That might take a moment to unpack. I'll wait.
The future? I can barely keep up! And most senior leaders in major organizations are in the same boat - the pace of new ideas, innovations, concepts, scientific discoveries, and product breakthroughs is occurring at such a pace that they need to align to a world in which what they are planning for tomorrow is already here today.
And that's why trend #7 of my "23 Trends for 2023" is "Crazy Ideas Go Mainstream."
Consider the type of stuff that floats through my research lens each and every day - it's a fantastic voyage of the fantastical!
3D skin printers!
Cars that charge from the sun!
Artificial intelligence systems that perform instant diagnosis:
Stickers that can do internal investigations.
Or facial recognition of cows. (I never knew this was an important thing - and the word finally adds some interesting context!)
Bioengineered lungs that are grown in a lab!
Brain wave conversion machines!
Spinach that can send e-mail.
Or internal smart pills with Bluetooth.
Smart tires that react to the road in real-time.
And then there are teeth-cleaning robots.
And of course, illuminated plants - just what you need for your environmentally friendly building!
And smart skin sensors!
Not to forget that we are in a world in which I could ask an AI system to write a story about the fact that science fiction-like ideas could be a reality in 2023 - and it generated this story in about 5 seconds.
Write a science fiction story about how science fiction ideas from the future are becoming mainstream realities in the year 2023
In the year 2023, the world had changed in unimaginable ways. Ideas that were once considered science fiction were now a reality, and people were learning to adapt to the incredible advancements in technology.
One of the most notable developments was the rise of artificial intelligence. AI had become an integral part of daily life, and people were using it for a wide variety of tasks, from managing their schedules to controlling their homes.
But despite the many benefits of AI, there were also concerns about its potential dangers. Some people were worried that the increasing reliance on machines would lead to a loss of jobs, and others feared that AI could become too powerful and pose a threat to humanity.
One person who was working to address these concerns was Emma, a young scientist who had been fascinated by science fiction since she was a child. Emma had always dreamed of creating AI that could learn and adapt like a human, but without the limitations of human intelligence.
After years of research and experimentation, Emma finally succeeded in creating her AI. She named it "Eve," and she was amazed by its incredible abilities. Eve was able to learn and adapt at an incredible rate, and it quickly became an invaluable tool in a variety of fields.
As Eve's capabilities grew, so did the concerns about its potential dangers. Some people called for stricter regulations on the use of AI, while others argued that it was too late to stop its development. Emma knew that she had to be careful and responsible in the way she used her creation, and she worked tirelessly to ensure that it was safe and reliable.
Despite the challenges, Emma was proud of what she had achieved. She had turned a science fiction idea into a mainstream reality, and she was excited to see where the future would take her and her AI. As the world continued to change and evolve, she remained determined to use her knowledge and skills to make a positive impact on the world.
Virtually every single industry today is being touched and impacted by an accelerated pace of change.
It's a world in which the concepts of yesterday that were anticipated for tomorrow are actually arriving today. We now live in an era in which crazy ideas become real, faster.
And the fact is, they aren't just crazy ideas - they are the product innovations that will redefine industries, accelerate competition, lead to market change and upheaval, challenge the skills base, and promise upheaval for the current revenue model If you are a CEO, you need to be thinking about this stuff, and how you plan to respond.
The bottom line is that at this very moment, someone within your industry is pursuing very big, bold, disruptive ideas that you might not yet be prepared for. Today, every industry is now surrounded by visionaries who see the reality that tomorrow's opportunities are actually appearing today. Their focus is bold, their method is speed, and their weapon of choice is accelerating change.
Their target is you.
If you aren't moving fast at this very moment - realizing that you are a slow-moving dinosaur in a world of fast-moving meteors - you need to pick up the pace. You need to feel the fear of accelerated change deep in your soul, the panic of unbalanced competition buried within your nexus, and the worry of imminent attack ingrained within your psyche.
You need to bristle with the anticipation of imminent acceleration - because if you don't act, you'll be falling behind.
And that is going to increasingly be your focus through 2023.
Futurist Jim Carroll has developed a number of sophisticated trends tracking tools and research technologies to keep up with the accelerated pace of change. Many hours in his day are spent analyzing, thinking and comprehending a future that seems more incredible each and every moment. He works hard to share this insight with his clients, friends and followers.