#4 - The Ways of Informatization in Foresight Activities: Informatization in Foresight

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Futures Research Unpacked

Wensupu Yang

23 episodes

2 days ago

Explore thought-provoking research in futures studies, strategic foresight, and related fields. In each episode, we break down one paper in a way that’s easy to follow but still rich in ideas. Perfect for your commute, and great for deciding whether a paper deserves a deeper read. Selections are guided by my personal curiosity rather than strict criteria. If you’ve authored a paper and would like it featured, feel free to reach out. Audio is AI-generated using Google’s NotebookLM. Please refer to the original sources for validation before using the content for serious or scholarly purposes.

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#4 - The Ways of Informatization in Foresight Activities: Informatization in Foresight

Futures Research Unpacked

15 minutes 22 seconds

4 months ago

#4 - The Ways of Informatization in Foresight Activities: Informatization in Foresight

In a world grappling with unprecedented uncertainty – from global climate change to emerging pandemics and geopolitical instability – how do we truly prepare for the future? Join us for a deep dive into Éva Hideg's groundbreaking paper, "The Ways of Informatization in Foresight Activities: Informatization in Foresight," which unpacks the new wave in foresight activities.

This episode explores the critical distinction between digitization (converting data to digital form) and informatization(the fundamental societal shift where new info-communicational technologies and AI change how entire fields operate, bringing new possibilities and ways of working). Discover how foresight is being transformed into an online, real-time, and interactive activity, driven by the increasing availability of easily accessible digitized databases and advanced software developments.

We'll examine compelling case studies that exemplify this transformation, from the Millennium Project's Online Real-Time Delphi Questionnaire which allows global experts to participate in exploring future possibilities in virtual space, to interactive climate models like the Java Climate Model (JCM) and International Futures Platform (IFP) that simulate global dynamics and project quantitative futures. We'll also delve into innovative AI-powered platforms such as ChatGPT Foresight Navigator, Scenario Planning GPT, and Frog Design, discussing how they are used as useful research assistants in foresight.

Crucially, we'll also tackle the dangers and challenges of AI in futures practice. While AI offers widespread and rapid content generation for future-oriented mindsets, concerns around transparency, potential cultural biases, privacy violations, and the risk of generating 'false futures' highlight the indispensable role of human evaluation and the need for new competencies among foresight specialists.

Tune in to understand how informatization is revolutionizing foresight, making it more accessible, versatile, and user-friendly, while emphasizing that AI is currently a useful research assistant, requiring human control and facilitationfor purposeful, effective, and ethical engagement with the future.

Ref:

Hideg, É. (2025). The ways of informatization in foresight activities: Informatization in foresight. Journal of Futures Studies, 29(4), 33–45. https://doi.org/10.6531/JFS.202506_29(4).0004