Tom talks to fellow futurist and Magic Leap alumnus Cathy Hackl about the Metaverse: the coming together of physical and digital worlds through augmented reality, the internet of things, and more. When is it coming? And what does it mean for brands? Find Cathy Hackl online at https://cathyhackl.com 

Tom speaks to Professor Steven Cleveland, educator and filmmaker about his work on Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King's time in Hawaii and the lessons from the past about the future of social equity. Find out more about Steven's project at https://akinginparadise.com/ 

Tom speaks to Steve Sinclair, Senior Vice President of Product and Marketing at Mojo Vision, the company building smart contact lenses for a future of invisible computing. This sci-fi prospect is fast becoming reality, another piece of the puzzle in the next big shift in our relationship with computers. Find out more at https://www.mojo.vision/

Tom highlights the collapse in funding and student numbers in further education in the UK, and Katharine points to the risk of a 'skills timebomb' this presents for the future. Original story: https://tomcheesewright.com/further-and-higher-education-the-dividing-line/

Tom and Katharine discuss the G7's moment of harmony, the solution to what Tom calls a 'small world problem'. What does that mean? And what is a 'big world problem'? Find out in this episode of Talk About Tomorrow. Original story: https://tomcheesewright.com/small-world-and-big-world-problems

Tom and Katharine talk about the future smart home: transforming furniture, shared energy, and communal living. And about the pitfalls of smart tech, especially when it interacts with pets.  Original story: https://tomcheesewright.com/the-future-home-a-smart-green-machine-for-living-in/

Tom argues that the declining trust in media, politicians and experts is down to distance. We are too far from power and too unequal in wealth and education. Katharine brings the data, and connects questions of trust in our employees, our children, and in each other. Read the blog post here: https://tomcheesewright.com/the-trust-gap

Season four of Talk About Tomorrow begins with an introduction to Tom's new co-host, Katharine McNamara, and a story about the gamification of life in both fun and less fun ways. In the first episode of this new format, Katharine questions Tom about digital inclusion and social credit, and coins the phrase 'digital Top Trumps'. Tom says 'you know' a lot in response (he promises this will stop). The story on which this episode is based, replete with links and references is...

Why a return to austerity would be a disaster for the post-COVID economy, and where we should spend some stimulus money. Plus, why relationships are a window on the future. Original posts:  - You can't dig yourself out of a hole: https://tomcheesewright.com/you-cant-dig-yourself-out-of-a-hole/  - Relationships are the future: https://tomcheesewright.com/relationships-are-the-future/ Download the Console Connect report referenced in 'Relationships are the future', "The Interconnected...

For the second interview in a series focused on the future of healthcare sponsored by Sony Professional Solutions Europe, Tom speaks to Dr Rachel Jenner, consultant in paediatric emergency medicine and associate medical director for quality and safety at Manchester Royal Infirmary. Dr Jenner speaks about healthcare through the pandemic and the lessons learned, and about her work with the Violence Reduction Unit, tackling knife crime. Links:  - Greater Manchester Violence Reduction...

Tom explores the ethics and etiquette of resurrecting our loved ones as chatbots, following a recent patent filing from Microsoft. Plus, a longer listen about two key technologies that will affect the future: 5G and mixed reality. Original posts:  - https://tomcheesewright.com/digital-life-after-death/  - https://tomcheesewright.com/long-read-5g-and-mixed-reality/

Tom talks to Ludger Philippsen of Sony's European Healthcare practice about the paper they have authored on the future of healthcare. How are organisations in this sector responding to the lessons of lockdown? How is technology transforming the operating environment? And why is it critical to shift their focus from optimisation to adaptation. Read the paper here: https://pro.sony/en_SE/insight/digital-transformation-healthcare-insights/tom-cheesewright-whats-next

Tom explores the sci-fi trope of the brain in the jar. Can we really divorce our minds from our bodies? Plus, replacing the car: how do we tackle all its downsides while keeping its advantages? Original posts:   - The brain in the jar: https://tomcheesewright.com/the-brain-in-the-jar/  - Replacing the car: https://tomcheesewright.com/replacing-the-car/

