10 Big Ideas that will change our world in 2024

Coming up with predictions for the professional world at any time is rarely easy. But 2023 was the kind of year that could make even the most seasoned prognosticator throw their hands up in the air.?

In 2023, the economic landscape in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) proved to be challenging, marked by a significant projected decline in economic growth according to the World Bank . This downturn is linked to several factors, including oil production cuts, diminished oil prices, stringent global financial conditions, heightened inflation, and the war in Gaza .

“Humans just aren’t very good at predicting,” Freakonomics Radio host Stephen Dubner recently warned LinkedIn News. He’s got a point (and an episode about it ). But we can’t help ourselves. And that’s okay, as long as we are clear on why we’re making predictions in the first place: At their best, predictions help us expand our sense of what’s possible. They may not come true, but they can help us see the world through new eyes.

Every December, LinkedIn editors ask our community of Top Voices and experts to share the Big Ideas they believe will define the year ahead. The result is 10 ideas that reflect on where we’ll go from here — at work, at home and beyond.?

This is by no means a complete list, and we invite you to join us! What Big Ideas do you think will emerge in 2024?

Share your thoughts in the comments or publish a post, article or video on LinkedIn with #BigIdeas2024 . — Scott Olster

And you can see our local Big Ideas for Australia , India , Netherlands , Pan-Asia , Pan-Europe , Spain, and the UK .

AI is quickly becoming an indispensable tool in every organization. The next year will see a “shift from generative AI being predominantly experimental to becoming an integral part of everyday business processes and consumer applications,” says Christophe Zoghbi, founder of the AI Education company Zaka, to LinkedIn News Middle East.

The technology is also going beyond crunching data or answering questions. “It’s the rise of the humanities. We are talking about AI, but it’s going to be all those liberal arts majors with all their great, creative ideas following through,” says CEO of Tonomus Joseph M. Bradley . “They understand that AI is not just about maximizing efficiency but about making sure we have the human experience, about improving life.”

The next year will witness AI development becoming more regulated with a focus on ethics, which includes data responsibility, privacy, fairness and transparency. Many reasons drive governments to take accelerated steps towards making generative AI more ethical and trustworthy.

Along with calls for AI use to be regulated for safety, ethical, and copyright reasons, what became clear was a need for rules beyond voluntary commitment and self-regulation. Director of the Center for Future Studies at the University of Dubai, Saeed Al Dhaheri , points out the beginning of a year of enforced global regulations. “We will see the development of better effective guardrails, fewer hallucinations, and hopefully more unbiased and ethically aligned generative AI models,” he told LinkedIn News Middle East.

The subject of responsible and trustworthy AI will gather even more attention and adoption in 2024 and beyond, Al Dhaheri adds. The UAE and Saudi Arabia have recently launched strategies that guide the principles of AI use, including what compliance inside businesses would look like. – Salma Altantawy

??For more on the future of AI, follow Saeed Al Dhaheri, Christophe Zoghbi and Joseph Bradley .

People in the Middle East have become more mindful , with consumers increasingly opting to shop from local businesses that resonate with their interests, values and beliefs. This, retail experts say, will mark a burgeoning trend in 2024, largely driven by growing concerns for sustainability and regional political dynamics.??

There will be a surge in the demand for locally and ethically sourced goods , says Imade Saade , a retail professional with over 30 years experience. And the luxury market – which is pretty big in the Middle East , particularly in oil-rich Gulf countries – is no exception, he says.??

“Shoppers, now more than ever, are seeking products that align with their personal values and beliefs,” says Saade. “In the realm of luxury retail, consumers are becoming increasingly discerning, moving beyond the allure of brand prestige to evaluate the ethical practices of businesses.”?

He said that sustainability has emerged as a “pivotal factor,” while regional political developments have prompted consumers to consider the origins and implications of their purchases.?

Not only are consumers starting to see the value in supporting homegrown brands, but also the impact that sustainable and locally produced products have on the economy, Máire (Mo) Morris , CEO of Morris Global Consulting, told LinkedIn News Middle East . People are no longer swayed by the larger global luxury brands due the inflated prices and declining quality, she adds.?

Morris says the larger retail groups in the region are increasingly turning to private labeling, adding: “[It] makes sense from both a control and a profit margin point of view.”

She also notes that the current political climate in the region has “cemented the fact that supporting brands through one’s own value system is more important than ever.” — Dana Moukhallati

??For more on the future of retail, follow Imad Saade and Máire (Mo) Morris .

Previous generations purchased their cars solely for transportation, but the next generation may depend on their cars to keep their lights on. Thanks to bidirectional charging, the giant electric vehicle battery sitting in the driveway could also power a home in an emergency, or even feed power back to the grid to offset utility costs.?

