Institute for the Future

COMING UP ON DEC 10, 3:30pm PST! What is creative foresight—who practices it, and why? Find out with IFTF Fast Futures! If you are curious about learning foresight and futures thinking, join us for a live, online 90-minute introduction, led by IFTF Director of Game Development and Research and New York Times bestselling author, Jane McGonigal, and will give you concrete takeaways for to incorporate into your work and life. https://buff.ly/4ezVYrk

It was a treat to get to interview David Evan Harris about the future of AI #governance at Institute for the Future’s Ten-Year Forecast event. From Sacramento to Brussels, David shared some of what he’s seeing at the forefront of policy—and how far we still have to go. Together, at the Presidio in San Francisco we also learned about the future of #relationships with Ben Hamamoto, the future of the #work with Marina Gorbis & Rod Falcon, the future of #growingup (think: Generation Alpha) with Rachel Maguire, and the future of #leadership with Gabe Cervantes, Bob Johansen & Jeremy Kirshbaum—all guided by Dylan Hendricks, Director of the IFTF Ten-Year Forecast & Toshi Anders Hoo, Director of the IFTF New Media Lab. A notable moment was when IFTF Distinguished Fellow Lyn Jeffery reflected on #LookingBackToLookForward. She took us back to twenty years ago when in 2004, IFTF held a convening at the Presidio exploring the future of “deep place.” …At a time when most of us got from point A to point B using clunky printed directions from MapQuest, IFTF was experimenting with a future where our geospatial awareness would dramatically improve; a future of information-rich environments where it would be easy to learn about things ranging from the Indigenous history of a place to the nearest coffee shop. And of course, we know how all of that has evolved! It makes me curious to see how the future forecasts from this year play out…here is a taste: https://lnkd.in/gz4QRuVV Grateful to Dylan Hendricks, Toshi Anders Hoo, Lyn Jeffery, Ben Hamamoto, Jean Hagan, Robin Bogott, Maureen Kirchner, Salley Calais Westergaard, Julie Ericsson, Cindy Baskin & the rest of the whole team for driving this forward. Thank you to all who came from far & wide to participate. A special shout-out to IFTF Board members Art Taylor & Lawrence Wilkinson for taking part. It was great to be together at a time such as this.

Curious about what a wildly successful application of foresight looks like inside one of the world’s most innovative companies? Join Bob Johansen, IFTF Distinguished Fellow, in conversation with Dr. Debra France, founder of the Fostering Innovation consultancy, as they explore the foresight innovation journey of a renowned innovation company and material science leader. RSVP for this IFTF Foresight Talk on Nov 21, 2024 9am PST on Zoom! https://buff.ly/3B6WNtN

Rewatch this IFTF Foresight Talks: Tech Agnosticism for a Better Future, with Greg Epstein, Humanist Chaplain! Greg, a humanist chaplain at Harvard and MIT, is the author of "Tech Agnostic," which argues that technology has taken on religious-like qualities and may require a "reformation" to align with human values. He and IFTF Director of Game Research and Development, Jane McGonigal, discuss his insights on this perspective and explore how technology has come to replace traditional religion for many people. As Greg articulates, the risk is that by viewing technology as the sole driver of change, society diminishes the value of other vital areas of improvement—social reform, policy, and grassroots action. For him, and for futurists who adopt a "social optimism," it's critical to believe in our collective power to reimagine society, policies, and cultural values, not just through tech but through diverse and inclusive social progress. #technofuturism #optimism #futuresthinking #futureready #foresighttalk #instituteforthefuture

Thank you to Urgent Optimists, Jake Dunagan and Jane McGonigal for gathering us today as we begin to process this pivotal moment in our history and how future scenarios will be affected. This election highlights the significant of loss of trust in government and our democratic institutions (and media, science etc.) urging us to reflect on our own visions and space for agency. Key takeaways from the discussion include the importance of finding trusted allies, protecting people and civic institutions, and building alternatives. Let's continue to navigate these uncertain times with a focus on #futuresthinking and #hope. Institute for the Future Kelly Ellenz Stephen Shashoua Lena Tünkers

IFTF Foresight Talk! "Where People Come to Think and Dream: How the YMCA Uses Signal Clubs to Engage Staff." Come join us on Thurs, Dec 5 at 9am PT when we’ll talk to Alison Huppert, Director of Strategy and Quality Practices for Innovation, and Heather Hughes, Senior Vice President of Strategic Alignment, about why they started the YMCA’s popular signals club, how they get people to attend despite their busy schedules, and what advice they have for anyone else wanting to use foresight to excite people. https://buff.ly/48tty0N #IFTFForesightTalk #FutureReady #StrategicForesight #signalscanning