In 100 years the world will be a very different place.
The planet seems to be innovating at an unprecedented rate (and it shows no signs of slowing down). But flying cars and entire meals in pill form aside, what will the world of look like in a century’s time?
We asked three of the region’s top business leaders to gaze into their crystal balls and imagine how their industries will change over the next 100 years.
Gaurav Sinha
Founder & CEO, Insignia
Over the next century, brands will still be communicating via digital media. But I think you’re also going to see artificial intelligence playing a part, sending us messages via some sort of wearable technology straight to our neurons.
Now that will mean marketing will need to be a lot more responsible, but I also see the industry becoming a lot more democratic. What I mean by that is that as everyone gets more intelligent, you’re not going to be able to pull the wool over everyone’s eyes in the same way that some brands do today.
Sylvain P. Gaillard
Director, Opera Gallery
I don’t think the art industry will have changed too much in 100 years. Good art is universal and spans time. For example, Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel more than 500 years ago and it’s still celebrated today. What has changed is the medium.
Traditionally, art was carved out of stone or painted on canvas, whereas now it’s being made out of everything under the sun. I myself have put together a humble collection of art, and I think that in 100 years’ time (maybe my grandkids will hopefully still have it on display) it will still be a worthwhile collection.
Thomas Lundgren,
CEO & Founder, The One
On the one hand, furniture hasn’t changed very much. Chairs are chairs. But we are seeing rapid changes with regards to design. People are increasingly living in smaller and smaller spaces, which means that furniture also needs to get smaller and more functional. In a 100-years, I see this trend continuing, but I also see a world where perhaps we don’t own so much furniture.
That doesn’t mean people will have less stuff, but I think because people are moving houses more frequently they will end up renting more furniture. I have three daughters, and while I would love for them to join the family business, I would never ask them to. That’s because to do anything properly, you need passion. That’s something that will never change over the next century.