Portrait of a Futurist

Our Ipsos Trends & Foresight experts set out to explore the views of futurists by partnering with the Global Futures Society, an organisation that brings together futurists, scenario planners and foresight analysts to create a global view and enable institutional collaboration across regions and sectors.

We asked their members and other futurists from around the world to participate in a unique survey, asking the same questions that Ipsos posed to more than 52,000 people in 50 markets worldwide in our Ipsos Global Trends study. More than 120 futurists took part in the survey.

Our aim was to uncover the differences between those who shape the future and everyday citizens. We found some distinct similarities – and a few sharp distinctions – that help us understand how futurists think, and what we can learn from their perspectives.

When we asked futurists which trends they thought would most shape the future, three key themes emerged:

1. The rapid development of technology, especially AI: Only 27% of futurists think that “technical progress is destroying our lives” vs. 57% of the global population
2. Climate change/sustainability: 96% of futurists believe “we are heading for environmental disaster unless we change our habits quickly” vs. 80% of the global population
3. Geopolitical instability/shifts: Only 56% of futurists think “the world today is changing too fast” vs. 83% of the global population

Download the report below to learn more about what futurists believe about themselves, the present, and what’s next.