Micro-trends, thresholds, and digital liveness
August 2, 2024
Welcome to this 131st 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.
You can subscribe to this (roughly) bi-weekly newsletter here to get it directly by mail.
I have prepared this newsletter this week from Kingston, Ontario. This is what I noticed these past couple of weeks, thank you for sharing with those who look into the future.
Estelle.
Competitive Intelligence
Google will start traversing the dark web for you later this month, generating “Dark Web reports” that’ll flag if your personal data has been leaked online. A search engine for RSS feeds. A search engine for ideas. Rolliapp and Fighting Disinformation on Social Media. OpenAI announces SearchGPT, its AI-powered search engine.
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.
Chatbots Have Thoroughly Infiltrated Scientific Publishing. CrowdStrike blue screen of death: Inside IT outage's global effect. Diamond industry 'in trouble' as lab-grown gemstones tank prices further. Cyber insurance rates fall as businesses improve security. Out of Phone: Mission: Amplifying Our Community's Creativity Beyond the Phone. How Costco Broke Into a Surprising New Market: Modular Housing.
Our future
The Aesthetics, -Cores, and Microtrends That Defined 2023. Gradually, then Suddenly: Upon the Threshold. Top 10 Emerging Technologies of 2024. How accurate is the weather forecast where you live? High-altitude solar powered aircraft gears up for commercial service. Are luggage-free trips the future? New training programs will prepare students to perform medicine while thousands of miles away from Earth.
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?
Patagonia has given some staff 3 days to decide whether they’ll relocate close to the office—or quit. Railbiking Is Catching On Across the Nation. Harvard Scholars Suggest Pollsters Ask Questions to AI Simulations of Voters Because Real People Won't Answer The Phone. Fake Family Offices in Singapore and Hong Kong Spark Investor Fightback.
Book a speaking engagement about weak signals and emerging trends.
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 explored an Internet Map.
Hodgepodge discovery
Articles for curious minds and the polymaths
What the Ju/’hoansi can tell us about group decision-making. Building a superpower: What can we learn from the Magnificent Seven? How refrigeration changed the way we eat. How the Smithsonian's Feather Identification Lab Saves Lives. What's digital liveness? A Genealogy of Technology and Power Since 1500. The Daily Routines of Famous Creative People. When This Supply-Chain Essential Goes Missing, It’s Time to Bring in the ‘Pallet Detectives’ . CrowdStrike blue screen of death: Inside IT outage's global effect.
On my radar
Working for a client on the future of healthcare, I am tracking Amazon’s initiatives in this competitive arena: Amazon begins online pharmacy, drug delivery services in Japan. GE HealthCare taps Amazon Web Services to build generative AI for medical use. Amazon Health Announces $49 Telehealth Service, Consolidating Clinic Into One Medical. Keep a Close Eye on Amazon's Ventures Into Healthcare. Medical Supplies & Healthcare Purchasing Solutions.
Numbers
25,000 - The U.S. Air Force monitors 25,000 pieces of trash in low-Earth orbit
90% - 90 percent fewer visits is the magnitude of the abandonment of the bugs
Feeling good
A different way to write the company’s mission. Climate zones. Thread of bench plaques.
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Thank-you for reading Weak signals and Other Trends!
Contact me at Competia with your feedback or ideas. Thank you for reading.
Dear Estelle, thanks so much for adding my "liveness" / vivance in your selection!
Thanks so much for all these selected thoughts and links ! Highly appreciated ✨