Trend Briefing : Welcome to the Synthocene Era

26 September 2024, BAFTA 195 Piccadilly


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Why Trend Briefing?

Join us on 26 September 2024 as our analysts and strategists explain, explore and unpack key trends for the years ahead. 

The Future Laboratory’s flagship event promises to redefine your understanding of trends and foresight. Join our team of analysts, strategists, storytellers and industry disruptors as we unveil the macro-shifts set to revolutionise consumer behaviour and business in 2025 and beyond. 

Crafted for big thinkers, visionaries and innovators, this event is designed for those who seek to be inspired, moved and challenged on every level. It’s an intellectual haven for those willing to invest in transformative ideas and cutting-edge insights. 

This event has now ended, but our brand new macrotrend report is now available. Find out more!


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15
years of Trend Briefing
7k+
previous attendees
20+
strategic foresight experts

The Synthocene Era

Today, the term ‘intelligence’ frequently comes with the prefix ‘artificial’. But, as humans harness a number of advancing technologies – from AI to quantum computing to biotech and genetic engineering – what are the prospects for human intelligence in 2025 and beyond? And what does this mean for the way individuals think, behave, work and live?

In this new synthetic age, we define the Expanded Human, not only looking at how our intelligence will be shaped by a plethora of new technologies, but also how we will interact with and benefit from them.  

Join us for a day of lighthouse ideas, compelling lifestyle sector directions and expert panel discussions – matched with Future:Poll insights and crucial strategic directions for your brand and business.  

Accompany us on this strategic foresight journey as we explore the stuff our synthetic dreams are made of. 

Images: AI Imagery by The Future Laboratory, UK


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This Year’s Key Themes

1: Artificial Intelligence in 2030: We unpack where AI is heading after the exponential growth and overnight user adoption of large language models (LLMs). 

2: From Longevity to Singularity: To live longer and better lives, humans will merge with technology and the first step has already begun. Wearables, Ozempic and biotechnologies will soon be the new normal.  

3: Algorithmic Echoes: Trapped in hyper-personalised algorithms with content – and products – that keep validating their beliefs, consumers need brands to begin a new age of discovery.  

4: Layered Realities: Between AR, VR, XR and MR, consumers of the future will live, work and connect between realms. But they will also crave the serendipity of real-life experiences – can the IRL beat the URL? 

5: Gen Quantum: While Gen Z were born with iPhones, Alphas are already Alexa’s boss. From education to marketing, how can you target a demographic whose future jobs and hobbies don’t exist yet? 

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What you'll take away

1: From product to marketing and purpose, find out how the future of AI will affect both you as a human and your business. 

2: Embrace the dystopian perspective, and be the first in the room to challenge your peers on the future of consumer technology and biotech. 

3: Apply the framework presented in The Synthocene Era macrotrend report to better understand how to connect and sell to consumers between platforms and realities. 

4: In this new age of AI-powered creativity, learn how to build future-proof brands for 2030. 

5: Although AI comes with swathes of ethical challenges, the technology is already set to affect humanity as a whole. Meet the early adopters who are already jumping on the opportunity to become expanded humans. 

Past attendees

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Speakers confirmed so far

Chris-Sanderson
co founder

Christopher is co-founder of The Future Laboratory, where he is responsible for delivering the company‘s extensive global roster of conferences, media events and Trend Briefings, which he presents in London, New York, Sydney, Melbourne and around the world. Clients who have booked one of his inspirational keynotes include luxury group Kering, the European Travel Commission, Retail Week, Selfridges, Marks & Spencer, Chanel, Harrods, Aldo, H&M, General Motors, BBDO, Design Hotels, Condé Nast Media and Omnicom. Chris presented Channel 4 TV’s five-part series Home of the Future and is a SuperBoard member of The British Fashion Council’s Fashion Trust.

Martin Raymond
co-founder

Martin is co-founder of The Future Laboratory and editor-in-chief of LS:N Global. Martin is a well-known trend guru, having written several best-selling books on trend forecasting, including The Trend Forecaster’s Handbook and The Tomorrow People. Martin contributes regularly as an expert on trends and business for the BBC, Channel 4 and ITV.

