Social Trends — Podcast

In this episode, Ross Dawson joins the show. Based in Australia, Ross is globally recognized as a leading futurist, keynote speaker, strategy advisor, best-selling author, and entrepreneur. He is Founding Chairman of the Advanced Human Technologies Group of companies and Founder of Bondi Innovation. His books include Living Networks, which The New York Times credits with predicting the social networking revolution, the Amazon.com bestseller Developing Knowledge-Based Client Relationships, Implementing Enterprise 2.0, and Getting Results From Crowds. His latest book - Thriving on Overload: The 5 Powers for Success in a World of Exponential Information - will be available September 6, 2022.

In this interview, Ross discusses the sources he values and trusts as he does his research. He talks about a few trends he is following closely, including polarization in many aspects of our lives, smart glasses, and machine/brain interfaces. Ross closes out the interview by sharing what is filling him with a sense of optimism.

Futurist Friday with Glen Hiemstra

In this episode, Glen Hiemstra joins the show. Glen started his career as a college professor at Whitworth University, the University of Washington, and Antioch University, Seattle. For the last 40 years he has been working as a professional futurist. He is also an author, keynote speaker, and consultant to business, professional and government organizations. The founder of Futurist.com, he serves as Futurist Emeritus on the Futurist.com Think Tank. The site is regularly visited by people from over 120 nations. Glen has also served as a Technical Advisor to future-oriented television programs and he still advises and appears in documentaries. He is the author of Turning the Future into Revenue and co-author of Strategic Leadership, and of Millennial City.

In this interview, Glen discusses the sources he values and trusts as he does his research. He shares the social trends he is following closely including the eventual decline in global population and the global rise of authoritarian governments. He also talks about two technology trends - space exploration, including his meeting with Elon Musk during the early years of Space X, and energy technologies that transition humans away from fossil fuels - that he is tracking.

Futurist Friday with Ufuk Tarhan

In this episode, Ufuk Tarhan joins the show. Ufuk is a futurist, economist, and a best-selling author in Istanbul. She is the only Turkish woman to appear on Forbes Magazine's "50 Most Influential Female Futurists" and "World's Top 100 Female Futurists" lists. She writes articles for business and future-oriented journals and online platforms, and she is an active and effective social media content creator.

In this interview, Ufuk discusses the wide variety of sources she regularly uses in her research. She shares the trends she is following closely including aging and how a global population that continues to get older will change the way we live. She ends the conversation with a fascinating look at the technology advances that will likely occur through the 2020s all the way to the year 2060.

Futurist Friday with Michael Kanaan

In this episode, Michael Kanaan joins the show. He is the author of the book T-Minus AI. Recently, Michael completed his role as the Director of Operations for the Department of Air Force/MIT Artificial Intelligence Accelerator and is now the Chief of Staff of the US Air Force Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School.

In this interview, Michael discusses his approach to doing research, including many of the sources he scours on a regular basis. He shares some of the trends that he is following. Those trends include device addiction, the digital divide and how that increases inequality in urban and rural communities, Artificial Intelligence, and the promise of a quantum world. He also talks about how he is inspired by people younger than him. He is filled with optimism by their empathy, ability to coordinate, and desire to be involved in public service.

Futurist Friday with Gerd Leonhard

In this episode, Gerd Leonhard joins the show. Based in Zurich, Switzerland, Gerd is one of the world’s leading futurists and the author of Technology vs Humanity: The Coming Clash Between Man and Machine. With the motto “People, Planet, Purpose, and Prosperity,” Gerd is an outspoken critic of unregulated exponential technologies. He uses his influence and platform to help people “imagine and create a better tomorrow” and was named one of Wired UK’s 100 Most Influential Europeans in 2015.

In this interview, Gerd points out that “the future is already here, we just haven’t paid enough attention to it.” He talks about how technology is making us superhuman, that we are in the biggest shift in history as far as energy and climate are concerned, and that machines and artificial intelligence are starting to emulate humanity. In addition to sharing how he does his research to better understand the future, Gerd suggests that leaders spend an hour a day focusing on the future. He also shares his thoughts on healthcare, longevity, and the convergence of technology and biology.

