Welcome to this 121st issue of our newsletter “Weak Signals and other Trends”.
Each week, I personally sift through hundreds of sources of inspiration to track where we’re heading. If you are a new subscriber to this newsletter, take the time to send me a note and introduce yourself, I love to understand who is reading.
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I have prepared this newsletter this week from Montreal, Canada. This is what I noticed this week, thank you for sharing with those who look into the future.
Estelle.
Competitive Intelligence
Researchers show that ChatGPT can help predict future investments by interpreting managerial expectations. Chatbots could one day replace search engines. Here’s why that’s a terrible idea. Gartner predicts traffic to search engines will drop by 25% by 2026
Strategic blindspots and business models
Looking at the familiar with “alien eyes” allows you to unlock new business model opportunities while avoiding risks stemming from strategic blindspots. This section also is about the risks we miss.
The $67 Billion Tariff Dodge That’s Undermining U.S. Trade Policy. Communal home-buying unlocks Gen Z and Millennial ownership. Wall Street is trying to take “home-equity-sharing agreements” mainstream on Main Street. The world’s most famous concert pianos got a major tech upgrade. Wendy's considers surge pricing for fast food. The premium lounge experience is being transferred to electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, courtesy of Porsche’s first Charging Lounge in Germany.
Our future
Killer robot swarms are about to become the future of war, with the US military piloting “collaborative combat aircraft.” From 'Tatooine' to reality: How exoplanet research has translated to science fiction. This Gen Z Jobs Site Wants To Give Employers A TikTok Alternative. Companies Are Recruiting Employees to Be Corporate Influencers.
We keep you updated on those trends and more on Twitter.
Weak signals
Weak signals are indicators of a change, a trend or an emerging risk that might become significant for the future. They allow us to run hypothesis, expand our thinking, and challenge assumptions. How will you interpret those in your industry or field of expertise?
Mercedes-Benz' first US residential skyscraper. LVMH is designing a Hollywood takeover in hopes of putting its products in front of millions of potential customers. When Science Class Is in a Former Macy’s. Should You Consider Buying Your Childhood Home?
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On our radar
Having tracked blindspots for over two decades, it is puzzling to observe how entire industries still fall because of optimism biases ( here is the most obvious one How the Media Industry Keeps Losing the Future.) Last week, I spent a great deal of time in Europe diving into the automotive industry: BYD’s first transport ship EXPLORER NO.1 has been delivered and left the port. China’s Electric Vehicles Are Going to Hit Detroit Like a Wrecking Ball. China’s EV champion will undercut gas-powered car prices too. Europe faces a wave of Chinese cars. The Electric: Do Western Car and Battery Companies Have a Sodium Blind Spot?
Down the rabbit hole
This section highlights a subject that led me to many useful threads, or a single site, that opened many doors: “A rabbit hole is not a distraction. A rabbit hole is your brain trying to tell you to pay attention to something you’re curious about. Ignore algorithmic rabbit holes” ( by are.na):
This week, I read the results of the Neely Social Media Index survey which examines how experiences across social media platforms have changed over the course of a tumultuous year in social technology. A good summary is also here, thanks to Matt Motyl.
Hodgepodge discovery
Articles for curious minds and the polymaths
One study found that people’s feelings of affection for digital places can be even stronger than for their real homes. The world’s first computer. The butterfly redemption… in Canadian prisons. ‘How do you reduce a national dish to a powder? Why Julius Caesar's Year of Confusion was the longest year in history.
Numbers
25%- Passenger car sales in China dropped 25% year-on-year
25%- In 2023, 25 percent of online sales in China took place via livestream
4 million- one statistical model predicting that up to 4 million Americans may travel into the path of the total eclipse on April 8.
Feeling good
A philanthropist has donated $1 billion to ensure students at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx will get free tuition “in perpetuity.” Where does lightning strike? Bookshop’s reader-in-residence commits to reading at the store for two hours per week in exchange for a small coffee and book stipend.
Photo by Midjourney.
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