Technology &
Media

What could urban living look like in 2032? In this keynote for SAP, we explored the future of smart cities, focusing on how cutting-edge technologies and data-driven solutions can transform urban environments into intelligent, efficient, and liveable spaces. Advancements in urban infrastructure, mobility, energy management, and governance, emphasize the potential for innovation to improve the quality of city life. As the starting point for a company-wide hackathon, the session inspired participants to develop new solutions for smarter, more connected cities.

Danish SMEs face rising challenges and need to seize new opportunities. We helped developed an AI-powered horizon scanning platform and a strategic foresight process to help businesses spot emerging trends, adapt, and build resilience. This initiative provided early-warning insights, decision-making support, and a digital tool, strengthening SMEs’ ability to navigate uncertainty and seize future opportunities.

We helped train the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) in scenario planning, giving them hands-on tools to anticipate media disruptions and shape strategy. The course focused on practical skills—spotting trends, thinking beyond linear forecasts, and developing crafting futures for public service media. Participants left with a stronger foresight mindset and clear methods to navigate an uncertain media landscape.

The internet is fragmenting along geopolitical lines, giving rise to the Splinternet—a world where digital borders reflect political divisions. While once seen as a force for global openness, nations like China and Russia are increasingly building sovereign networks, restricting access, and setting their own rules. The question is no longer whether the internet will fragment—but how far it will go.

COWI set out to establish itself as a thought leader in Smart Cities, identifying where it could lead in urban tech innovation, sustainability, and infrastructure. We conducted a strategic assessment, aligning COWI’s expertise with emerging trends and future stakeholder needs. Through rigorous analysis, we mapped opportunities in both competitive (red ocean) and untapped (blue ocean) Smart City domains, positioning COWI to shape the future of urban development.

At IBC 2024, we explored how foresight fuels innovation by shifting focus from short-term fixes to long-term adaptability together with an innovation network. We discussed key trends shaping the media landscape—democratic backsliding, generational anxieties, AI’s evolution, and the rise of a "placeless" internet. The goal wasn’t prediction but anticipation—spotting signals, questioning assumptions, and staying ahead of change.

With EBU Academy, we worked with their members from public service media organizations to strengthen their ability to think long-term and prepare for shifts in the industry. Through interactive sessions, they explored different ways to approach uncertainty, map key developments, and test strategic options. The course emphasized applied learning, ensuring participants could translate insights into concrete actions for their organizations.

Despite the promise of automation, much of the digital economy runs on low-paid human labor disguised as AI. Behind self-driving cars, chatbots, and algorithmic platforms are thousands of microworkers—cleaning data, training models, and moderating content under precarious conditions. Dubbed fauxtomation, this illusion of automation lets companies cut costs by outsourcing digital labor instead of developing true AI.

At the Digital Tech Summit, we gave a talk on how businesses can use foresight to prepare for the unexpected—whether it’s a disruptive technology, a sudden regulatory shift, or a global crisis. We shared practical insights on horizon scanning, showing how organizations can identify weak signals, track emerging trends, and turn foresight into strategic action. A key takeaway was that while AI can accelerate the scanning process, human insight is key for making sense of change.

With audiences becoming more fragmented and competition increasing, NRK needed a stronger strategic foundation to navigate the future of public service media. Working with their top management, we led a four-part scenario process to explore how society and media might evolve. This gave NRK a clearer picture of future challenges and opportunities, helping them develop a strategy that keeps public service relevant.

We’ve worked with research agencies and consultancies to provide expert foresight and actionable insights on key topics, including:

Technology Foresight: Identifying emerging technologies and their impact on industries, policy, and society.
Environmental Agencies & AI: Examining how artificial intelligence can transform environmental monitoring and policy development.
Smart Cities: Offering insights into how data and digital solutions can create more sustainable, efficient, and liveable urban spaces.

In this article, we explore how Salvador Dalí’s vision of art and science connects to the rise of AI-generated creativity. Visiting the Dalí Cybernetics exhibition, we saw how AI can animate human imagination, blurring the boundaries between reality and the surreal. Dalí’s fascination with science—from quantum mechanics to psychoanalysis—reminds us that creativity thrives at the intersection of disciplines.