Synthetic Minds | Why I Do What I Do
For eight years, I’ve shared future-thinking ideas here for free. This week my sixth book, Now What?, launched. It’s not just another business book explaining change; it’s a living system because static knowledge dies in exponential times.
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When Knowledge Outruns Wisdom: How I’m Trying to Help Us Catch Up
My Latest Article:
In 1988, Isaac Asimov wrote: “The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.” That single line has shaped my entire professional journey. It captures exactly why I do what I do, why I deliver keynotes, why I wrote my latest book, "Now What?", and why I launched Futurwise.
We’re flooded with information but starved for real insight. Every day, I see leaders struggling to keep pace with accelerating AI, endless digital content, and rapidly evolving technologies. My mission isn’t to add more noise, it's to provide clarity. I believe clarity beats certainty every single time. Leadership today isn’t about having all the answers but asking the right questions and navigating uncertainty with purpose and intention.
With Futurwise, I'm building a personalized intelligence layer that transforms chaos into actionable insights. My keynotes plant seeds of awareness to inspire immediate action. And my new book isn't just pages bound together, it's a living system, equipped with frameworks like the WAVE forward, digital twins, and practical guidance to navigate exponential change.
Why do I do this? Because knowledge without wisdom leaves us stuck. Let’s close that gap together. Are you ready to ride the wave instead of being swept away?
'Synthetic Minds' continues to reflect the synthetic forces reshaping our world. Quick, curated insights to feed your quest for a better understanding of our evolving synthetic future. If you want more, smarter insights, faster, I recommend downloading Futurwise, it is free and will help you be in the know without being out of time!
1. CHINA'S CASHLESS REVOLUTION JUST SHOWED US OUR AI FUTURE, AND MOST OF YOU AREN'T READY
A cashless China offers a chilling preview of our AI future: no transition, no mercy. As AI accelerates, mere tech skills won’t cut it, epistemic fluency becomes survival. When fakes outsmart facts and systems demand AI literacy to access jobs or healthcare, the unprepared won’t just fall behind, they’ll vanish. The question isn’t if this is coming. It’s: Are you ready before you’re locked out? (Every)
2. GENIE 3 AND THE DEATH OF REALITY: JUST WORDS, NOW WORLDS
Genie 3 blurs the line between imagination and reality. Type a prompt, and you get a living, evolving 3D world. No code, no assets, just language. Google DeepMind’s breakthrough doesn’t just render scenes; it understands them, making reality programmable. As AI begins simulating environments with memory, logic, and consequence, we shift from describing the world to generating it. The simulation isn’t coming, it’s already booting up. (Google Deepmind)
Get my new book on Amazon before the the introductory price of $2.99 disappears!
3. SILICON VALLEY JUST SPENT $102.5 BILLION ON CONCRETE AND STEEL. THE AGE OF CODE IS DEAD.
Tech giants aren’t just writing code, they’re building empires. With $102.5B in quarterly capex, Meta, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon are outspending nations, turning data centers into the new railroads and chips into the new steel. This isn’t about apps, it’s about owning the terrain AI runs on. As infrastructure becomes the true moat, the question shifts: Are we advancing innovation, or entrenching monopolies that no startup can breach? (WSJ)
4. MCKINSEY'S BAKER'S DOZEN: 13 TECH TRENDS THAT WILL OWN 2025 (SPOILER: AI TOUCHES EVERYTHING)
McKinsey’s latest tech trends report makes one thing clear: AI isn’t a trend, it’s the engine behind all of them. With over $800B flowing into 13 converging technologies, agentic AI leads the charge with a staggering 985% job growth. These aren’t future bets—they’re active deployments. While your competitors embrace three or more, hesitation isn’t caution, it’s surrender. The race to 2026 is already underway. Are you in it? (McKinsey)
5. GOOGLE'S AI JUST CREATED A DIGITAL TWIN OF EARTH
Google’s AlphaEarth just redefined how we see the planet, literally. By training AI on trillions of images, it maps every 10x10 meter square of Earth, piercing through clouds, darkness, and time. No satellites needed, no delays. Over 50 organizations already use it. But here’s the question: when AI sees more than humans ever could, who controls the lens, and what happens to privacy in a world under total observation? (Google Deepmind)
Bring the World's Best Futurist to Your Next Event – Let’s Talk!
We’re entering a world where intelligence is synthetic, reality is augmented, and the old rules no longer apply. In my upcoming book, Now What? How to Ride the Tsunami of Change, I explore how exponential technologies aren’t just disrupting industries, they’re reshaping how we work, collaborate, and create value. I offer a practical, CEO-ready framework that helps visionary organizations embrace disruption, turning it from threat to strategic advantage. Ready to ride the wave? Just hit reply, and let’s start the conversation.
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Thanks for reading!
— Mark
