From technology’s limitations and the importance of emotional connections to the need for intentional technology use, they explore how ‘digital minimalism’ is becoming mainstream. Tune in to discover the impact of technology on youth, the importance of community spaces, and the future of design in fostering human connection.

They explore how tariffs are affecting pricing, the potential for more sustainable practices in the fashion industry, and the rise of resale markets. From the impact of marketing during economic volatility to balancing globalisation and localism, learn how to understand consumer emotions and adapt business models to navigate complex changes.

Listen to learn about the emotional responses to Gen AI, the implications for copyright and artistic integrity, and how tech influences access to culture

Peter reveals how wielding the conductor’s baton teaches leaders to inspire talent, navigate power dynamics, and foster deep connections among younger generations seeking purpose over hierarchy. Tune into this episode to learn how to build a culture that values influence, the art of motivation, and the power of presence in a world that craves meaningful direction.

Reframing consumption, they discuss innovative solutions to waste management, the role of creatives in driving sustainable practices and the future of homeware in a circular economy. Hear Petko’s insights from working with young designers about providing future generations with pathways to live sustainably.

In this episode, WGSN’s CEO, Carla Buzasi, and Asia Futures and Cultural Strategist, Alison Ho, reveal how this market values local and regional cultures, evolves spending habits, and redefines living and working.

Amid a rapidly changing economic environment, they discuss how this group cautiously navigates consumption while shifting towards experiential luxury with new modes of spirituality. Join them to discover Western influences on this group such as happiness as a key performance indicator and emerging APAC consumer trends impacting global markets.

Joining WGSN’s CEO Carla Buzasi in this episode is Co-founder of Pillar Wellbeing, Harry Jameson. Discover his journey from elite coaching to co-founding a game-changing brand that dives into the future of wellbeing with personalised, holistic health and wellness strategies. If you want to live better, listen in on how to achieve peak performance with balance.

We discuss the future of TikTok and Meta’s shifting moderation policies on Facebook and Instagram, along with its implications on the social media landscape. WGSN’s CEO, Carla Buzasi, and Director of WGSN Insight and social media trend forecaster, Joe McDonnell, delve into evolving social media trends including AI creations, decentralised social media, and going back to IRL experiences.

Get the inside scoop from Carla Busazi, CEO of WGSN, and David Caswell, founder of StoryFlow, an innovation consultancy focused on AI workflows in news production. Having worked with AI for the BBC and co-authored ‘AI in Journalism Futures’ from Open Society Foundations with Shuwei Fang, David shares how AI will shape journalism in the future.

Ditching societal norms of traditional adult milestones, the Forever Young Adult is trailblazing their own timeline. Consumers are grappling with global challenges by seeking ease and dressing in comfortable Day-jamas, tending to their needs with Therapeutic Laziness. 

Discover more trends WGSN forecasts for the coming year. Join Carla Buzasi, CEO of WGSN with her colleagues, Lisa White, Director of Strategic Forecasting and Creative Direction, and Cassandra Napoli, Head of Marketing and Events at WGSN Insight.

In this special episode, our Lives of Tomorrow podcast producer Akeem Nicol gets Carla to answer instead of asking questions, including those about WGSN’s biggest successes and challenges and why she has asked people to return to the office. Tune in to hear how 2024 has been the year of glimmers – small moments of joy and excellent reviews from WGSN’s customers.

Play isn’t just for kids. It’s proven to ease stress, boost happiness, and inspire creative problem-solving. So, why aren’t we doing it more? In this episode of Lives of Tomorrow, we explore what play means to us, and how we can use play to boost work performance, increase wellbeing, and set fire to our imaginations.

WGSN CEO Carla Buzasi learns from Emma Worrollo, Founder of the Playful Den, a collective that supports people unleashing the power of play, recently featured in IKEA’s Power of Play report 2024. Find out how companies enhance staff productivity by harnessing play.

Want to know why it’s game on for grown-ups? Vote here for WGSN to speak at SXSW London 2025 about strategic joy bridging brands and consumers

In this episode, WGSN CEO Carla Buzasi discusses digital empowerment with StJohn (Singe) Deakins, founder and CEO of DataSapien, a company revolutionising personal data control with Zero-Shared Data technology. He shares his deep expertise in marketing and loyalty, having led digital transformation in CitizenMe and British Airways. Tune in to learn how companies can build trust and deliver on promises to empower consumers in their choices when sharing their data.

