In its annual "5 in 5" prediction, IBM says that by 2017, we will see the rise of cognitive computers -- machines that can experience the world in a manner comparable to five senses. The video at the bottom of this post provides a brief description of "the rise of cognitive computing" but here are [...]

Last December, I published my annual list of predictions for the coming year. Number 9 on the list was "Networked Traffic" and I wrote: The labor union representing Munich taxi drivers will seek an injunction against the social networks claiming they enable individual drivers to act as taxi companies and should therefore be subject to [...]

In my latest book, Foresight 20/20: A Futurist Explores the Trends Transforming Tomorrow, I devote an entire chapter to how 3D printing will transform not only the manufacturing sector but everyday life. To understand how rapidly 3D printing is advancing, consider just these three unrelated developments from the world of music: 1. Bloomberg News is [...]

Yesterday, I was in Indianapolis speaking to economic development officials at the National Rural Economic Development Association's (NREDA) annual meeting. One of the many growing trends I encouraged them to consider was the possibility of an exponentially more powerful Internet. Next week, Google will be unveiling "Google Fiber" in Kansas City. It promises Internet 100 [...]

As I wrote in an earlier post, Google is only 13 years old; Facebook is a mere 8 years old; and the iPhone just turned five. Each has impacted the world in some surprising and unexpected ways. From my perspective as a futurist, Google’s “Project Glass” (which offers enhanced augmented reality as well as the [...]

You can see the future ... if you know where to look. One good place to look is on the inside of the newspaper. For example, here are just four articles from the inside of today's newspaper: Article #1 discusses the driverless car. Article #2 talks about the "officeless office." Article #3 notes that for [...]