Welcome to this 13th issue of our newsletter “Weak Signals and other Trends”. Each week, I sift through hundreds of sources of inspiration to track where we’re heading. We discuss those trends and signals every Saturday at 9am EST on Clubhouse.
This is what I noticed this week, thank you for reading and sharing this newsletter to those who look into the future.
Strategic Intelligence
We are focusing this week on a series of tools that competitive intelligence teams are using ( we also on occasions add relevant privacy-related articles):
Central bankers’ emotions are latest frontier for quants ($). Apple’s AirDrop leaks users’ PII, and there’s not much they can do about it. How does scenario planning work in the age of Zoom? A growing problem of ‘deepfake geography’: How AI falsifies satellite images. The Galaxy OpenSyllabus. How to Cover Your Tracks Every Time You Go Online. A mind-map of related subreddits to help you find new niches.
We are collecting strategic analysis techniques on Pinterest. Here are 190 of them.
Blindspots
Looking at the familiar with “alien eyes” allows you to unlock new opportunities and avoid missing emerging risks
Cozy futurism. Solving problems like a detective. Amazon’s 1st Kuiper megaconstellation satellites will launch on a ULA Atlas V rocket. The Plane Paradox: More Automation Should Mean More Training. Artificial Intelligence Is Misreading Human Emotion. Should Overpaid CEOs Be Replaced With Artificial Intelligence? Propelled by Amazon: Inside the Washington Post’s ambitions to be a SaaS power player. China starts large-scale testing of its internet of the future.
We have scheduled the dates for our “Strategic Blindspots” course which will take place in an hybrid format in the fall.
Our future
Welcome to the YOLO Economy. Microsoft is thinking about giving wellness recommendations based on a user’s biometric data and data around work events. 5 visions of the future from the WEF’s Global Technology Governance Summit. This does not exist. Which jobs grew the most over the quarter? Ankle exoskeletons can greatly increase walking speed. The MIT future of cities issue. Can We Live to 200?
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?
Eau d’office: Miss the smell of the office printer? These candles recreate our prepandemic life. Degree’s new deodorant is designed with disabled people in mind. Ok Zoomer: the app that creates your presence on Zoom. The Olympic movement is dipping its toe into esports. Google Maps will soon default to ‘greenest route‘ . Curbside rocks. These Dutch cities will allow only zero-emission deliveries by 2025. Online used car sales are booming. Tipping is taking over the internet. Introducing You to ‘Airport Culture‘, Gen Z’s New Favourite Pastime.
On our radar
In this section, I will share some of the content I come across as I work on specific mandates for our clients. This is what I worked on this week:
I have paid attention to “social media whistleblowing” as I prepare a new training simulation module for IMD’s High Performance Boards program on May 5th: Breaking Camp. Instagram whistleblowers. I wrote an article about Hootsuite a few months ago. From whistleblower laws to unions: How Google’s AI ethics meltdown could shape policy. Ubisoft’s #MeToo Reckoning, Two Months Later.
Our speaking engagements can be found here.
Hodgepodge discovery
Articles for the curious mind as you like to cross over to new fields:
AI and the paperclip problem. Digital analytics optimizing products and portfolios. Stanford study dives deeper into genetic differences between modern and archaic humans. Cosmic Map of Ultrahigh-Energy Particles Points to Long-Hidden Treasures. the legendary Hagoromo Fulltouch chalk. 15 French volunteers leave cave after 40 days without daylight or clocks.
I like to discover new words: this week, I learnt about Lofi Music. Lofi spiked because it’s commonly used as a productivity tool. In fact, loyal listeners claim that lofi music boosts concentration and focus so I paid attention as I study the future of the workspace.
Feeling Good
Spring poetry. A trip to Montreal with Leonard Cohen in 1965 is a glimpse into a singular poetic (and funny) mind. Trails of winds. Digital florists.
