Hotels Physical or Virtual?", I am joined by Simone Puorto, author of the book Hotel Distribution 2050 and organizer of the first-ever travel and hospitality event in the metaverse.

Listen to the podcast on You Tube by clicking below or on Spotify's Anchor podcast platform


You can learn more about Simone and his work by contacting and connecting with him as follows:

Email info@simonepuorto.com and simone@travelsingularity.com
LinkedIn puortosimone
Twitter @puortosimone
Web travelsingularity.com

Image Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/woman-technology-science-design-6929333

Empowering Women Through FEMTECH

What do Barbados, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Gabon, Honduras, Iceland, Lithuania, Moldova, New Zealand, Samoa, Serbia, Sweden, Tanzania, Togo, and Tunisia have in common? As of May 2022, they all have women as their Prime Minister / Head of the Nation’s Executive. And many other countries have also seen multiple occasions when women have led their respective governments.

The questions is, how does global society build on these notable successes and extend the representation of women across society for the good of all humanity, into the future? And how might technology support the empowerment of women to achieve their potential?

To discuss Empowering Women Through FEMTECH, I am honoured to welcome Moroccan based Doctor Hynd Bouhia to the podcast. Hynd has accumulated more than 20 years of experience in Finance and Strategy and is now on a mission to empower a billion girls and women around the world to grow confident, resilient, tech-savvy and financially free.

Listen to the podcast on You Tube by clicking below https://youtu.be/XLkvTWtPPhc or on Spotify’s Anchor podcast platform

You can learn more about Hynd and her work by contacting and connecting with her as follows:

Email hynd.bouhia@gmail.com
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/hynd-bouhia-phd-0289a3a3
Web www.balmethod.com

Image Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/suit-business-sw-women-attractive-2991514

Artificial Uterus and the End of Childbirth?

Scientists believe babies could be nurtured in external - artificial - wombs in the future. If so, what might the implications be? For some people, the very thought may conjure ideas of Frankenstein’s monster. For others, it could represent an opportunity to save more extreme pre-term babies in a significantly safer environment than that afforded by conventional incubators, when babies’ organs are not developed well enough to survive. Premature birth, before 37 weeks, is globally the biggest cause of death among newborns. The technology could also provide a safe way for couples to have children where other interventions are not possible. It might even allow mother’s to keep working throughout their pregnancy experiencing physical symptoms.

Does all this seem far-fetched? To date, experiments have been conducted on rodents and sheep with human trials anticipated in 10 years.

The big questions about these technologies revolve around the social and ethical implications, and to discuss these I am joined on the podcast by leading female futurist and member of Tata Consulting Services Future of Business team, Alexandra Whittington.

Listen to the podcast on You Tube by clicking below https://youtu.be/PquVRhqjdvg or on Spotify's Anchor podcast platform

You can learn more about Alex and her work by connecting with her as follows:

Email foresightpartner@gmail.com
LinkedIn alexandra-whittington-futurist
Twitter @alexandra4casts

This episode of the podcast was inspired by these BBC reports:

What if women never had to give birth again?  


BBC News / World TV: Artificial wombs 

 

Image Source: https://pixabay.com/illustrations/embryo-life-evolution-space-source-7036773

The Death of Death

The duration of human life—longevity—is influenced by genetics, the environment, and our lifestyles. Environmental improvements beginning in the 1900s extended the average life span dramatically with significant improvements in the availability of food, clean water, better living conditions, reduced exposure to infectious diseases, and access to medical care.

The study of longevity genes is a developing science. It is estimated that about 25% of the variation in human life span is determined by genetics, but which genes, and how they contribute to longevity, are not well understood… yet! Once they are understood, might we see the death of death?

To talk about this issue, I was joined on the podcast by director of the Millennium Project, futurist, transhumanist, and author José Cordeiro back to the podcast.

We considered the notion of considering ageing as a curable condition, the difference between stopping ageing and rejuvenation, the consequences of stopping and reversing ageing, and the role that technology is playing in research and will play in the future.

Listen to the podcast on YouTube by clicking below or on Spotify’s Anchor platform

You can learn more about José and his work by connecting with him as follows:

Email jose_cordeiro@yahoo.com
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/josecordeiro
Twitter twitter.com/cordeiro
Facebook facebook.com/josecordeiro2045
Website cordeiro.org
Blog josecordeiro2019.blogspot.com

Image Source: https://pixabay.com/illustrations/beyond-death-life-after-death-1087922

Recruitment in a Digitised World

The BBC 3 programme, Computer Says No explores the use of algorithm and computer-automated hiring. The automated process could be used to screen CVs and even conduct video interviews. In one example, the programme also looks into the alleged use of automated systems in letting people go.