Join Natacia Lim, WGSN’s Consumer Researcher, and WGSN CEO Carla Buzasi in this episode of Lives of Tomorrow on Southeast Asian film and TV, as well as superhero fatigue and the rise in multistreaming platforms. We look at how current trends are shaping the entertainment industry and why there is a surge in younger people going to the cinema. We reflect on franchise films, box office numbers, and what the future of the franchise is.

Carla Buzasi, CEO of WGSN discusses with Elizabeth Tan, WGSN’s Senior Culture Strategist about the challenges they face, including loneliness, anxiety and social skills in real life, as well as the potential for positive change through community-building. Join us as we explore online and offline strategies to support these generations through emotional and social connections to mature and thrive in our dynamic world. 

Christine delves into the rise in anti-ageing discourse on TikTok and an upsurge among young people valuing skincare over makeup. Carla discovers what’s driving the demand for niche perfumes such as milk and rancid flesh. Listen in on the beauty priorities driving Southeast Asian markets.

WGSN CEO Carla Buzasi speaks to Senior Strategist for WGSN Insight Allyson Rees about her research into this macro trend, what led to this behavioural shift, and what the future holds. 

Four years after the pandemic, some young consumers still prefer staying home to going out or engaging in nightlife. On TikTok, #BedRotting has become a popular hashtag (300m views) to describe lying in bed for prolonged periods. Retailers must meet Gen Z where they are while still facilitating social outlets and opportunities to indulge. Understanding this cohort’s fears and what makes them feel comfortable will secure their loyalty.

In this episode of Lives of Tomorrow, we debunk the myths associated with modest fashion, tracing its history right through to the latest trends. 

WGSN CEO Carla Buzasi speaks with Linda Anggrea, CEO of ButtonScarves, a premium Indonesian fashion and lifestyle brand specialising in headscarves and modest wear for modern women. Passionate about style, Linda shares her strategies in mainstreaming expressive modest wear and lets us in on her upcoming collections and ongoing Disney collaboration.

People in India have shifted away from predominantly looking to the West for fashion, food, and home trends. What do the people driving this shift care about then? Rohini sheds light on what this growing economic demographic wants and how brands should appeal to this market. We explore how investment from global tech firms Google and Amazon, the government’s ease of business policies, and the digitisation of India is accelerating the rise of the Indian middle class.

Accelerated tech and trend cycles are confusing our view of traditional generational groups at an unprecedented rate. In this episode of Lives of Tomorrow, WGSN Insight Senior Strategist Cassandra Napoli reviews future generations with our CEO Carla Buzasi and explores why accelerated digital media age us quicker than ever.

From being 13 today to being 13 for a millennial, Cassandra uses social media including Facebook, Tumblr, Instagram, and TikTok as a lens to highlight the digital differences between the generations. They’ll be investigating the changing boundaries between childhood and adulthood which are blurring identities. 

Listen in on how the internet has evolved and how this impacts how we navigate the digital world.

In this episode, WGSN CEO Carla Buzasi hears about the future of marketing with Scott King, director of multisensory branding and marketing specialist at Full Fathom.

Scott talks about experiences working with companies such as Samsung, Bentley, and Coca-Cola, gives real examples of multisensory marketing, and discusses how he navigates the fear of public speaking.

Lives of Tomorrow is a fortnightly podcast about macro societal shifts, exploring what they mean for all of us and how they will affect our Lives of Tomorrow.

This new platform expands our apparel and footwear under our Active category and drives into more granular forecasts on equipment and gear for bikes, outdoor, snow, water, and fitness. Listen to learn about WGSN’s latest Sports & Outdoor and hear Jon’s journey to heading up our specialist trend forecasting tool.

Sinéad describes herself as a little person, she is 3”5 and has achondroplasia. Since her teens, she’s been on a mission to work towards change and inclusivity for disabled people. Sinead is an author and disability activist who entered the fashion industry to promote inclusivity.

Carla finds out from Sinead just how inclusive fashion is, what is being done, and how fashion brands can plan for the future with a focus on accessibility and inclusivity.

Sinéad talks about the need for accessible design in public spaces and the importance of involving disabled people in creating educational content that can be used throughout the fashion world. We hear examples of assistive technologies and projects aimed at improving accessibility in luxury fashion stores in this discussion.