The development of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles (EVs) in the Middle East is still in its initial phases, with the GCC leading the way in initiatives that would increase adoption. The dominance of state-owned utilities poses a challenge to infrastructure development because it limits the involvement of non-state entities in electricity sales and charging point operations, Ahmed Elbermbali , sustainability market leader at Bureau Veritas Group, told LinkedIn News.?

However, Elbermabli expects this to change, explaining that regional? governments may introduce regulations allowing private operators to sell electricity to EV users, opening opportunities for non-state entities in the charging sector. He also anticipates that regulators and utility companies will integrate EVs into their grid operations and planning, acknowledging their impact on the electricity system.?

"Vehicle-to-Grid technology allows EVs to serve as batteries that can supply electricity to the grid during periods of overload or when there is a demand for additional power. This capability could also become a means for EV users to generate income by selling electricity to the grid at a premium rate,” he explains.?

This presents economic opportunities, potentially incentivizing further EV adoption, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE leading the regional transition, adds Elbermabli.?— Josh Carney and Nabila Rahhal

First, they targeted the straws . Now, the cups??

In 2024, expect a growing chorus of governments and cafes to introduce surcharges for disposable cups to combat environmental harm and waste. Billions of cups are thrown away each year around the world and few are truly recyclable .?

Efforts to reduce plastic use have been growing in several countries in the Middle East and North Africa, and addressing disposable paper cups waste could be next. The first steps would be very similar; to encourage consumers to use reusable cups, promote recycling programs, and raise awareness about the environmental impact of single-use items.

Some countries around the world are starting to take actions to limit single-use cups, including The Netherlands and parts of Australia which are moving for an all-out ban on single-use and plastic cups respectively. Ireland is contemplating changing a $0.21 per cup.?

"We want to encourage people to prevent [this waste] by enjoying their on-the-go drink in a reusable cup, or better yet, to take five minutes out of their day to sit down and enjoy their drink at their favorite café," said a spokesperson for Ireland's Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.?— Polly Dennison and Salma Altantawy

While people continue to worry that generative AI will someday replace them in the workforce, employers are already encountering headaches created by the technology. Specifically, job applicants are using generative AI to create resumes and other materials that oversell their abilities, skills, and more. Employers will try to combat this AI issue with the same technology.

"Generative AI has been used to create sophisticated fake resumes, cover letters, or even video interviews, making it challenging for employers to discern genuine applications from AI-generated ones," said Dan Schawbel , a New York Times bestselling author and the managing partner of Workplace Intelligence.?

These fake materials call the reliability of the hiring process into question. Additionally, the AI-generated materials may perpetuate biases in the technology. For example, Schawbel said a person may submit an AI-embellished resume to an employer that uses AI during the hiring process. Embellished resumes can teach the employer's technology to be biased toward similar applicants who oversell their abilities, resulting in frustration for applicants who are truthful and the employer.

"AI algorithms are only as unbiased as the data they are trained on, and if the training data is biased, it can perpetuate existing prejudices," said Schawbel.

These concerns will lead employers to turn to the same technology to identify applicants that are overselling themselves with the help of generative AI. Those detection technologies may include reverse image search, voice analysis, behavioral analysis, and AI detection tools. Though, Schawbel said various factors will affect their adoption, such as ethical considerations, public perceptions, and legal regulations.

"Employers will need to carefully navigate these challenges to ensure the fair and responsible use of generative AI in the hiring process," he said.

In the meantime, Schawbel added that employers and applicants should advocate for transparency with the use of AI during the hiring process. - Andrew Seaman

It was once a hypothetical question: given the choice, would you ride in a driverless ‘robotaxi’ or a ‘regular’ car helmed by a human? This past October, the theoretical turned closer to visceral as Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority and US-based autonomous vehicle manufacturer Cruise began supervised testing of driverless vehicles on the city’s public roads. Should the trials succeed, the aim is to achieve a target of 25% of all taxi trips being conducted through autonomous means by 2030. Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi has been trailing self-driving vehicles since 2021, beginning with five cars in Yas Island.?

Despite the substantial investments in testing driverless cars, 2024 is shaping into a make or break year for their adoption as novelty and perceived safety risks remain concerns among the public. “This is the central growing pain that comes with this driverless taxi push… These cars may result in fewer accidents but -- because they're so foreign -- the margin for error at the moment is incredibly thin,” writes The New York Times’ Tripp Mickle.?

Carrington Malin in, a marketing strategy consultant, notes that since the sector is still at the beginning of its journey, safety, traffic management and operational concerns are all valid at this point. “It's by recognising the faults and gaps that the technologies will develop quickly to solve problems and provide more stable and reliable driverless solutions,” he adds.?

“Over the next couple of years, I expect autonomous vehicle trials in the UAE will remain highly regulated and restricted, mainly for safety reasons. Although such trials could easily exceed the use of 100 driverless vehicles by 2026, this will represent only a very small percentage of road journeys, so I would expect the UAE to be able to manage public safety and safety concerns very well,” he adds.?— Andrew Murfett and Nabila Rahhal ?