Fiona Harkin
director of foresight

Fiona joined The Future Laboratory in 2022, having spent 20 years working in leading forecasting and insight agencies as a content director and a journalist, delivering strategic foresight and creative content to forward-thinking businesses. Fiona brings considerable cross-sector expertise to her role leading the LS:N Global site, ranging from the digital commerce and tech sectors to the fashion and media industries.

Olivia Houghton
deputy creative foresight editor

Olivia joined The Future Laboratory as a junior researcher in early 2018. Now, as deputy creative foresight editor, she is responsible for leading the creative development of LS:N Global. Her role is to ensure the platform’s written and visual content sets new standards for digital communication. Contributing regularly to publications including Vogue and the Financial Times, as well as to industry events such as Cosmetics Business Live, Olivia is known as The Future Laboratory’s go-to expert for consumer trends in beauty, health and wellness.

Dan Hastings-Narayanin
deputy foresight editor

Dan joined The Future Laboratory in 2023 as deputy foresight editor of LS:N Global. An avid reader and writer, he has previously collaborated with over 20 magazines and news outlets worldwide and received a #30toWatch Young Journalist Award in 2021 by MHP Mischief. Obsessed with TikTok, Gen Z slang and Black Twitter, Dan leads The Future Laboratory’s research on youth and pop culture.

Rachele Simms
director of strategy and planning

Rachele plays a pivotal role in nurturing the Strategy team and developing the quality of our strategic thinking. With nearly 15 years of experience, she combines her creative background and strong commercial acumen to define and realise future strategies for brands such as Shiseido, lululemon, Jameson and The Chalhoub Group.

Martyn Gooding
EMEA creative director, Microsoft

Martyn is Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) creative director at Microsoft and runs a team of designers focusing on AI product design for global brands across all sectors. He also works with Microsoft’s product groups, research and games studios on prototyping new use cases for AI.

Ginnia Cheng
director, Ainigma

Ginnia is a generative AI strategist at Ainigma, a boutique AI consultancy helping organisations to prepare for a future when AI will be a partner to human intelligence. Before joining Ainigma, she spent over a decade as a digital transformation and emerging tech communications specialist, helping industry giants like Google and Samsung, and AI and quantum start-ups to craft compelling narratives and shape their brand stories. Beyond her professional role, Ginnia channels her creativity into comedy and writing. She’s also the proud winner of Louis Theroux’s Looking For Louis video documentary competition

Lucy Hardcastle
founder and creative director, Lucy Hardcastle Studio

Lucy Hardcastle is an interdisciplinary designer, director and digital artist based in London. Her eponymous studio is a pioneer within digital new media, creating immersive virtual worlds that combine the principles of craftsmanship with the possibilities of technology. The studio’s work ranges from commercial campaigns to large-scale design installations and self-initiated research experiments, and spans both physical and virtual.

Alice Crossley
senior foresight analyst

Alice joined The Future Laboratory in 2023 as a Foresight Analyst. As a culture-obsessed creative, she has written extensively about beauty, lifestyle and internet culture for publications including Dazed, i-D, The Face, GQ and Cosmopolitan.

Gabriela Białkowska
creative foresight analyst

Gabriela joined The Future Laboratory as a creative foresight analyst in early 2023. Her journey in trend forecasting began at Nottingham Trent University where she studied Fashion Communication and Promotion, but personal interests soon led her to the world of gaming, media and technology. With over three years of experience in these sectors, Gabriela is one of LS:N Global’s youth and media experts. She also contributes to the platform’s food and drink sectors after establishing a keen interest in food as a cultural phenomenon.

Venue

BAFTA 195 Piccadilly

From the Barbican to the Royal Academy of Arts, we have hosted Trend Briefing at some of London’s legendary venues. This year, we are elevating the experience at the iconic BAFTA 195 Piccadilly. 

Situated in the heart of London’s West End, BAFTA 195 Piccadilly is the home of BAFTA worldwide, an award-winning members club for the film and television arts community, screening space and events hub.


Address:
BAFTA 195 Piccadilly
195 Piccadilly, St James’s, London W1J 9LN


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‘Above all, this macrotrend is about the growing need to acknowledge our synthesised future, as we currently negotiate the terms of our inevitable partnership with AI. It is a possible future that is supercharged, not enslaved, by tech. And as technology will become more human than ever before, it will force us to pierce our fear bubbles and explore what our human premium will be’
Fiona Harkin, director of foresight, The Future Laboratory

What to expect on the day