Plus expect to hear the story of Sinéad being featured on the cover of British Vogue and working with Edward Enninful.

In this episode, we take a deep dive into the Direct-to-Avatar (D2A) economy. At WGSN we define D2A as a new retail model, similar to direct-to-consumer, that allows brands to sidestep supply chains and sell clothes that don't exist IRL

WGSN CEO and host Carla Buzasi speaks to Samantha G Wolfe, founder of PitchFWD – a consulting firm that helps navigate the world of new and emerging technologies – about how we will use avatars to do most of our shopping, and how brands will have to find ways to interact with our avatars to capitalise on this opportunity.

Imagine buying on-trend outfits, unique accessories, and even exclusive experiences for your virtual avatars, all without stepping into a physical store or dealing with traditional supply chains. We explore this consumer trend and the emerging technology involved.

In this episode, we share WGSN insights into all the things you should roll out to ensure your business is future-proof.

Cultural Strategist and Foresight Lead at WGSN Martina Rocca tells WGSN CEO Carla Buzasi some of the key ways companies can prepare for unexpected risks and identify growth opportunities before competitors on this episode of Lives of Tomorrow.

Martina explains how WGSN works with foresight and how companies can use the information to future-proof themselves.

What makes you happy? This episode focuses on the huge importance of this emotion for us all, now and in the future. WGSN forecasts a very real need and desire for people to feel joy, particularly when mental health is a rising concern among many demographics. WGSN CEO Carla Buzasi is joined by bestselling author Gretchen Rubin to discuss the future of consumer happiness and how brands can harness the power of joy.

Gretchen’s work focuses on happiness and human nature, and she’s best known for her book The Happiness Project. But why are we looking for brands to make us happy and relax? Is this too much to ask?

Carla and Gretchen discuss what we want and expect from brands, and whether they can actually make us happy. Tune in to hear about new concepts such as silent airports, plus the US retailers who are etching out hours in the morning to make the shopping experience more accessible for customers with sensory issues. Happy listening!

In this episode, WGSN CEO Carla Buzasi discusses the future of the creator economy with Mae Karwowski, CEO and founder of Obviously, a technology-led social influencer marketing agency based in New York, with operations in San Francisco and Paris.

The creator economy has experienced huge growth in recent years, and it plays a pivotal role in shaping consumer behaviour. Carla finds out about the proprietary technology which Obviously used to work with influencers and world-class brands such as Google, Amazon, and Converse. Mae shares her insights into setting strategy, executing campaigns, and the importance of building authentic partnerships across social platforms. 

They discuss how Mae’s Obviously blog focusing on what social media should be, acted as a springboard to launching her influencer agency in 2014, which last year was acquired by WPP. 

Tune in to find out about the future of the Creator Economy, hear tips about how brands should collaborate with creators, and how niche content and penetrating sub-communities is an effective way of reaching the most committed audiences.

In this episode, WGSN CEO Carla Buzasi discusses the future of fashion with Jane Shepherdson, the founder of clothing resale and rental company MyWardrobeHQ. Jane is well known for being the former brand director of global retailer TopShop where she pioneered many of the retail trends that remain today, not least the full shopping ‘experience’ – the London flagship offered in-store vintage and individual designer concessions, plus hair styling, a piercing salon and a cafe.

A sustainability champion, Jane discusses the state of fashion, why we must recognise and appreciate the value of clothes, how she’s adopted the Rule of Five and why she set up her rental business MyWardrobe HQ.

In this episode, we discuss the rise of the kidult. At WGSN, ‘kidults’ are simply put, adults that shop like children. Adults around the world are escaping the polycrisis and finding comfort in buying toys and rekindling experiences from their childhoods through play.

We’ve been closely tracking this trend and today we hear from Genevieve Cruz, LEGO Group’s Head of Product – Senior Director within Adults Global Marketing to find out how the brand is engaging AFOLs (Adult Fans of LEGO) and pioneering and leaning into this trend.

Gen explains how LEGO strategises to capitalise on this consumer shift, how playdates are revolutionising the LEGO world, and about the different sub-communities shaping the future of how we play with LEGO.

Tune in to hear why more adults are turning to LEGO as a pastime, the future of the kidult trend, and how building blocks are a unifying antidote to doom-scrolling.