Questions raised by the programme include the impact on accuracy – and therefore the decisions taken by the systems - of race, gender, emotion, and regional UK accents.

So what’s wrong with traditional recruitment processes and how might we see recruitment evolve in the future? To discuss this question, I was joined on the podcast by Director and Co-Founder of Working the Future, Cat Barnard.

We discussed:

  1. The existing characteristics (pros and cons) of the current recruitment process.
  2. The potential risks of taking people out of the loop and using technologies like AI, ML, and facial recognition being used in recruitment.
  3. What an effective future recruitment process might look like.

Listen to the podcast on Spotify’s Anchor podcast platform or click below to listen on YouTube

You can learn more about Cat and her work by connecting with her as follows:

LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/cathrynbarnard
Twitter twitter.com/workingfuture1
Email cathryn@workingthefuture.com
Web workingthefuture.com

Image Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/analyst-recruiter-research-6492859

Opportunities and Threats of a Jobless World

With a current mindset, it’s hard to see the opportunities of a jobless world created through the growth of pervasive and ever-smarter automation technologies. Commentators will often focus on the challenge presented to economies and welfare systems of high unemployment driven by technological shifts. But what if the politically-driven economic paradigm of seeking 100% employment shifts? Are there opportunities as well as risks to a world transitioning towards a jobless future?

To discuss the Opportunities and Threats of a Jobless World I was joined in this episode of the podcast by strategic communicator and futurist Gina Clifford back.

Listen to the podcast on You Tube by clicking below or on the Anchor podcast platform

You can learn more about Gina and her work by contacting and connecting with her as follows:

Email gina.clifford@gmail.com
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/ginaclifford
Twitter twitter.com/G1naClifford

Image Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/characters-jobs-work-fun-career-1372458

Geopolitical Fall-out from the Russia / Ukraine Conflict

With the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24th February 2022, the world changed. The fall of communism and the Soviet Union had meant the end of the Cold War and Russia began to find its place in a new world order. But the unprovoked attack on Ukraine has sent the world generally, and Europe specifically back into an antagonistic relationship with Moscow, with punishing sanctions undoing decades of “normalisation” between the West and Russia. For now, it has also largely reunited Europe and the NATO alliance, perhaps an achievement that some in the West could only have dreamt of, until Putin’s actions!

The question is, how might the fall-out from the conflict in Ukraine change the future geo-political landscape? To discuss this question, I was joined on the podcast by Futures Platform’ Senior Foresight analyst Max Stucki.

In our discussion we explored:

  1. The broad future geopolitical implications of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 
  2. Different scenarios that might follow the conclusion of hostilities. 
  3. The ability of the post-conflict world to tackle major global issues such as climate change.

To listen to my podcast with Max, click below to listen on YouTube https://youtu.be/RKrdQrDTcm8 or listen on Spotify’s Anchor platform

You can learn more about Max and his work by connecting with him as follows:

Email max.stucki@futuresplatform.com
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/max-stucki-9b35a067
Website futuresplatform.com

Image Source: https://pixabay.com/illustrations/ukraine-russia-heads-family-banner-7055808

Optimising Healthcare by Optimising People

One of the greatest social challenges society faces is the provision of effective healthcare. Whether the system under examination is publicly or privately funded, the challenges are consistent; how do we ensure each patient is able to access the right intervention, at the right time, in the right place? And how does the system need to flex so that people can make informed health choices before illness sets in … and help enable a society characterised by well managed and even delayed chronic disease, and longer, healthier, working lives?

In this episode of the Informing Choices Mini-Pod, I am joined by entrepreneur and Executive Chairman at Fidesta, Pétur Haraldsson. These were our framing questions for the discussion:

  1. What are the characteristics of the long term challenges facing healthcare systems across the world?
  2. How might some of these challenges be addressed - turning what are mostly systems that care for the sick into integrated systems that help to prevent illness?
  3. How might a person—a patient and a "pre-patient"—experience an optimised healthcare system in the future?

