How new technologies and mindsets define the future

Although artificial intelligence has only been available to the general public for a relatively short time, it is already fundamentally changing research. In Kenya, Neural Labs Africa uses AI to detect respiratory diseases. In Serbia, technology helps children with disabilities to communicate. In Switzerland, conservationists are determining the restoration potential of destroyed forest areas by means of AI. And when it comes to fundraising, artificial intelligence can ensure that donations are collected and distributed in a more targeted manner based on sound data.

However, technology faces challenges, especially in areas where the human aspect counts. Can AI successfully balance rational action with emotional appeal? Are prejudices that exclude minorities avoided from the outset? And how can we ensure that AI is not used to benefit people with motives that are ethically wrong? Studies clearly show that artificial intelligence is greatly dependent on the data fed into it and on user behavior. There are weaknesses and challenges associated with AI.

Read our article and studies to find out more about the great potential of AI, provided that we are aware of the challenges posed by the technology.

What will life on Earth be like in 2044? Will we be suffering the consequences of excessive global warming and no longer have access to vital resources? By then, will it be impossible to do anything to reverse the situation? Or will we be living on a clean, greener and more technologically advanced planet? The exact course of the future is being determined now – by our financial resources and by gender diversity in our economy. A report presented at the Bonn Climate Change Conference confirms that women drive sustainability when they have the same decision-making power as men. This is because they advocate higher school attendance rates, greater food security, more environmentally friendly mobility and lower energy consumption.

There are already studies that prove this: companies founded by women are often based on sustainable concepts with a social impact. Among other things, this means that these companies cause the volume of emissions, i.e. pollutants such as CO₂ or other greenhouse gases, to increase less than other companies. Nevertheless, women do not yet have the same access to capital as their male counterparts. In order to counteract global warming, we need more than just global political efforts. More diverse attitudes are required in the economy, too. After all, companies with a board made up of at least a third of women already have noticeably lower growth in emissions –0.6% compared to 3.5% for companies without women on the board.

Read more about how women can shape a sustainable future and discover realistic scenarios for the coming years.

Demographic trends and the associated increase in life expectancy are presenting us with major challenges. According to the Federal Statistical Office, life expectancy in Switzerland was 83.1 (women) and 77.8 (men) years in 2002. In 2022, it had reached 85.4 and 81.6 years respectively. The fact that the proportion of senior citizens is growing much faster than the younger population is prompting a social rethink. Precisely because we are living longer, we need to consider how we will finance our lives and how we will stay healthy – especially once we retire.

The form of housing and the type of cohabitation have a major influence on finances and health. Also the number of single-person households is rising, and more and more people over the age of 65 are choosing to live alone. Switzerland is not the only country affected by the problem. Single-person households are more expensive and have a greater impact on the environment than multi-person households. Living alone in old age can also have negative social consequences. What options are there to limit the potential danger to individuals, as well as to society, the country and ultimately the entire planet?

Find out more about where the state should intervene and to what extent private individuals can take responsibility.