We are forecasting Glimmers for 2026. If you don’t know what they are, consider them the inspiring, positive antidote to triggers. Glimmers describe micro-moments of joy, and psychotherapist Deb Dana joins WGSN’s CEO Carla Buzasi to discuss this emerging customer sentiment, an evolution of awe that we forecast for 2024.

Deb Dana defines glimmers as ‘small moments of positivity that can combat negative emotions’. In 2026 we will see glimmers become a prized coping tool. Find out why glimmers coexist with suffering and how opening yourself up to these simple moments of joy can help you move forward and lead you to seek out more. 

Tune in to hear Carla and Deb discuss polyvagal theory, how glimmers can crop up in the most mundane, everyday places, and how important it is to share the joy. 

WGSN’s CEO Carla Buzasi welcomes fashion influencer Lyn Slater, aka the accidental icon to talk about life after influencing, the narrative around ageing, the lack of women over 50 represented in advertising and the challenges of being yourself as your body begins to change. This former professor of social work, now retired fashion influencer, writes about this and more in her new book ‘How To Be Old: Lessons in Living Boldly from the Accidental Icon‘. 

The conversation meanders from reflections on the world of fashion bloggers and influencers to the advantages of multigenerational living and why ageing closer to death, encourages Slater to embrace living life in the moment and to its fullest. Hopeful about the future of ageing, Slater is keen that more older women should be “blowing it up and inviting young women to ask us those hard questions” – tune into this episode to hear just that.

At WGSN we’ve been tracking the rise of age compression since 2015 and are forecasting the dismantling of age-related stereotypes for 2026, as we all embrace a more inter-generational world – you can sign up to read more about this here.

Director of Strategic Forecasting at WGSN, Lisa White, joins Carla Buzasi, CEO of WGSN, to talk about why daytime activities in many regions of the world are shifting to happen at night. 

Scorching temperatures are pushing people in the world’s hottest regions to live more of their lives in the cool of darkness, which is impacting when they shop, work, rest, and spend most of their day-to-day routine. OpenTable in the US noted rises of up to 24% in late-night dining in 2023. The shifting schedules of consumers are pushing cities to reimagine their after-dark economies, with shopping, entertainment, leisure, and tourism pushed into nighttime hours.

Lisa White shares insight into how brands can tap into this lifestyle shift, plus gives examples of nocturnal living, the data behind this trend, and her predictions for the future – including constellation leggings and thermoregulated pyjamas.

Former advertising executive Cindy is the founder of Make Love Not Porn, a user-generated video-sharing platform. A sex-tech pioneer, she aims to build a community to promote positive sexual values through user-generated content, in response to the ubiquity of hardcore porn and the harmful myths it generates.

In this episode Carla and Cindy discuss social attitudes towards sex and porn, the future of the adult entertainment industry, and how Cindy plans to utilise AI to help build an algorithm for consent. The two CEOs also talk about why so few female entrepreneurs in the sex tech industry were able to secure Venture Capital funding in 2023 and why this needs to change.

In this episode of Lives of Tomorrow, WGSN CEO Carla Buzasi discusses the future of luxury exploring ways brands can uphold their social and environmental responsibilities.

Joining Carla to explore the evolution of the luxury market is Diana Verde Nieto, co-founder of Positive Luxury, a sustainability organisation that supports luxury brands in adapting and transitioning to a sustainable future.

Diana is the author of Reimagining Luxury: Building a Sustainable Future for your Brand. She holds a degree in Global Leadership & Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School and has been trained by former USA Vice President, Al Gore at the Alliance of Climate Protection, and was subsequently honoured by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader. 

Carla and Diana discuss how luxury is a dance between modernity and heritage, what luxury brands can do to build a better tomorrow, how ‘thinking the unthinkable’ can keep a business agile and guarantee success, and how five consumer demographics interact with luxury – from Boomers right down to Alphas – are impacting the industry.

We’ve been tracking the boom in outdoor lifestyles since 2015, and in this episode we throw the spotlight on arguably the most accessible form of exercise. We discuss the future of running, the importance of different running communities, plus how Cory motivates people globally to push themselves. 

Author of new book All You Need Is Rhythm and Grit, Cory works with Nike and Apple Fitness. Head out for a run and tune in to hear the renowned running guru talk about the need for speed, essential running tips and how brands can engage and sustain meaningful relationships with different running groups.