To listen to my podcast with Pétur, click below to listen on YouTube and or listen on Spotify’s Anchor platform

You can learn more about Pétur and his work by connecting with him as follows:

Email petur.haraldsson@fidesta.com
LinkedIn http://linkedin.com/in/pétur-albert-haraldsson-112b 
Twitter twitter.com/Peturharaldsson
Website https://www.fidesta.com

Image Source: https://pixabay.com/illustrations/human-skeleton-human-body-anatomy-163715

Navigating the Next Future

The world is increasingly subject to significant change and while the focus is often on the potential implications of exponential technology developments like artificial intelligence, robotics, adaptive manufacturing, augmented and virtual reality for example, political, economic, and social change are also happening at break-neck speed. This range of future forces—together with the fall-out from the Covid 19 pandemic—act on life, society, and business and add to our personal and organisational sense of complexity and uncertainty.

In the past, we have been confident in our predictions about how the external environment is evolving and been able to come to consensus about the way ahead. Increasingly we are far from certain about how the outside world is evolving and are less able to reach consensus about how to proceed. So the question is, how can foresight help us make sense of such a rapidly evolving reality?

In this presentation, futurist Steve Wells will explore the factors driving future change, lessons learned from the Covid 19 pandemic, the role of foresight generally and scenario development specifically in exploring an uncertain future characterised by exponential change, and share four global post-pandemic scenarios featured in the book Aftershocks and Opportunities –Scenarios for a Post Pandemic Future.    


Contact Info:
Email steve@informingchoices.com
Website informingchoices.com
Podcast anchor.fm/steve-wells-futurist
YouTube youtube.com/user/InformingChoices
LinkedIn LinkedIn/Steve-Wells-Futurist-Speaker
Twitter twitter.com/informingchoice 

The New Future of Dining Experiences

In this podcast, I am going to build on a previous episode exploring the future of food but this time focus on how take-away and dining-out experiences might change in the future. We will look at converging drivers and how technology could create very different dining experiences.

So let’s consider the role of:

  • New (Old) Sources of Protein
  • 3D Printing
  • Use of robots in food preparation
    • Transforming Fast Food
    •  Mobile Kitchens
    • Full-Service Restaurant Kitchens
  • Multi-sensory Dining Experiences
  • Three Scenarios – Future Food Experiences
    • Automation and Personalisation
    • From Metaverse to Table
    • Grocery Shopping Personalisation

Listen to the podcast on YouTube by clicking below or on Spotify’s Anchor platform


Listen to all the podcast episodes on the future of food and agriculture:

The Future of Sustainable Urban Agriculture with Diana Davidson on Anchor or YouTube.
The Future of Meat Production and Consumption with Diana Davidson on Anchor or YouTube.
The Future of Agricultural Efficiency with Adam Greenberg on Anchor or YouTube.
Technologies Shaping the Post-Pandemic Future of Food with Tony Hunter on Anchor or YouTube.
The Future of Food in 2035 with Steve Wells on Anchor or YouTube.  

You can learn more about me and my work by connecting with me as follows:
Email steve@stevewells.uk
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/steve-wells-futurist-speaker
Twitter twitter.com/informingchoice   
YouTube youtube.com/user/InformingChoices
Website http://www.stevewells.uk 

Image Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/delicious-dishes-focus-food-hand-1853300

The Future of Food in 2035

The future of food – and particularly of meat and meat consumption – can be promoted as a “no choice” future with plant-based meat as the only viable option for human health, the good of the planet, and animal welfare. But is that the case? Are there other solutions that provide consumer choice and reap the benefits to health, the planet and animal welfare? And when we look into the solutions, what are the wider implications of a fundamental change to our food system in the future?

To explore the future of food in 2035, I am painting a brief scenario focusing on:

  • The New Future of Arable Farming
  • Meeting the Need for Meat - Plant-Based and In-Vitro Meat
  • Tax as Carrot and Stick (to change consumer behaviour)
  •  Supply Chains
  •  Land Use and Re-purposing

Click below to listen to the podcast on YouTube or click here  listen on Spotify’s Anchor platform.

You can learn more about me and my work by connecting with me as follows:

Email: steve@stevewells.uk
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/steve-wells-futurist-speaker
Twitter: twitter.com/informingchoice
YouTube youtube.com/user/InformingChoices
Website: stevewells.uk

Image Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/meat-beef-raw-marinated-steak-2602031


Future of Commodity Markets

A commodity market is a market that trades in primary products and materials rather than manufactured products, such as cocoa, fruit, gold, oil, and sugar. Commodity markets can include trading in a physical or a virtual space using spot prices, forwards, futures, and options on futures. The origins of these market places can be traced back over 5,000 years, but how do they work now and how might they change in the future?

