Where does humanity stand in an increasingly digitalised world, considering the future of AI? Are artificial intelligences outpacing us? And what about our sensitive data in a fully connected society?
In this interview, we speak with Sven Gábor Jánszky, a leading futurist. He shares exciting insights into the future of digitalisation, the role of AI, and the impact of disruptive innovations. Discover why he sees digitalisation as the greatest opportunity for humanity and how we can develop our own future strategies.
On June 5th, Sven Gábor Jánszky will highlight the daily life of a person in 2035 during his keynote at the d.velop SUMMIT 2025. Using concrete examples, he will show how we can create a liveable future with smart technologies – and provide us with exciting impulses and a guide on how to implement this desirable world.
Digitalisation as the Greatest Opportunity for Humanity
d.velop blog: Who is Sven Gábor Jánszky and what does he do?
Sven Gábor Jánszky: I am a futurist and head the largest European futures research institute. This needs some explanation because many people associate the term “futurist” with things like horoscopes or crystal balls. At our institute, we have PhDs in futures research. This is something you can study and even earn a doctorate in.
Through this study, one learns a scientific method that actually makes it possible to create the most likely forecast about the development of an industry, a technology, a company, or whatever is being considered. We have been doing this for 23 years now. The purpose of all this is to provide companies and now also individuals with their best possible future strategy.
In this context, we forecast, among other things:
- What will this industry look like in 5 years?
- What should the company look like in 5 years? (Which customer segments, what role in the value chain, and so on)
- What is the path to get there?
Digitalisation represents the greatest opportunity for humanity to me.
Sven Gábor Jánszky
d.velop blog: Please complete the sentence: Digitalisation means to me…
Sven Gábor Jánszky: The greatest opportunity for humanity!
Digitalisation is the foundation for humanity to achieve things. And indeed, within the next five to ten years, things that were previously unattainable due to the limited human intelligence in our minds will become achievable. But it is an incredible advancement for humanity that lies ahead.
Humans in the Digital Future: More Time for the Essentials
d.velop blog: Where does humanity stand in this increasingly digitalised world?
Sven Gábor Jánszky: With the advancing development of technology and artificial intelligence, humans are increasingly relieved of existential tasks. Activities that were previously necessary to secure a livelihood – such as the production of goods or services – are gradually being taken over by machines and automated systems.
This development gives humans more time to engage with essential questions of life. Instead of spending most of their energy on economic survival, they can focus more on interpersonal relationships, personal development, and possibly even spiritual topics.
These were previously things that humans did as hobbies because the main focus was on existential questions. But with digitalisation and the progress of AI, this balance is gradually shifting. Humans have the chance to become more human again – a perspective that is already being addressed in numerous future forecasts.
So the question is not whether humans can exist in this new reality, but how they use this newfound time to give more attention to themselves and others.
Decade of Disruption – Which Industries are Affected?
d.velop blog: You often speak of the “Decade of Disruption.” Which industries or business models do you think will be most affected by disruptive innovations?
Sven Gábor Jánszky: This needs to be placed on a timeline. Generally, all industries and sectors are affected, but not at the same time. At the moment, for the next five years, the industries and activities primarily affected are those related to human language. The phenomenon we are currently observing in digitalisation is that AI has learned human language, whether spoken or written. It can now speak and write faster than humans and sometimes even better.
And this will naturally continue to improve. Human language is like the operating system of humans. We are talking to each other now; otherwise, we couldn’t communicate. In society, every decision, whether political or otherwise, is based on language. When someone buys something, it happens through language. Education also relies on language. All these things that are based on language are the first to be affected.
From Language to Molecules: The Next Evolutionary Step of AI
The next step will be for Large Language Models (LLMs) to transition from the world of language to the world of molecules. We are already seeing scientists and companies, especially in Silicon Valley, developing new proteins based on LLMs. The next step after proteins will be enzymes, followed by molecules and molecular structures.