We compile and analyse information for brands to use to help them make informed decisions about the future of their business and the products they should create, whatever the industry. Today we talk fashion. WGSN CEO Carla Buzasi unpicks the seams to find out about the fashion industry, and the role that trend forecasting plays.

To celebrate 25 years of working with brands across the globe, we speak to Sally Joyce, Trend Design Lead at British multinational retailer Marks & Spencer. Who better to take stock of trend forecasting with us at 25 years than one of our first ever clients who has shared the journey and continues to work with us today.

Sally tells Carla what clients will want from WGSN in coming years, why the role of the trend forecaster has to evolve, and the science behind how trends are created. We also hear from Sally what it feels like to set trend directions for a global company.

Press play and join the party!

How much do we think about care for the elderly, and what questions are we asking about how we will care for the elderly in the future? To address this social issue, Dor’s company launched award-winning proactive social robot ElliQ. The AI tech robot focuses exclusively on older adults who are living alone, and acts as a companion to offer support and connection.

Dor is serial entrepreneur who has co-founded five ventures – the most recent being Intuition

Robotics. The company is driven by his passion to develop AI robotics that can address major social issues of the 21st century, such as loneliness. In addition to discussing the value of AI in aged care, he also discusses the ethics of the technology in this episode.

CEO of WGSN, Carla Buzasi, talks about the future of management with Sarah Moore, UK head of workforce at PwC – one of the Big Four accounting firms. Sarah explains what it means to be a manager, the fine line between leading and managing, plus what the future holds for management.In this episode, Carla and Sarah broach a number of topics, including the approach to hiring managers and different manager styles; for example, micro versus macro. Sarah talks about her work with hybrid employees, creating connections in the workplace, and reflects on some of the challenges and positives of evolving working environments.Carla picks Sarah’s brain about placing value on non-management roles and how you can still climb the career ladder without going for managerial positions.

Sarah goes into detail about different generations’ approaches to management, a shift in attitudes towards career progression, and work-life balance.

Plus, find out how Sarah went from am-dram to leading hundreds of colleagues at PwC, one of the leading firms in the country.

Matt recently published a forecast, Intelligence: Biomimicry, which looked at the evolution of designs and production methods that are modelled on biological entities and processes, with a particular focus on tech innovation.

Discover why biomimicry is important now, what it will do to benefit us all in the future, and how companies can use it to make their operations more efficient. Plus we look at some novel and surprising applications, including the links between eels and eclectic cars; bird migration patterns and hurricane predictions; and how insects have inspired robots and facial recognition.

In this episode, WGSN CEO Carla Buzasi and Martina unpack what a polycrisis is, how it’s impacting our lives and what the future holds for consumer brand relationships. Martina’s forecasts on this topic highlight a shift in what consumers demand from brands. In this discussion, she breaks down how brands can engage and sustain consumers who increasingly want more than just products and services.

Expect to hear details about how brands can evolve with consumers and the specific behaviours that will make them change how they operate. Martina also goes through examples of brand campaigns she feels have effectively pivoted and committed to new consumer needs.

On the one hand TikTok and other social media platforms surface music in very short snippets, so a song that lasts around three minutes stands little chance of a full airing. But on the other hand, TikTok is a fantastic global creator of viral earworms, so you could argue it’s an excellent window where artists can show off their work. 

These are some of the things that Carla Buzasi talks to Kelly Betts about in this episode of Lives of Tomorrow, where we discuss the future of music. Kelly is the Editor of BBC Introducing, BBC Radio's platform supporting unsigned, undiscovered, and under-the-radar UK music talent. It launched in 2007 and has helped support the careers of artists including The 1975, Florence and the Machine and Tom Grennan. 

Carla and Kelly also consider whether AI can write the perfect pop song, why concerts were the first thing to bounce back after the pandemic, and how music engages us in a way that nothing else can. 

Jordan is a psychosexual and relationship psychotherapist who runs a busy private practice in London, and is also an associate at The Thought House Partnership. She sees eroticism as an essential dimension of being human, and says there are no limits to achieving optimal sexuality. She talks to Carla about how she sees relationships evolving in the future, and describes a recent visit to a new AI sex hotel in Berlin which opened her eyes to what the future might bring. 

Carla and Jordan also discuss how to know when therapy ends (or if it ever does); how watching porn could impact our sex lives; and what relationships will look like in the future.

