So you’re a futurist?
Yes, I look at the future and think about how the world’s changing. I look at technology but I also think about how society’s changing in general. I work with different organisations to see how they can adapt. Some companies that might have been making good livings in the 20th century are struggling in the 21st.
What sort of companies?
It could be anything. For example, we’ve worked with a credit card organisation to imagine what the brand might look like in the future and how the cards will work with other devices. We’ve also teamed up with food companies to discuss the future of sugar, which is seen as the new pariah. But we work with a wide range of companies and look at general trends in society. Ultimately we want to try and create a happier and more satisfied population.
So what is the future? Will we be taken over by robots?
Not exactly. But it’s thought that around a third of all jobs will disappear in the next 20 years and will be carried out by software, robots or smart machines.
Full-time jobs won’t be an option for many people so we’ll need to look at how we can live with less, especially with a rising population. Basic capitalism is already having to be modified, many things will come with replaceable parts, and we’ll be recycling and reusing. We’ll rediscover what our grandparents did.
We’ll be greener?
In a sense, yes. It’s happening already – it’s like plastic bags going out of fashion. Computers don’t get replaced every three to four years anymore. We’ll be able to Google replaceable parts instead of having to buy a new device. 3D printing in people’s homes is the future. We’ll be able to dynamically print missing parts, this will have a huge impact on the logistics industry.
Does that mean we’re back to robots?
Lots of sectors will disappear or die out, especially those that form part of a supply chain such as travel agents and estate agents – we don’t need them. Many of those jobs that people were being trained for a decade ago will disappear. We need to imagine what kind of jobs will replace them.
So we’re all doomed?
Not at all, things will just change. We’ll go back to making things again. People will want something that’s a one-off so businesses will be looking how they can mass produce boutique items locally. There’ll also be huge growth in the biotech and biocomputing industries – we’ll move to a chemical and biology-based world fairly quickly.
How do we get there?
I run a Hyper Island course where I take groups of 20-something students on a journey of self-discovery. They’re so open-minded about the ways they can change the world. There’s a problem that lots of universities are having to cut arts courses, and it’s going to be a massive issue for the UK to be competitive in the arts. You get creative and digital people together and that’s when magic happens.
So the future’s bright?
I see myself as more of an enabler, working with companies to imagine how things might change. For example, the end of darkness occurred when we invented matches in 1827. Fast forward to future predictions that include the end of getting lost (mapping in every smart device: 2016) through to air travel ceasing with the invention of teleportation in 2100. To a certain extent, it doesn’t matter if we’re right or wrong, it’s all about thinking differently.
Join us for tea and cake with Mike Ryan for our Guardian Local Teatime talk at Ziferblat, Manchester on 9 September. To find what other events are coming up and how to book tickets visit Guardian Members.
