As 2024 draws to a close, Designit’s Dr. Pardis Shafafi, anthropologist and Designit’s Global Responsible Business Leader, has his sights set on 2025. She sees new frontiers in our relationship with AI, a decline in consumer trust in traditional institutions, and the arrival of a radically new society. Growth perspective:
AI bad batch
“The first batch of harmful and inefficient AI applications will unfortunately come home to roost, resulting in casualties and complex litigation in high-stakes environments such as healthcare, education, and law enforcement. It will reveal devastating consequences beyond the already marginalized and underserved communities that bore the brunt of the initial experiments.”
Traditional trust evaporates
We will see collective trust in traditionally trusted institutions such as the media, state governments, and international rights eroded. Social relations are changing, and systemic changes are occurring that have profound implications for everything from the way we interact with technology in our daily lives to the movement to establish new media outlets. Direct action against powerful institutions, classic geopolitical paradigms, and international relations will proliferate.
Less influence, more expertise
Communications and marketing will continue to evolve away from a glut of consumer-driven professional influencers who are paid to promote products and services that bring them profit.
As the way we consume and who we trust changes, users will increasingly turn to ‘value-driven tastemakers’ who specialize in specific areas with relevant qualifications and expertise. It will happen. For the same reason, declining influence will continue to flourish.
Growth isn’t everything
Degrowth will extend further into the mainstream, triggering changes in cultural discourse in fashion, music, and art. The degrowth movement, while still largely confined to sustainability activist and activist circles, will become a fully fleshed out cultural movement. Commercial organizations will be desperate to find hidden ways to sell within the paradigm, and unfortunately some may succeed. ”
Healthcare research targeting 51% of the population
Investments will eventually be allocated to women’s health as VC and business research continues to demonstrate the huge benefits for society as a whole. Specific commercial incentives for those investing in women’s health care will become clearer.