Gaia left a career in journalism to undertake a first-hand investigation of climate change, and in particular its impact on poor and indigenous communities around the world. Her experience has informed a series of books, her latest being Nomad Century: How to Survive the Climate Upheaval, which explores how we can plan for and manage climate migration, and how we can restore the planet to a habitable state. The Financial Times called it “a future atlas of human geography, showing where will be habitable and for how many”.

Carla and Gaia discuss how climate-related migration could help solve some of its impacts, and the concept of ‘just transition’ – moving to a more sustainable economy in a way that is fair for everyone. Gaia also shares her predictions for the future, and explains why it’s critical to act now and have a vision for our future cities, so that infrastructure is in place for our fast-evolving world.

Debbie is based in Singapore, and before moving into trend forecasting at WGSN, she worked as a journalist for most of her career, covering retail and consumer news, and spending time in Hong Kong, where she wrote about China and the region for global publications such as BBC Monitoring. One of her most recent forecasts at WGSN looks at the landscape of sexual awareness in APAC, and its global impact.

Key takeaways from the forecast include data on the billion dollar adult toy industry in China, an increased desire to explore sexuality in APAC, and why ageing populations and decreasing fertility rates are making authorities in the region rethink their approach to sex.

Debbie talks Carla through why there is an increased appetite to explore sexual desire in APAC, and why more people are seeking alternatives to marriage. Plus they explore what this increased consumer base means for brands in the space, and how they can engage and sustain relationships with consumers.

Learn more about WGSN forecasts here.

In this episode of Lives of Tomorrow, WGSN CEO Carla Buzasi speaks to British journalist Kamal Ahmed about the future of news.

Kamal is the Editor In Chief and Co Founder of The News Movement and with a career spanning three decades, in both print and broadcast journalism, he’s seen the media landscape evolve. As usual on Lives of Tomorrow, we look forward to discussing forecasts and innovations that impact how we’ll live in the future.

In this episode, Kamal and Carla debate the future of news, what younger audiences want, ways to engage them and how storytelling is changing. Kamal opesn up about his career pivot leaving behind the BBC, where he was Editorial Director of News, to help create a new media company with the mission of engaging and catering to younger audiences. 

Carla was founding Editor-in-Chief of The Huffington Post UK and like Kamal has a wealth of experience as a journalist. In this conversation we hear about Carla’s journey in journalism and chart how the media landscape has changed over time.

Together, Kamal and Carla share insights into ways to engage a younger audience, where to reach them and crucially how to maintain that engagement. A timely conversation, with the Ofcom News Consumption Survey data reflected in this episode. A key finding from the survey highlighted 12-15 year olds in the UK get their news from Tik-Tok. Kamal talks about the audience being front and centre in the thought process when sharing content across multiple platforms, and the science behind this.

As well as insights and expertise, we hear about Kamal, what makes him tick, his go to takeaway and why he doesn’t binge but consumes TV series that only begin with ‘B’.

In this episode of Lives of Tomorrow, Carla Buzasi, CEO of WGSN, speaks with Ziad Ahmed, a prominent 24-year-old figure from Gen Z. Gen Z are those individuals between the ages of 18 and 26 today. Ziad is an American-Muslim-Bangladeshi entrepreneur with a Yale degree in Political Science. He runs a marketing company that specializes in helping brands and manufacturers comprehend the mindset and behaviours of Gen Z.

In this episode Carla gets Ziad’s insights into the ways companies can engage, sustain and grow with a Gen Z audience. Drawing on his experience of consulting brands on how best to communicate with this cohort, Ziad explains the most effective ways of attracting a Gen-Z audience.

In an age where more and more information is AI-created, how do we gauge its authenticity?

This inspired Cassandra Napoli to write a forecast on this topic looking into fake news circulating online, and placing a spotlight on the implications of artificially manipulated content that warps reality.

Cassandra explains why it’s becoming difficult for reality to surface on social media platforms as AI becomes more sophisticated. Explaining how we are in an era where misinformation, filtered feeds and deep fakes are a reality, we must navigate with caution.

Carla and Cassandra also talk about how AI is impacting law and policy. In the US, there are proposals for full disclosure of AI in political adverts ahead of the elections next year. What implications will this have?

You can also hear analysis on media literacy, and how equipped we are to deal with the increasing challenges of distinguishing between the false and the fake.

