Quadrobics, cicadas, and bee bandits
May 10, 2024
Welcome to this 126th 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 Halifax, Canada. This is what I noticed this week, thank you for sharing with those who look into the future.
Estelle.
Competitive Intelligence
KARMA search – the search engine that takes care of biodiversity and animal welfare. Almost every Chinese keyboard app has a security flaw that reveals what users type. Keeping secrets. Artificial intelligence is changing how companies snoop on each other.
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.
Space insurers. Simpler than a will. Singapore’s digital twin. FKA Twigs Is Developing Her Own Deepfake. Amazon earned $1bn from secret pricing algorithm. Is China stockpiling resources? Tour tourism. Equinox’s New $40,000 Membership Is Supposed To Help You Live Longer. Cicada dual emergence brings chaos to the food chain.
Our future
14 futurs de l’humanité de 2050. Boeing aims to bring flying cars to Asia by 2030 (what could go wrong?). Kite-powered micro-cargo ships. Hip Hop 2073: A Vision of the Future, 50 Years From Now. To save it, eat it. AI-Led Marketplace Dubbed 'Amazon for Proteins'. World's first beauty contest with computer generated women. Future-focused thinking can be the key to business success.
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?
Michigan school students identify as therians. Indian political parties are estimated to spend over $50 million on AI-generated content. Nearsightedness Rates Are Soaring. Walmart removes self-checkout from select stores. Airbnb rolls out experiential "Icons" listings. Largest TCG tournament ever. This man wants to serve you a Michelin-starred meal in space for €170k. Katy Perry at the Met Gala.
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On our radar
I am preparing this week a keynote address for June 11th where I will address the future of work and how this will impact the work of actuaries working for a wide range of organizations, ranging from insurance companies, banks, governments and other key institutions: Workforce 2.0: Unlocking potential in a machine-augmented world. The great rebalance. Future of Jobs Report 2023.
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 the AI Index report 2024, published by Stanford. This year, they have broadened the scope to more extensively cover essential trends such as technical advancements in AI, public perceptions of the technology, and the geopolitical dynamics surrounding its development
Hodgepodge discovery
Articles for curious minds and the polymaths
A paradigm shift from globalization to planetary governance. How to Begin a Creative Life. The Rise Of The Bee Bandits. Can You Really Explain the Difference Between Morals and Ethics?
Numbers
2 trillions- An estimated USD $2 to $3 trillion is expected to be inherited in 2024
4.8- An analysis of 356 businesses from 2000 to 2010 found that the ideal tenure for a chief executive is 4.8 years
63%- A new survey of American workers found that 63 percent reported being satisfied with their jobs, the highest rating on record.
Feeling good
The Beautiful Dissociation of the Japanese Language. Everyplane, everywhere. The onion oracle.
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