The Nature of the Future

Behold a future in which “amplified individuals” live in “socialstructed” societies, using advanced networking to solve socioeconomic problems using massive amounts of data and disrupting traditional institutions and norms. In this speculative exploration, Marina Gorbis, executive director of the Institute for the Future in Silicon Valley, challenges you to imagine a postindustrial economy where machines work while people apply reasoning and creativity to advance society. Although Gorbis uses futuristic scenarios and limited Silicon Valley examples to make her argument – rather than more rigorous research – she vividly portrays a future in which people alter society through increased knowledge, better technology and interconnected communities. getAbstract recommends her vision to business leaders, investors, entrepreneurs, academics and policy makers who are trying to predict how socioeconomic and technological changes will affect the future.