Massive economic disruption is happening right now, beneath our feet, says futurist Jonathan Brill.
“We're seeing massive growth in the middle class in Asia. In fact, 80% of the middle class population growth in the next ten to fifteen years is going to be there. We’re talking about adding another billion people to the global US-level middle class, which is what Xi and [Indian Prime Minister] Modi are committed to. It means we are going to have an explosion of resource use.”
And that means we will require – and see – huge growth in efficiencies, especially in resources. Says Brill, “AI is the most exciting and powerful tool we have in our tool belt right now and over the next decade.”
Population growth is wealthy population growth.
“We're just about out of arable land. So how do we increase the productivity of our land by 2x, 3x, again, like we did in the last century? How do we increase the energy efficiency of transportation? What’s the next generation of infrastructure?”
These are the questions Brill explores daily. Named Forbes’ top ranking futurist, he watches how the collision of technology, geopolitics, and economics are reshaping the world.
“I am just sucking down so much information now. Reading private conversations on secret islands, going to D.C., I talk with people globally. All this to stay ahead of the research because it's all so instantaneous right now. The truth is that we are moving into a world where our basic assumptions about how we govern, about how we grow, about the value of youth labor – are wrong.”
A second shift he sees is around education, and hungry, “very driven” global youth.
“Thomas Friedman's book The World is Flat, was more about distribution and outsourcing. But now we're talking about education. The world of education will become flat – and in three years. When you take a look at countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nigeria, imagine that from childhood you have a coach that is going to teach you how to do things in the best way specifically for you. An AI that will track every micro-skill you’ve ever learned and turn you into a superhuman. We'll all have that. Here. In Bangladesh. Everywhere.”
“Holy cow!” he exclaims, reflecting on the multitude of changes, “AI is driving efficiencies on so many levels, it's allowing managers to dream in whole new ways.”
Brill’s job is to help companies make sure those dreams come true. “I help assure that they’re going to be worth more five years from today.”
As a futurist, he identifies the major trends, then “pulls back to three years from now, then where we need to be in two years, one year, 90 days. We examine what are those tactical decisions that add up to strategic change.”
What are the major factors he focuses on that affect growth?
Overall, Brill’s caution is: to challenge all of your assumptions, because change is coming faster, everywhere, than you think.
Takeaways
Written by Adam Gilad
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