Four Things We Learned at the New Scientist Emerging Technologies Summit 2024

Last week, GDR attended the New Scientist Emerging Technologies Summit in London, an event that brought together leading figures from the worlds of science, technology and business to discuss some of the biggest challenges facing the planet today – with the aim of cultivating dialogue to help find the way forward. Read on to find out the most interesting and important developments we picked up on.

Quantum computing could break the internet in the next 10 years – but also save the world

We’ve been keeping an eye on developments in quantum computing for at least a decade now. Although the technology has still not made an impact in the mainstream, that time is rapidly approaching and companies should stay aware of progress. British physicist Sir Peter Knight, Chair of the UK National Quantum Technology Programme Strategic Advisory Board, said, “Quantum computers at scale will emerge in a decade, at our best estimate. They will destroy our confidence in the security of the internet – so we have 10 years to develop quantum-safe encryption to replace the existing system.”

However, it’s not all bad news – quantum computers will also have hugely positive applications, from super-accurate atomic clocks that will transform future communications networks, to solving currently insoluble problems around climate change by quickly finding molecules for use in methane-reducing vaccines for livestock, for example. Furthermore, a new generation of quantum-enabled sensors will allow us to see underground, unlocking a whole host of infrastructural and environmental benefits, while non-invasive medical imaging equipment will revolutionise oncology treatment and diagnosis.

“Quantum computers at scale will emerge in a decade, at our best estimate. They will destroy our confidence in the security of the internet – so we have 10 years to develop quantum-safe encryption to replace the existing system.” – Sir Peter Knight, Chair of the UK National Quantum Technology Programme Strategic Advisory Board

The outer space economy is hotting up

"A megatrend is often preceded by declining costs. SpaceX has reduced the cost to orbit by a hundred times since the 1980s." – Torsten Hoffman, filmmaker

While outer space may feel like a distant proposition for most of us here on Earth, the space economy is already very real – and falling costs mean that it could become accessible to more companies in the years to come. “A megatrend is often preceded by declining costs. SpaceX has reduced the cost to orbit by a hundred times since the 1980s,” said Torsten Hoffman, the award-winning filmmaker behind Fortitude: Forging the Trillion Dollar Space Economy. “Satellites are not new but are now ten thousand times better in terms of data transmission for the dollars spent. You can launch a satellite for $200k, making new business models possible.”

Hoffman outlined a host of examples of how satellites are already being used, including counting cars in JCPenney car parks to correlate and predict the company’s share price, identifying unofficial Ouiga detention camps in China, monitoring 26,000 oil tankers in transit and calculating global market supply by measuring the depth of their shadows. He also spoke about how satellites can boost farmers’ yields by 38% by identifying which fields need more water or fertiliser. And don’t forget Hilton’s plans for a space hotel, which could arrive as early as 2027…

You have control over your biological age

“A 15 to 20 year reduction in biological age is possible with changes in lifestyle.” – Peter Ward, CEO of Humanity

Your chronological age is how long you have been alive, but your biological age refers to how old your cells and tissues are, as well as how well your physiological systems are functioning. Biological age is increasingly being recognised as being more important than chronological age in determining chronic health outcomes and extending your healthspan (the period of your life free from age-related diseases).

What’s more, there is growing evidence that biological age can be reversed. Peter Ward, the CEO of Humanity, a health tracking app dedicated to helping people maximise their healthspan, told the audience that “A 15 to 20 year reduction in biological age is possible with changes in lifestyle.” The app measures movement from wearables and blood markers to identify users’ biological age versus their chronological age, suggesting personalised behavioural changes to slow down the ageing process. Humanity taps the power of suggestion to help shift users’ habits. “‘Systems that give rewards change behaviour. There was a 15.4% increase in movement when users were thinking about reversing ageing rather than moving for fitness or weight,” said Ward.

Perhaps some of the simplest but most effective advice came from Dr Samantha Decombel, (who looks around 30 but is in her 40s), CEO of FitnessGenes, who said: “I’m eating and training now for my old lady body. Everything done in our younger years leads to symptoms when we get older.”

“I’m eating and training now for my old lady body. Everything done in our younger years leads to symptoms when we get older.” – Dr Samantha Decombel

Companies need to install AI guardrails now

“Humans can’t have full oversight of AI systems. The biggest danger of AI is the over-dependence of critical infrastructure on systems we don’t understand.” – Stephen Cave, University of Cambridge Director of the Institute for Technology and Humanity and of the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence

It’s no secret that the current boom in artificial intelligence is moving at a lightning fast pace, with many companies still scrambling to work out how best to take advantage of the technology. With significant new developments emerging on an almost daily basis, speakers at the summit urged companies to take precautions and install safety measures now. With the tech moving faster than policy in many regions, it’s important for companies to take the initiative – staying abreast of new updates and taking action proactively – rather than waiting for regulation to catch up.

Stephen Cave, University of Cambridge Director of the Institute for Technology and Humanity and of the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence, urged business leaders to be cautious: “Humans can’t have full oversight of AI systems. The biggest danger of AI is the over-dependence of critical infrastructure on systems we don’t understand.” He suggested practical measures to avoid the pitfalls of AI; primarily the integration of robust guardrails into the culture of organisations – much like HR legislation. This includes product development, critical thinking and values-driven thinking, with a constant interrogation of what’s being done to avoid unintended consequences. He believes that “‘We’re now building machines that are more intelligent than us – they’re not tools but agents or beings in their own right”.

“Most jobs will be impacted (by AI). AI won't replace jobs, but people who use it will replace those who don't." – Isa Goksu, CTO of Globant

Isa Goksu, CTO of global IT software company Globant, made a point that’s frequently made by those in the know: “Most jobs will be impacted (by AI). AI won’t replace jobs, but people who use it will replace those who don’t.” He also questioned the ability of governments to take action against bad actors in the real world, saying: “Regarding compliance: who will police the EU AI Act? No-one.”

GDR is monitoring the burgeoning trend for empathic, personal AIs or agents, with their ability increasingly to take actions on your behalf, as well as enter into unstructured, empathetic conversations that make you feel listened to. Dr Paul Dongha, Group Head of Data and AI Ethics at Lloyds Banking Group, cautioned against these rapid developments: “I’m concerned about having an AI digital assistant that knows everything about my life. We’re losing sight of the fabric of how we live and of society is at risk. Companies need to be very aware of that and protect that.”

Overall there was a sense of great things to come, the need to embrace the good, but embed cautionary guardrails into every aspect of the process as we move into the new world of exponential technologies.