This week Tom asks what happens to our high streets, companies, and jobs, when half our money is spent online. Plus, disrupting housebuilding: an essay on an alternative model for construction. Original posts:  - https://tomcheesewright.com/when-half-our-money-is-spent-online/  - https://tomcheesewright.com/disrupting-housebuilding/

To be ‘a Jack of all trades’ has been variously a compliment and an insult, and most recently, an attack on expertise. But is it what we need to be? Plus, how to develop a distributed workforce Original posts:  - Jack of all trades: https://tomcheesewright.com/jack-of-all-trades/  - Developing the distributed workforce: https://tomcheesewright.com/developing-the-distributed-workforce/

Laziness motivates us to find better ways to do things. Far from decrying ‘lazy’ home workers, we should be celebrating their instincts. Plus, why it's important to remember that we're still human in an age of digital communication. Original posts: - It's good to be lazy: https://tomcheesewright.com/its-good-to-be-lazy/ - We're still human: https://tomcheesewright.com/were-still-human/

How global communications technology has fractured our society into smaller and smaller tribes. Plus, why class is a critical conversation in this age of uncertainty.  Original posts Hypertribalism: https://tomcheesewright.com/hypertribalism/COVID has highlighted continuing class divides: https://tomcheesewright.com/covid-has-highlighted-continuing-class-divides/

Tom shares an extended version of the argument he made on Radio 4's Moral Maze for the future of cities. Plus, the four horsemen of disaster that will define the next few decades.  Original posts: The city is dead. Long live the city: https://tomcheesewright.com/the-city-is-dead-long-live-the-city/A race between the four horsemen: https://tomcheesewright.com/a-race-between-the-four-horsemen/

The latest population forecasts show an incredibly rapid collapse in populations across Europe. How will we respond? Plus, why robots don't take jobs  Original posts: The population implosion: https://tomcheesewright.com/population-implosion/Robots don't take jobs: https://tomcheesewright.com/robots-dont-take-jobs/

Tom speaks to Dr Anastasia Dedyukhina, about our relationship with technology. How conscious are we of our reliance on our devices and our connections through social networks. Are they good for us? And what do we need to change? Anastasia is the bestselling author of Homo Distractus, and founder of the London-based tech-life balance consultancy and first ICF-certified digital wellbeing coach training company Consciously Digital. She is a frequent speaker at global conferences, such as...

Can we grow plants in space? Plus, Tom reveals his own challenges of working remotely: the need to always be in performance mode.  Original posts: Will we grow plants in space? https://tomcheesewright.com/will-we-be-growing-plants-in-space-by-2100-askafuturist/The price of performance: https://tomcheesewright.com/the-price-of-performance/

Tom cautions that we must understand two types of change: plastic and elastic. Only one snaps back. Plus, will Strictly go on forever?  Original posts: Plastic and elastic: https://tomcheesewright.com/change-separating-plastic-from-elastic/Will Strictly go on forever? https://tomcheesewright.com/will-strictly-go-on-forever-askafuturist/

Our companies are slow to change, failing to adapt to the rapid evolutions in their markets. Why is this, and how can we change it? Martin Lindstrom has proven to be one of the most impactful commentators and consultants on business change, working with some of the world's largest brands and producing best-selling books like Brand Sense, Buyology, and Small Data. His new book, The Ministry of Common Sense comes out this month and tackles the issue of bureaucracy, how it strangles...

Our digital identities are a mess, with ownership, control, and rights all unclear following the early 'wild west' years of the Internet and social media. Can we get our digital identities under control and if so, what is the right way to think about our personal data? Sarah Clarke brings her extensive experience in cybersecurity and data governance to bear on this critical future challenge. You can find Sarah at @infospectives on Twitter and her writing on digital identity...

Tom takes a look at tomorrow's car, following his work with Auto Trader. Plus, what will the future world be made from? Original posts: https://tomcheesewright.com/your-next-new-car-might-be-a-new-brand-and-a-new-shape/https://tomcheesewright.com/what-will-the-future-world-be-built-from-askafuturist/