Enhanced Automation
Foresight Trend
What Would We Do in a Fully Automated, Sustainable World?
Automation has the potential to dramatically reduce the resources needed to provide individuals with a safe and comfortable life, all while minimizing humanity’s environmental footprint. However, full automation has its limits—especially when it comes to emotions, meaning, and the value of human-driven experiences.
So what might life look like in a highly advanced society?
A Vision of the Future
Imagine a world where:
- Most repetitive and low-value tasks are automated
- Renewable energy is the norm, with efficient systems managing production and consumption
- Social structures are designed to be fair—both among humans and between species Most repetitive and low-value tasks are automated
Renewable energy is the norm, with efficient systems managing production and consumption
Social structures are designed to be fair—both among humans and between species
In such a world, the remaining responsibilities and opportunities would center on creativity, exploration, and connection.
A New Kind of Daily Life
Even in a fully automated society, people would still find value in:
- Eating and drinking as sensory, cultural, and communal experiences
- Entertainment and sports for fun, expression, and physical well-being
- Learning and socializing, which fulfill our natural curiosity and emotional needs
- Travel & Migration, driven by a desire for diversity and change Eating and drinking as sensory, cultural, and communal experiences
Entertainment and sports for fun, expression, and physical well-being
Learning and socializing, which fulfill our natural curiosity and emotional needs
Travel & Migration, driven by a desire for diversity and change
The search for renewal and inspiration would shape how we spend our time—through new experiences, personal growth, and ongoing exploration.
Humanity’s Deeper Purpose
Beyond personal fulfillment, humanity could embrace new collective missions:
- Caring for wildlife and restoring ecosystems could become a core societal responsibility
- Exploring space in search of other life forms and understanding our place in the universe could inspire generations Caring for wildlife and restoring ecosystems could become a core societal responsibility
Exploring space in search of other life forms and understanding our place in the universe could inspire generations
What This Means for Today
Far from making life meaningless, a future built on sustainability and automation opens up new possibilities—for joy, curiosity, connection, and purpose.
And importantly, this isn't just a dream for tomorrow. There is plenty to do today to build the foundation for that future—by rethinking how we live, what we value, and how we care for one another and the planet.