Human Skills in an AI World (Back to the Futures #2)
Hi there, it's Mathias from ANTICIPATE here!
A belated Happy New Year! We skipped the December newsletter, so this edition bridges two years—a moment to reflect, connect the dots, and set the stage for what’s next. As 2025 gets on its way, one question keeps surfacing: What skills will matter most in an AI-driven world?
Lately, two skills have been part of those discussions:
Facilitation—Facilitation is no longer just about human-to-human interactions. AI is becoming part of the process, whether by supporting human decisions, guiding collaboration, or interacting with other AI systems. This means curation, context-setting, and deep listening will become even more critical.
Entreprenurial mindset—Entrepreneurship isn’t just about scaling fast or securing funding. It’s about solving problems, creating value, and making an impact. The ability to rethink risk, learn to learn (and unlearn), and stay adaptable will continue to be of great value to society.
Beyond that, we’ve been publishing new insights, scoping projects, and refining how we work. We’ve also wrapped up a great collaboration with Kofi Dakinah, who has contributed analysis on megatrends and foresight. While his time with us has ended, we’ll continue collaborating in the future:
1. Looking Back
📌 12 Days of Signals During the holidays, we shared a daily futures signal—now collected into a report. 📖 Download the report
📌 Themes & Focus Areas We’ve revamped our themes page to clarify how we work across different domains. Explore the themes:
📌 Futurist-as-a-Service
If you need a Futures Coach or a Futurist-in-Residence, we’ve formalized two offerings for those looking to get a step ahead.
📌 New Insights & Writings
Scoping a Foresight Process—setting up projects for success. Read here
Democrisis—rethinking democracy in an age of hyper-politics. Read here
The 5Ds of Energy—megashifts reshaping the energy sector. Read here
Unlocking Imagination in Foresight Work—why imagination is a muscle we need to train. Read here
📌 Shaping a New Master’s Program in Democracy & Innovation
We're contributing to the University of Deusto’s new Master’s in Democracy, Public Institutions, and Political Innovation—a much-needed initiative for rethinking governance. 📖 Read more
2. Looking Ahead
📌 Welcoming our new colleague, Søs!
Thrilled to have Søs Christine Hejselbæk join us as a Futures Designer & Strategist. With experience in foresight, strategy, and design, she’s bringing fresh perspectives to our work.
📌 The Megatrends Catalogue is coming
We’re finalizing a Megatrends Catalogue—a resource for making sense of the biggest forces shaping the future.
📌 Talk for a European human rights organization
Exploring how foresight can strengthen governance and human rights initiatives.
📌 Culture Connectors initiative
We are part of this exciting and radically different project - stay tuned!
3. Signal of the Month: The Running Craze
Running is evolving from a fitness routine into a social, psychological, and even romantic activity.
Running clubs as dating networks—a new form of social bonding in a screen-heavy world.
Running as a response to uncertainty—providing a structured way to regain control.
City-based running experiences—offering new ways to explore identity and community.
This shift isn’t just about exercise—it’s about how we use movement to structure our lives, build relationships, and create meaning in a time of rapid change.
4. Recommendation
📌 Looking Outside with Jonathon Keats – A Podcast on Experimental Philosophy & Temporality
This episode dives into democratic decision-making beyond human life, the contradictions between science and atheism, and why seemingly nonsensical actions can make sense in the bigger picture. 🎙️ Listen here
5. Our Talks Catalogue for 2025 is Out
What if your next keynote wasn’t just a presentation, but an experience?
We’ve updated our Talks Catalogue for 2025 with topics ranging from megatrends and AI to democracy, leadership, and imagination. Our approach is interactive, thought-provoking, and designed to spark action.
What to expect?
Futures Thinking & Megatrends—Understand the biggest shifts shaping our world.
AI & Imagination—How to merge human creativity with AI.
Democracy & Governance—Building stronger, more participatory systems.
Urban & Sustainability Futures—From regenerative cities to resilient business models.
6. Upcoming Futures & Foresight Events
📅 Future Festival Miami | February 25-26, 2025
A gathering of futurists, strategists, and business leaders exploring key trends shaping the world.
📅 SXSW 2025: Forge New Frontiers | March 8-16, 2025
The intersection of emerging technology, creativity, and culture—bringing together global thought leaders.
📅 Future Days 2025 | April 30-May 2, 2025
A dedicated event for futures and foresight professionals, tackling applied innovation and strategic foresight.
Check out the full Futures & Foresight calendar
That’s it for this edition. Back to the Futures is your monthly dose of foresight insights, highlights, and happenings from ANTICIPATE. Explore cutting-edge projects, emerging trends, and global events shaping the futures. If there’s anything specific you’d like to see covered in future updates, let me know.
All the best,
Futurist & Founder, ANTICIPATE
