Trends & Signals
Technology & Society
Explore the latest insights, thought leadership, and research from FCAT®
The Perennials: An Interview with Mauro Guillén
November 20, 2023
Because of increasing life expectancy, a greater number of generations are learning, working, and living together. And there are signs that they may cast aside the old model of sequential living--learn, work, retire--for one that that is more fluid and where it no longer makes sense to categorize people by the decade in which they were born.
Why More Americans Are Moving Overseas
November 1, 2023
The US expat community has doubled in the last two decades as Americans have sought a more affordable, and in some cases, better quality of life abroad. The rise in digital nomad visas and remote work could further boost this trend. Yet financial challenges remain largely unsolved for Americans abroad, making it harder for them to invest, save and plan.
A Conversation with Tiffany Shlain: The Power of Unplugging
October 18, 2023
In her most recent book, 24/6: The Power of Unplugging One Day A Week, Tiffany Shlain, Emmy-nominated filmmaker and founder of the Webby Awards, explains how turning off our screens can enhance our well-being, focus, relationships and creativity.
Technology changes, but do we?
August 9, 2023
In the second piece in the Tech Trendsetter series, FCAT speaks with former Snowflake CEO and Microsoft executive Bob Muglia
Virtual Virality: The Changing Dynamic of Influencers
July 26, 2023
There is a burgeoning industry of “virtual” or “digital” influencers that brands use to replicate or augment the human influencer experience while minimizing the potential pitfalls of human influencers. So, what are digital influencers — and how are they fairing? Should the creator economy be afraid of becoming digitized?
Making Sense of the Employee Burnout Epidemic
July 5, 2023
Changes to how we live and work have made us more susceptible to burnout. Our excessive use of technology in daily life is causing mental strain. This, combined with stressors created by the pandemic, is leading more people to check out and lash out.
From Chatbot to Swearbot and Beyond.
May 22, 2023
It all began late at night in Luke Paxton’s basement. Luke wondered, what if he could create his own chatbot using a python script? As a Director of Creative Development, it’s not exactly part of his daily tasks, but, well… he was curious.
5 Deep Technologies Expected to Disrupt Our World
May 18, 2023
In the most forward-looking chapter of the FCAT Priorities Report 2023, our researchers took a broader look at advances in deep technologies that are designed to help solve our world’s most pressing problems. The five technologies explored in this report include: synthetic biology, decarbonization, advanced robotics, agriculture, and space exploration. This article was written based on reporting by John Dalton and Molly Gumpert.
Find “Product Market Fit,” or That’s It
May 15, 2023
In his conversation with FCAT, Levine speaks on how the current macro-economic climate impacts the future of start-ups, the radical importance he places on start-ups finding product-fit, why he doesn’t yet view generative AI as truly disruptive technology, and why great entrepreneurs should focus on the problem they are attempting to solve, rather than the solution.
What’s In A Name? The Mainstreaming of Pseudonymity
May 9, 2023
Writers and artists have donned pen names for hundreds of years. Now, the use of aliases has become commonplace across social media, gaming, and virtual worlds where anyone can explore facets of their identity and express their true selves using pseudonyms. With rapidly advancing avatar technology as well as a continued fear of public scrutiny, pseudonymity will likely further permeate into work, education, and finance where customers and employees will participate as their pseudonymous selves.