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Center for the Gobernance of Change
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                Foresight

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                ARE YOU FUTURE-PROOF?
                In the next 50 years, constant change will continue to be the norm, necessitating proactive adaptation from corporations, governments, and society. The emergence of generative AI and other disruptive technologies will accelerate change, making it more rapid and exponential than ever before. In this evolving landscape, technology will stand as one of the few inevitable catalysts for change. It is crucial to engage in collective foresight exercises.
                Firms with higher future preparedness significantly outperformed their peers, achieving a 33% higher profitability and 200% higher growth.
                The Center for the Governance of Change likes to do this through Collective Intelligence. The Center believes that no single actor holds the key to understanding what lies ahead. Instead, progress depends on bringing together diverse stakeholders with unique perspectives, methods, and expertise. By fostering dialogue among these groups, the Center can generate more comprehensive insights and strategies to prepare for and shape the future effectively. 

                Insights from the "Today’s World Driven by Tomorrow’s Tech" Report

                IE University’s Center for the Governance of Change (CGC) presents its latest Foresight report, "Today’s World Driven by Tomorrow’s Tech: Now, Next, New." As the world changes at an accelerating pace, understanding the trajectories of technological innovation has become crucial. This report, based on the Tech & Foresight Summit 2024, explores the key megatrends shaping our future and offers actionable insights for policymakers, businesses, and society.

                The report identifies and explains nine vectors of change structured around the "Now, Next, New" framework:

                Now:

                • Computing Divide – From connectivity to computing, an asset for a competitive and resilient economy.
                • Future of Money – Tracking financial innovation to anticipate socioeconomic change.
                • Individualized Societies – Redefining community in digitally individualized societies.

                Next:

                • Data Centers – Can Europe scale its data centers securely, efficiently, and on time?
                • Sustainability of the Tech Sector – Finding the equilibrium between technological development and sustainability.
                • Humanizing Technology – Will technology serve humans or humanity?

                New:

                • Defense Innovation – Can European industry keep up with the changing nature of war?
                • Quantum – Advancing quantum made in the EU.
                • Generational Inequalities – A growing polarization between age groups and generations.

                The authors of this report are Irene Blázquez, Darío García de Viedma, Purvi Parekh and Giaccomo Ugarelli.

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                A futuristic design representing the intersection of technology and society.
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                METHODOLOGY
                3 phases to ensure collective intelligence

                The report is based upon a three-phase methodology:


                1. Identifying Vectors of Change (November 2024)
                  • Through expert discussions at the Summit, we pinpointed critical technological trends and geopolitical dynamics shaping our future.
                2. Evaluating Vectors via Social Listening (January 2025)
                  • We analyzed social conversations and public opinion to validate and refine these emerging trends.
                3. Synthesizing Insights (February 2025)
                  • CGC experts fused the findings from the Summit with broader research to identify the key vectors of change.
                The Tech & Foresight Summit
                Shaping the Future with Global Experts

                The Tech & Foresight Summit 2024, hosted by the CGC in partnership with Meta, brought together over fifty thought leaders, policymakers, and changemakers from around the world. 

                Held at the IE Tower in November 2024, the Summit featured lively discussions on the forces driving technological transformation. 

                Keynote Panels 

                The Summit’s two thematic panels provided deep insights into the impact of technology on global geopolitics and governance.

                1/ The Geopolitics of Technology: Europe's Competitive Age in the Digital Era

                A discussion with Enrico Letta, Manuel de la Rocha, and Markus Reinisch, moderated by Irene Blázquez, explored Europe's place in the evolving tech landscape.

                2/ Tech Governance: Diplomacy, Norms, and Values

                José Ignacio Torreblanca, Juan Santaló, and Elena Yndurain talked about the role of governance in shaping the future of technology. This second panel was moderated by Purvi Parekh.

                Foresight Workshop 

                This section, co-designed and moderated by Scott Smith and Susan Cox-Smith from Changeist, focused on three teams, each consisting of approximately ten participants supported by student rapporteurs, each tasked with a different direction and objective. 

                The first team concentrated on the integration of emerging technologies into daily life over a 20-year timeline, focusing particularly on ethical and beneficial advancements. The second team tackled the building of sustainable prosperity with finite resources, exploring the foundations required for a sustainable Europe five years ahead. The third team participated in a "crisis room" scenario, strategizing the European Union’s six-month response to a new U.S. administration, balancing immediate policy actions with mid-term strategic objectives.