Learn more about WGSN forecasts here.

In this episode of Lives of Tomorrow CEO of trend forecasting and consumer insight company WGSN Carla Buzasi and senior strategist Allyson Rees explore the key issues that will shape the ideas, rituals and economy of death in 2023 and beyond.

Allyson has covered death and rituals as part of WGSN’s consumer lifestyle coverage since 2017 and has just published a forecast called ‘The Future of Death’.

Two factors were key in producing this research, ageing populations and the pandemic. The latter brought the topic of death to the fore and there was an increase in discussion around death and dying on social media. Allyson and colleagues at WGSN followed this shift and were influential in the research into this forecast which spanned over an 18-month period.

In this episode Carla and Allyson discuss the future of death, attitudes and discussions on this topic and any shifts noticed as well as traditions and rituals that are emerging. You can also expect to hear conversations around how we talk about death, is it still taboo or are we changing our behaviours and talking about it, planning it and being open with our loved ones. 

In this episode, we cover:

• how we address death as a society
• sustainable funerals
• rituals
• economy of death in 2023 and beyond

Allyson shares the insights acquired through her research.

Learn more about her work here.

Brielle Saggese is an insight strategist at WGSN and writes forecasts on various topics. In her forecast ‘Remixing Religion’ Brielle explores how young people are engaging with faith, purpose and religious ideas in new ways. She studies how their search for meaning will impact in-person experiences, aesthetics and rituals in the US, UK and EMEA markets.

In this episode, we cover:

• Alternative religions
• Data charting the fastest growing religions
• Spirituality of religious public gatherings
• Impact social media is having on young people in relation to religion

Brielle shares the insights acquired through her research as well as her lived experience with religion from her childhood to now and how she navigates faith with host Carla Buzasi, CEO of trend forecasting and consumer insight company WGSN.

Learn more about her work here.

Rob launched his series ‘Dad, How Do I?’ after struggling dealing with the pain of an absent father. He posts tutorial videos to help other dads fill gaps in their knowledge to teach their kids and now has over 4 million followers. 

Rob talks about the future of fatherhood, how online communities can help fathers and how it makes him sad that his followers ask him simple things like how to tie their shoe laces.

Carla Buzasi, CEO of WGSN is joined by award-winning business columnist and brand consultant  Helen Edwards to discuss how tomorrow's brand growth will come from the fringes and how to get there first. In her latest book, "From Marginal to Mainstream," Helen outlines strategies for identifying and capitalising on emerging trends and subcultures. 

Expect to hear Carla and Helen discuss the rise of veganism, Helen’s forecast of emerging trends and how to stay ahead of the curve and succeed in the ever-changing world of business.

You're not alone. As mental health becomes a priority, social media platforms are stepping up with resources and solutions to promote a "care culture". 

In this episode, mental health advocate Jorge Alvarez shares his journey and how he's working with platforms like Tik Tok and Instagram to make social media safer and more inclusive. We also explore the future of care culture, what form it will take within apps and predict how this will impact creators and users.

Join WGSN CEO Carla Buzasi as she interviews Jorge and explores the rise of the caring economy, it’s future and the importance of digital rest stops for creators and users alike. Discover how social media care culture can improve our wellbeing and communities, both online and offline.

In this episode of Lives of Tomorrow, Carla Buzasi sits down with sustainable travel pioneer Sonu Shivdasani OBE to talk the future of travel.

Sonu is CEO and joint creative director of the sustainable Soneva resorts brand.

Carla and Sonu recently published a white paper The Future Traveller, a joint project between WGSN and Soneva. The report focuses on the evolving demands of tomorrow's traveller who wants a more sustainable approach to their travel options. White paper available here - https://bit.ly/3MGcnQT

According to research conducted by Oxford University, AI is predicted to save 40% of the time we currently spend on household work. In this interview with Professor Ekaterina Hertog, lead researcher behind the study, Carla Buzasi explores what this means for the future and how AI will impact jobs. Additionally, they discuss how robots will handle the knowledge they learn about us when they enter our homes.

Read more about Mike Lee here:

https://thefuturemarket.substack.com/

How will this affect their lives in the years to come? In this episode of Lives of Tomorrow, Andrea Bell, Director of Insight at WGSN talks to Carla Buzasi about her research and predictions on the anxious generations and how we can help them to deal with their fears about the future.