In 2024, we’ll pay attention to how our economic decisions impact the things that let us all thrive, like community, creativity, nature and hope for the future. And we will incorporate these values in how we measure economic progress, putting GDP aside.???

Economies focused on growth alone have brought us to the edge of planetary collapse while leaving many of us mired in anxiety or despair . In 2024, governments, companies and individual people will say enough is enough.

The UN , the EU , and Australia have taken steps to move “beyond GDP” as the end-all be-all metric of economic health. As the late Senator Robert Kennedy said, “GDP measures everything except that which makes life worthwhile.”?

The OECD Better Life Index and Genuine Progress Indicator provide yardsticks that better measure what we really want our economies to deliver, putting profit in its place as a means to better health, educational attainment and economic opportunity, not as an end in and of itself.

However, it’s not as simple as just replacing GDP with better measuring sticks. What kinds of actions can we take to build an economy that values people and planet?

Governments can follow the lead of New Zealand and Canada and introduce “wellbeing budgets” that emphasize protecting the environment and ensuring human health. Businesses can embrace corporate structures like perpetual-purpose trusts , which are organized to fulfill a specific purpose such as mitigating the effects of climate change or employee profit sharing. And tech firms can reconsider the impact they have on society and design their offerings to seed common ground, rather than outrage and clicks. — Kevin O’Neil , managing director at The Rockefeller Foundation

The workforce is likely to stay pretty crowded this coming year.

Inflation is still high, interest rates are unlikely to fall by much and most people haven’t been saving enough for their golden years. This means many of the eldest members of the workforce are feeling strapped for cash and are pushing off retirement or reneging on it altogether.?

Research shows the majority of baby boomers expect to work until they physically can’t. Meanwhile, one in five Americans who have already retired are considering returning to work, according to a recent survey . “In addition to increasing your financial stability, rejoining the workforce can be a powerful way to make social connections and find purpose,” financial planner Judith Ward explains. After all, boredom on a budget isn’t anyone’s idea of a post-career peak.

The trend could have positive impacts on the workforce. Research featured in Harvard Business Review finds that teams that span generations have differing but complementary abilities and skills that can lead to more productive collaboration and stronger overall performance. But “this is only if team members are willing to share and learn from their differences,” researcher Megan Gerhardt notes. — Taylor Borden

Undoubtedly thriving, the gig economy accounts for up to 12% of the global labor market , exceeding previous estimates, with an increasing number of consultants and software engineers turning to freelance. Could C-suite executives be next?

The slowdown in VC funding in recent years has meant startups have to work with less cash and longer runways. Often, startups need C-suite expertise earlier to manage cash burn, says Michelle Kvello , a self-described “dinosaur” fractional CFO based in Sydney.

Kvello believes the model can take off in 2024: More executives are willing to work fractionally, and there is a growing need among startups for managing financial risks.

“It allows them access to senior resources without over-indexing too early,” Kvello says. Hired on-demand, fractional executives can divide their time across several companies or work on event-driven projects. For example, a chief risk officer could be brought in to win a license from the regulators; or a chief technology officer to help build the platform and scale.

While the model sounds good on paper, offering startups an experienced executive for a fraction of the cost, it can come with real challenges, says executive recruiter @Dexter Cousins .

“Startups present complex problems that must be solved under intense pressure. Multiple clients equals multiple problems,” he says. — Misa Han and Marty McCarthy

Tensions between young workers and their bosses could come to a head in 2024 — and everyone will lose if the coming “Great Negotiation” doesn’t end with healthy compromise, warns demographics expert Bradley Schurman .

Companies will need to rethink their concept of employee loyalty now that a nine-to-five job on its own no longer offers the kind of economic promise it once did. We’re likely to see more Gen Zers working multiple jobs as they struggle to gain the kind of economic security that came more readily to previous generations.?

According to generational expert Jamie Belinne , the “basic level of life” to which young workers aspire costs more than most entry-level salaries, which she describes as “a new condition for our economy.”

If employers and employees can’t bridge this widening gap — by embracing flexibility around when and where we work, establishing renewed trust between managers and their staff, and addressing long-standing unrest over pay and other labor conditions? — we will all suffer the economic consequences. “We already are [seeing this] to some degree because we can’t fill positions,” Schurman says. “We will continue to see businesses attempt to leverage technology to fill human roles, which will exacerbate things even further.” — Gianna Prudente

What will be the major trends of 2024 in your sector? Comment using the hashtag #BigIdeas2024

Reported and proofread by: Salma Altantawy

Managing Editor: Lynn Chouman

Special Projects leads: Marina Valero (EMEA), Michele Pierri (International)

Regional Lead: Julien Wettstein

International Executive Editor: Sandrine Chauvin