The experts we speak with, who are working at the scientific forefront, believe that between 2030 and 2035 we will have completely new materials – new elements in the periodic table and so on.
AI as a Constant Companion: How Artificial Intelligence is Changing Our Daily Lives and the Economy
d.velop blog: You just mentioned the topic of artificial intelligence. How will the role of artificial intelligence develop in our daily lives and the economy?
Sven Gábor Jánszky: I’ll give an example that I find very illustrative. If we look back, artificial intelligence is not new. Computers have existed since the 1940s thanks to Konrad Zuse, and since the 1950s, we have been talking about the development of artificial intelligence. In 1967, “ordinary people” like you and me first got artificial intelligence in their hands with the calculator. Many found this terrible at the time, and there were demonstrations by teachers’ associations against calculators in schools.
But what happened? Nowadays, each of us has a calculator constantly with us on our phones. We rarely use it, but it is always there. The same thing is happening with AI. It won’t take 50 years; it will simply always be there, and we will hardly notice it. It will be normal for all apps on our phones to be AI apps that we can talk to and that can communicate with each other. This will become completely normal.
Decision-Making in 2035
We conducted a study on the year 2035 to see how decisions are made in companies. The basic statement is that while humans will still make decisions, not a single decision will be made without AI. Every decision will be supported by a hint, advice, or analysis from AI.
We investigated this to understand how strategic consulting will work then. The basic statement is that consultants will no longer advise humans but the AI. Imagine that your company has an AI system that prepares decisions. We as consultants must feed our future forecasts into this AI so that it can make the analyses and decision preparations accordingly. This is a huge change, especially for service and consulting business models. You can go through this industry by industry.
AI will be omnipresent and completely normal; we will hardly be consciously aware of it.
Who Will Make Decisions in the Future?
d.velop blog: You say that humans make decisions, but not without support from AI. Do you think artificial intelligence will outpace humans in the future?
Sven Gábor Jánszky: This also needs to be placed on a timeline. In the next five years, AI will remain an assistance system that supports humans, but humans will make the decisions. In certain areas, AI will begin to make decisions itself, such as with self-driving cars. However, these decisions do not concern strategic future questions of a company or a person but rather control a machine to prevent accidents.
In the longer term, say by 2035 or even later, AI will take over more and more decisions. Around 2040, AI could control the fundamental processes of an economy and society. We are not talking about a single AI but billions of AIs and agents that take over value creation processes and production, so humans – at least for that – will no longer be needed.
Two Perspectives on the Future of AI and Digitalisation
There are fundamentally two types of reactions to this forecast:
- One group says this is wonderful because humans will have more time for creativity and creation. These people have an optimistic view of humanity and believe that humanity has always evolved and lives better today than in the past.
- The other group says this is terrible because people might become bored and degenerate. These people have a negative view of humanity and distrust their fellow humans.
The assessment of whether the development of digitalisation and AI is good or bad depends heavily on one’s view of humanity. Whether one trusts other people and sees them positively or whether one is afraid of everything.
The Protection of Data in the Digital Future: Focus on Real-Time and Forecast Data
d.velop blog: What significance will the protection of data have in the future digital landscape, and how can companies ensure they meet the increasing demands?
Sven Gábor Jánszky: Generally speaking, the protection of data is, of course, important. However, we need to make some distinctions because data is not just data. There are different types of data, and we can distinguish three main types:
- Static Data: These do not change, such as my name, address, or phone number.
- Real-Time Data: For example, the conversation we are having right now. These data did not exist 10 minutes ago and will be irrelevant again in 10 minutes. However, they are currently relevant because someone can recognize what I am thinking, what situation I am in, and what emotional state I am in.
- Forecast Data: These are the most interesting for the future and future business models. AI essentially makes forecasts, and the data that comes from AI are forecast data.
My static data, such as my name and address, are almost irrelevant for crucial processes. It does not benefit anyone who wants to sell me something or manipulate me to write my name correctly. What is much more valuable is real-time data, from which forecast data can be created again.
