From agency to AI-pathy: what US campus sentiment could show about the future of AI
For two weeks this spring, American graduates booed anyone who praised AI from the stage, and then booed the AI that read out their names. Is that fury a sign they are still fighting, or the last noise before something quieter? Twenty-one months after Sam Douglas-Bate coined the word AI-pathy, the evidence suggests the real danger might not be anger but apathy.
Nano Banana in Google Earth: 24 hours on X
For about 24 hours, anyone could open Google Earth, type a sentence, and generate a photorealistic satellite image of any place on the planet. What happened during that window on one of the world’s largest social networks? Our analysis shows why there might be reasons to feel optimistic about the future of Fake News online.
The King of the North's In-Tray: A Tonic for the Nation, 75 Years On
Seventy-five years after the Festival of Britain, this article argues that bold, future-focused national events can boost morale, drive economic return, and reshape public optimism, offering a compelling model for today’s political leadership.
From Replicators to Regulators
From Star Trek replicators to real 3D‑printed aircraft parts, this article explores how DIY manufacturing is outpacing regulation, and why futures‑led policy is vital for safe innovation.
Happiness in hardship
Apple’s live translation via AirPods promises smoother cross-language conversations – but raises deeper questions. What happens to the value of effort, cultural nuance, and human connection when AI begins to mediate how we speak and understand each other?
Fake News and the Promise of the Internet
The internet once promised openness and equality. Today, fake news challenges that vision. Learn how governments, businesses, and citizens can help rebuild trust in our digital world.
Power to the people: what does AI mean for policy delivery?
As AI continues to transform public service delivery, its role in policymaking and advisory work remains contested.
This article explores why consultancies working with government face a different AI future than those in the private sector, and why the public mandate remains uniquely human.
The hard path to authenticity
In an age of deepfakes, AI-generated content, and polarised narratives, the question of authenticity has never been more urgent. Triggered by controversy around The Salt Path, this article explores what the breakdown of public trust means for organisations, governments, and policy delivery. As misinformation spreads faster than facts, foresight and public sector leaders must plan for a future where the assumption of inauthenticity is the norm, and find new strategies to earn trust in a sceptical world.
Mindfulness on a Monday: can being present drive productivity?
In the age of AI and automation, are we overlooking a centuries-old tool for productivity? This article explores the case for mindfulness in modern workforces.
AI killed the video star? Unlikely.
As generative AI tools redefine video production, concerns grow across the film industry.
This article explores the long-term policy implications for labour markets, intellectual property, and the future of human-led storytelling.
"Vibe-coding": An AI-inspired Entrepreneurial Revolution?
Vibe-coding is the emerging AI-powered method of building apps and websites through creative prompts rather than strict syntax. By shifting focus from code to concept, it opens the doors of digital creation to solopreneurs, artists, and visionaries—no tech background needed. But can vibe alone build software that lasts? Here's what the future may hold.
Bring Back Tomorrow's World
Tomorrow’s World once inspired millions with visions of the future. In a time of accelerated change, could reviving it help reframe public debate on innovation?
Music for the masses
With AI churning out millions of tracks, music risks becoming background noise. This piece explores the cultural consequences and what's worth preserving.
The Future of Antarctica: Science or Strategy?
Antarctica was meant to be a continent of peace and science. But as global powers eye its resources, the lines between research and strategy are blurring fast.
The age of AIpathy
As AI handles more of our daily lives, a new risk emerges: apathy. Could convenience come at the cost of agency, purpose -and even wellbeing?
Fair futures
As AI and foresight tools shape our world, who gets a say? True progress demands inclusion, from data sets to decision tables and everything in between.
An equitable health future
Being told you’re “managing too well” to access cutting-edge diabetes tech raises uncomfortable questions. As AI and digital health accelerate, how do we ensure equitable access? This personal reflection explores NHS funding for CGMs, the perverse incentives in a stretched health system, and the need to bring everyone along in the digital healthcare revolution.
2024: what are the chances?
With major elections and global events on the horizon in 2024, everyone has a prediction; but how accurate are they? This article explores the pitfalls of verbal probabilities, why numerical forecasting matters, and how decision-makers can navigate uncertainty with better data, smarter methods, and clearer communication as the stakes continue to rise.