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The Future Laboratory returns to SXSW Sydney

SXSW Sydney 2024, Australia

We’re thrilled to be returning to SXSW Sydney this year.

Our co-founder, Christopher Sanderson, will be participating in three events throughout the festival. Check out more information below:

: Brand Futures: Will AI Splinter or Standardise Design? (in partnership with The Company You Keep)

AI-generated design is having a manifest impact on how brands and communities use visual language to communicate. This debate will explore how algorithms are influencing both aesthetics and semantics (the meaning of design codes) and will include discussions on identity, art direction, typography and colour.

: The Future of Luxury is Recrafted

The consumers – or rather the collectors – of tomorrow will expect luxury to signal status not through excess, but by acting as a guardian of craftsmanship and provenance, an ESG champion and a cultural compass. Join Chris in unpacking our latest luxury macrotrend.

: A Sustainable Future for Travel: From Crisis to Transformation (in partnership with Intrepid Travel)

This panel will delve into how we can shift towards a more sustainable travel industry that benefits local communities, connects people and protects the planet. Tourism, unlike other industries, relies on the preservation of the destinations, cultures and environments we visit.

Stay tuned for next week’s events.

Fuseproject introduces ‘friendly’ design for AI-powered robot

US – Design studio Fuseproject has teamed up with Kind Humanoid to create a new genre of AI-powered robots for real-world environments. Unlike robots built for controlled factory settings, Kind Humanoid is designed to function in unstructured places such as homes, hospitals and public spaces.

With a focus on human interaction, the robot blends advanced cognitive abilities with physical agility to assist in tasks such as healthcare, elderly care and sustainable energy.

Fuseproject’s design approach stands out with its friendly and approachable aesthetic, inspired by surrealism. The robot features a soft, diamond-shaped face that can express emotions through animated screens, and its torso design resembles clothing to foster familiarity.

This project redefines how humanoids can integrate seamlessly into everyday life, offering long-term societal benefits. As the rise of intelligent robots continues, Kind Humanoid demonstrates how design can make AI feel less mechanical and more human.

As the lines between what is natural and what is artificial are increasingly blurred, our Synthocene Era macrotrend repor t explores a future when technology will redefine what it means to be human.

Kind Humanoid by Fuseproject, US

Strategic opportunity

Public services and players in the care industry should consider introducing AI companions that can offer assistance and emotional support to seniors living alone or in care facilities

Wellness resorts attract Boomers with luxurious residential villas

Six Senses resort at Amaala by Red Sea Global, Saudi Arabia

US – Wellness resorts are increasingly offering residential villas, catering for affluent Boomers seeking luxurious spa treatments and longevity-focused medical services.

According to The Wall Street Journal, one wellness connoisseur, Lisa Reagan Love, a 68-year-old professor from Oklahoma, recently purchased a four-bedroom villa at Susurros del Corazón, an Auberge Resorts Collection in Punta de Mita, Mexico. Her new residence provides access to wellness activities such as sound baths and breath work sessions at the on-property ONDA spa.

The rise in wellness-focused residences is partially due to the appeal over conventional senior communities, as older generations seek exercise classes and spiritual meditation over traditional bingo nights.

As wellness travel revenues exceed pre-pandemic levels, resorts are also looking to residential villas to broaden their offerings. SHA Mexico in Costa Mujeres provides seaside residences priced in the millions granting residents preferential access to wellness facilities. In addition, Velvære is partnering with Fountain Life Center to create a wellness community in Park City, Utah, featuring 115 residences and a 10,000-square-feet holistic wellness compound. This community will offer on-site treatments such as reiki and acupuncture, with the opening scheduled for 2026.

We have previously analysed the rise of Glow up Getaways where hyper-personalised health hubs are offering the ultimate longevity getaways for the ultra-wealthy.

Strategic opportunity

Hospitality venues should partner with healthcare professionals to offer on-site health and wellness services, such as acupuncture or personalised meal plans from nutritionists, appealing to older generations and health and wellness fanatics

Stat: Gender bias persists on investment platforms

Photography by Mikhail Nilov, US

Global – A recent study published on the Social Science Research Network (SSRN) reveals a persistent gender bias on financial platforms, showing that users engage less with female-authored financial content. Analysing over 7m comments on 200,000 articles from Seeking Alpha, researchers found that women contributors receive up to 40% fewer comments than their male counterparts, despite displaying equal skill and accuracy in financial forecasting.

The study highlights how women authors experience significantly higher disagreement from users, leading to less trust in their opinions. This bias affects not only engagement but also financial outcomes, as heightened disagreement with female-authored perspectives resulted in abnormal trading patterns the following day.

Despite controlling variables such as authors’ experience, topics and accuracy in stock predictions, the research suggests that gender-driven biases are deeply entrenched. Alarmingly, fewer than 6% of contributors identified as female, hinting that these platforms may not feel welcoming for women. These findings highlight the urgent need for FemFin: Female Forward Finance to improve market fairness.

Strategic opportunity

Encourage diverse voices and female representation in your brand’s content strategy to foster trust, challenge biases and unlock untapped audience engagement and market potential