4 minute read
He is one of the leading futurists and is working with some of the most important world companies and national governments. Nikolas Badminton is coming to Zagreb and at the Future Tense business conference, he’ll hold a Keynote speech about the Future of Technology, Facing Our Futures. It’s also the name of his latest book, in which he shows us his way of working based on serious research and deep diving into the way society works, so he can predict trends that will, in a couple of years be a part of our everyday lives. One time he said that „being a futurist is like being an activist“, so we asked him what that means exactly.
„Some futurists stand on stages and talk about change 100 times a year and do not truly activate the teams and leaders that will change our world, and in turn our futures. That’s not me. I truly believe you need to know what you are talking about and follow through. That is what I do with my clients and the Futurist Think Tank and I go in and build the movements and future capabilities that drive change“, Badminton said.
Given his years-long experience, we wanted to know which innovative technologies he believes will be a part of our everyday lives and businesses in 10 or fewer years. He says that the focus of individuals, as well as companies and public administration and national governments, should be on the mastery of data and machine learning – Artificial Intelligence.
„That’s foundational for all systems. This is where so many are falling short. We need to step up. In addition, we need to start considering a new way to operate at work and in our lives – humans with machines. ChatGPT is not going to replace us – it’s just a tool for reference to kickstart some thinking and we must be careful that we do not become homogeneous.
Beyond that is the technology that helps us manage health and wellness supported by the power of genetic engineering and biohacking our mental and physical state.
Then we have the evolution of finance systems and communities in social media and gaming with neo-banks, new payment systems and super apps. Then we cannot forget cryptography, cybersecurity, nanotechnology, and quantum computing“, he told us.
One of the crucial questions, when we talk about the future of technology, is data protection and regulation. Is there a way we can protect our data, whether we talk about private, individual data or organisations and companies?
„As individuals, we must know where our data is and what it’s being used for. Organizations need to start giving power back to the people using their services and maybe even full control. Big tech companies have been playing with the idea of ‘data dignity’ where you own the data you and your actions create. I would love to see that and personal data exchanges flourish in the next few years“, Nikolas told us.
Since this is his first time in Croatia, we asked Nikolas what he expects from the Future Tense conference, which is being held in the Museum of Contemporary Art in Zagreb on 10 and 11 May.
„I am so excited to come to Zagreb – my first time – and connect with so many great speakers. If you see me there come and chat and connect with me online ahead of the conference at futurist.com or on LinkedIn.“