Regarding the question of the significance of data protection: There is a big difference between talking about the protection of static data stored in databases and the protection of real-time data. The question is, who do I give the ability to track and observe me in real-time? That is something entirely different.
From my perspective, the protection of real-time data and the forecast data derived from it will be incredibly important in the future. Unfortunately, I do not see this protection in the GDPR or the AI Act of the EU. Today’s regulations are based on a conception of data that prevailed around the turn of the millennium and are no longer up-to-date.
In short: The protection of data will have a very strong significance in the future because data-based business models are essential. However, this does not mean that the implementation of the GDPR is of great importance, but rather what comes after it.
d.velop blog: On the topic of real-time data: Deep Seek, the chatbot from China, tracks keystrokes, such as how hard or how fast one types, and can thereby identify the users. Would that be a case you meant where forecasts can be made from real-time data?
Sven Gábor Jánszky: Yes, of course. And it goes even further. In call centers, which is not entirely new, voice recognition is used, which quite accurately detects the emotional state I am in. That is why they use it to steer their conversations accordingly.
If you combine this with a proper psychogram or an AI model in the background, you can actually recognize a lot from a person’s voice and tone, such as their level of education and much more.
Life in 2035: Between AI, Labour Market Changes, and New Life Models
d.velop blog: You have talked a lot about timelines and how things develop. How do you personally envision life in ten years?
Sven Gábor Jánszky: By 2035, we are talking about a time when another change will set in. Until 2035, two trends will develop in parallel: On the one hand, AI will take over more and more tasks and decisions. On the other hand, in Germany, the baby boomers will retire in the next ten years.
Every year, more than twice as many people retire as new workers enter the workforce. This will lead to virtually full employment in the next decade, with five to six million unfilled positions. We will be glad that AI is taking over tasks because there are too few workers.
In 2035, this will change. The baby boomers will be retired, and there will be a balance between those retiring and those entering the workforce. At the same time, technological development will inevitably lead to mass unemployment. This sounds terrible, but from 2035 there will no longer be enough paid work for everyone.
The Future of Work
So we either have to find a model that allows for shorter working hours, or millions of people will be unemployed. Maybe we will only work four hours a day or two days a week and have more time for ourselves. Some will engage in artistic or sporting activities, others will meet for spiritual gatherings.
2035 will be the time when we have to clarify what humanity will do when it no longer works eight hours a day.
Sven Gábor Jánszky
2035 will be the time when we have to clarify what humanity will do when it no longer works eight hours a day. I am looking forward to this time because I have many ideas and projects that I want to implement. I won’t get bored, and I am excited to see how it develops.
Looking Forward to the d.velop SUMMIT 2025: Shaping the Future and Seizing Opportunities
d.velop blog: And with that, I am almost at the end of my questions. The last question is: Are you looking forward to your keynote at the d.velop SUMMIT?
Sven Gábor Jánszky: Yes, absolutely! I give lectures very often. But I particularly enjoy giving lectures to people who know what I am talking about, about digitalisation and the impact of IT and AI. These are the best days for me because it is not just about the keynote, but also about the many exciting conversations afterwards, which I always look forward to.
Great discussions arise about technological possibilities and societal questions, like the ones you just asked. What do people do? Is it good or bad for them? And how can everyone benefit personally from it? That’s what it’s about. None of us, neither I nor the audience, can change this development. It is driven by large companies and forces in the world over which we have no control. But we can determine what we and the people close to us make of it.
My goal in the keynote is to tell the audience what is coming in the next few years. What the driving forces are that we cannot change. At the same time, I want to motivate them to engage with it intensively. The worst thing would be to prevent ourselves and our children from dealing with the future that is coming anyway. Even if we don’t like some things or have fears, we have to look openly and consider how we can make the best of it and shape it to our advantage.
d.velop blog: A wonderful closing statement! Thank you very much for the exciting interview, it definitely makes you look forward to the d.velop SUMMIT 2025 and your keynote!
Your Agenda for the Digitalisation Event of the Year
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