Futurist Friday with David Houle

In this episode, David Houle joins the show. David is a futurist and the author of This Spaceship Earth, Entering the Shift Age, and a series of books about the 2020s including The 2020s: The Golden Age of Design and Redesign. David is Futurist in Residence and Guest Lecturer at the Ringling College of Art + Design in Sarasota, Florida. He is Honorary President and Futurist of the Future Business School of China. He is a Founding Member and Managing Partner of The Sarasota Institute - A 21st Century Think Tank.

In this interview, David discusses the books that have influenced how he views the future, how he identifies trends through his research, two trends - aging and Technological Intelligence/Artificial Intelligence - that he is following closely and that will influence life through the 21st century, and why the 2020s will be the most disruptive decade in human history. David also raises provocative questions about the future ability of being able to upload consciousness, genetic alterations, and the morality of cloning humans.

Futurist Friday with Trond Undheim

In this episode, Trond Undheim joins the show. Based outside of Boston. Trond is a futurist, podcaster, investor, author, speaker, entrepreneur and the former director of MIT Startup Exchange. He has written six books including Leadership from Below, Disruption Games, Pandemic Aftermath: How Coronavirus Changes Global Society, and the soon-to-be released Augmented Lean.

In this discussion, Trond talks about his research which is focused on industrial technology and how it can contribute to regeneration and a more sustainable planet while creating an environment in which humans can flourish. He shares how he conducts his research and vets his sources. Trond shares his opinions on the limitations of carbon capture storage and he talks about his vision for humanistic technology in industrial settings that requires very little training in order for workers to operate it effectively. Finally, Trond discusses why human ingenuity fills him with optimism and he gives parting advice to leaders who want to be better visionaries for their organizations.

Futurist Friday with Dr. Bertalan Meskó

Over the course of the summer of 2022, we are releasing 12 interviews with futurists and forward thinkers in order to help our global audience of leaders become better visionaries for their organizations and be more prepared for our uncertain future.

In this episode, Dr. Bertalan Meskó joins the show. He is the Director of The Medical Futurist Institute where he and his colleagues analyze how science fiction technologies can become a reality in medicine and healthcare. Dr. Meskó is a physician with a PhD in genomics. He is also an Amazon Top 100 author and a Professor at Semmelweis Medical School in Budapest. He is one of the top voices globally on healthcare technology.

In this interview, Dr. Meskó shares how he identifies trends, vets sources, and what trends he is following with a focus on the metaverse and new medical technologies. He also shares what’s filling him with a sense of optimism.

Futurist Friday with Rebecca Ryan

Over the course of the summer of 2022, we are releasing 12 interviews with futurists and forward thinkers in order to help our global audience of leaders become better visionaries for their organizations and be more prepared for our uncertain future.

In this episode, Rebecca Ryan joins the show. Rebecca is a noted top 50 professional futurist, economist, best-selling author and entrepreneur. She is the founder of NEXT Generation Consulting through which she partners with government leaders across the country. Looking a generation ahead, she outlines strategies in urban planning, economic development and workforce development to ensure communities are well equipped for future trends and challenges. Rebecca is a graduate of Drake University with a certificate in Strategic Foresight from University of Houston; she is the Resident Futurist at the Alliance for Innovation and on the Executive Committee of the global Association of Professional Futurists.

Rebecca shares how she identifies trends, vets sources, what trends she is following with a focus on mental health and Artificial Intelligence, and what’s filling her with a sense of optimism.

Futurist Friday with Cecily Sommers

Over the course of the summer of 2022, we are releasing 12 interviews with futurists and forward thinkers in order to help our global audience of leaders become better visionaries for their organizations and be more prepared for our uncertain future.

In this episode, Cecily Sommers joins the show. Cecily is the author of "Think Like A Futurist" and has been named as one of the “Top 50 Female Futurists" by Forbes. She speaks, writes, and consults on the forces of change and the technologies shaping business and society, and how to turn them into catalysts for strategy.

In this discussion, Cecily shares how she identifies trends, vets sources, what trends she is following, and what’s filling her with a sense of optimism.

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