To discuss the Future of Commodity Markets I am joined on the podcast by Data Scientist Noah Healy who has a particular interest in combining mathematics with technology to produce game-changing solutions. We addressed these questions:

  1. How do commodity markets work now and what's wrong with them?
  2. How do we fix the issues?
  3. What beneficial changes are we would see?
  4. How might commodity markets have changed in 10 years’ time?

To listen to my podcast with Noah, click below to listen on YouTube or on Spotify’s Anchor platform.


You can learn more about Noah and his work by connecting with him as follows:

Email noahphealy@yahoo.com
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/noah-healy

Image Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/chart-trading-courses-forex-1905225/

Insurance in the Post-Pandemic World

David Smith is chief executive and a futurist at London-based Global Futures and Foresight. In the book Aftershocks and Opportunities 2 – Navigating the Next Horizon, David has explored the implications for the insurance sector of the Coivid-19 pandemic, in addition to the trends that were already visible. So, digitisation, changing business models, and attitudes to risk are all key factors.

His chapter in the book poses this question: “How has the pandemic impacted an insurance industry that is already being disrupted by digital technologies, InsurTech, new entrants, and an increasingly changing role from compensator to preventer of loss?”

To start to answer that question, we ask:

  1. How has the Covid19 pandemic disrupted the insurance sector?
  2. How might the commercial and personal insurance sectors evolve in the coming years?
  3. Personalisation is a trend we have seen growing across a number of sectors, how might this manifest in insurance?
  4. What are the major technology innovations we might see?

To listen to my podcast on YouTube, click below or listen on https://anchor.fm/steve-wells-futurist/episodes/Insurance-in-the-Post-Pandemic-World-with-David-Smith-e1e2etv to listen on Spotify’s Anchor platform.

You can learn more about David and his work by connecting with him as follows:

Email davidasmithgff@gmail.com
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/dasmith
Twitter twitter.com/DavidSmithGFF
YouTube www.youtube.com/user/GFFTV
Website www.thegff.com

For information about the book Aftershocks and Opportunities 2 – Navigating the Next Horizon see the Fast Future website. 

Image Source: https://pixabay.com/illustrations/insurance-business-1991274

Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies—A Platform for Transformation?

Alongside the ongoing fall-out from the Covid-19 pandemic, one of the major stories of the last year or so has been the growing prominence of blockchain technology and the underlying crypto assets it enables. Individuals, investors, businesses, and governments have all been taking note.

The question is, how might blockchain and cryptocurrencies become a platform for transformation? And what might this transformation mean for all of our futures? 

Kapil Gupta is a technology and crypto analyst and contributor to the book Aftershocks and Opportunities 2 – Navigating the Next Horizon and he joins me on this episode of the Informing Choices mini-Pod podcast to consider these questions: 

1. What is blockchain and what is cryptocurrency?
2. What is the nature of the transformation we might see?
3. What are the key enablers to transformation?
4. How might blockchain and crypto change the investment landscape in the future?

Listen to the podcast on YouTube by clicking below or on Spotify’s Anchor platform

You can learn more about Kapil and his work by connecting with him as follows:

Email kapil@nibana.life
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/kapilgupta
Website www.nibana.life

For information about the book Aftershocks and Opportunities 2 – Navigating the Next Horizon see the Fast Future website. 

Image Source: https://pixabay.com/illustrations/blockchain-block-chain-bitcoin-3750157/

The Prospects for a Post-pandemic Society

Patrick van der Duin is Executive Director at The Netherlands Study Centre for Technology Trends and a contributor to the book, Aftershocks and Opportunities 2 – Navigating the Next Horizon. In his chapter, co-authored with Hans Stavleu, he poses the question, “How might social and psychological factors shape the new normal of post-pandemic society?”

In the podcast, we addressed these questions:

  1. What are the critical lessons we should learn from the pandemic if we are to prevent future crises?
  2. How might the relationship between humans and science evolve as a result of the crisis?
  3. What impact could this pandemic have on how we make contingency plans for future health emergencies?

I have used the phrase before but I think Patrick and Hans are exploring the alternatives of “restoring the old order” and “a total system reboot”. Let’s see! 

Listen to the podcast on You Tube by clicking below or on Spotify’s Anchor podcast platform.

 

You can learn more about Patrick and his work by connecting with him as follows:

Email vanderduin@stt.nl
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/patrick-duin-van-der-6228a4
Website stt.nl

For information about the book Aftershocks and Opportunities 2 – Navigating the Next Horizon see the Fast Future website. 

Image Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/people-street-walking-city-6545894