In his new book, Physics of the Future: How Science Will Shape Human Destiny and Our Daily Lives by the Year 2100, world renowned theoretical physicist and futurologist Michio Kaku shared his view, and those of 300 other global top scientists, about what is in store for the rest of this century. In his Premier Business Leadership Series presentation, "How Science Will Change Daily and Business Life," Michio forecasted the next 30 years and how advances in science and technology will affect both businesses and individuals. (I have read the book and can whole-heartedly recommend it.)

What struck me most about Michio’s presentation was that it was not some starry-eyed optimist’s view of a world filled with protein pills and rocket cars; he has conducted over 300 interviews with leading scientists and researchers around the globe and much of what he introduced to us as widely available within 30 years already exists in the lab or is a natural and logical extension of currently available technologies.

Michio postulates that wealth comes in waves and is restless – disruptive innovations lead to fabulous wealth creation, which leads to mass speculation and then, inevitably, to economic crashes. Michio cites 3 examples from the last 250 years:

1. The ‘steam age’ of the 1800s, followed by the economic crash of 1850s.
2. Electricity & automobiles in early 1900 and the crash of 1929.
3. The ‘high tech’ wave of 1960-2000 and the crash of 2008.Michio speculates that the next wave will also be led by high-tech industries such as ubiquitous telecommunications and computers, biotechnology, artificial intelligence and nanotechnology and the quantum Era.

Michio introduced the audience to some specific advances that are likely to transform our lives over the next 30 years:

• Internet glasses (contact lenses) – providing real time, augmented reality (unlimited virtual information superimposed on reality) seamlessly overlaid onto the real world.
• Screen technologies – cheap, flexible screens of any size of shape; small & cheap enough to be discarded like paper; large enough to cover entire walls and all of them continuously online.
• Processors in everything – Moore’s law will inevitably lead to the development of computing chips so small and cheap they can be included in everything – permanently connected to each other and sharing/updating data continuously.
• Self-driving cars – relieving congestion, eliminating accidents and freeing the drive to use commuting time for something else (assuming any of us are still commuting by then).
• Mass customisation – where unique information is linked to customisable manufacturing to produce ‘tailored’ products in almost every sphere of business.
  Add to this the inexorable march to what Michio calls ‘perfect capitalism’ – where the consumer has ‘perfect knowledge’ about a product, brand or supplier. Producers will need to use knowledge, intelligence and service to differentiate.

Looking slightly further afield, Michio also discussed:

• Advances in biotechnologies (smart, miniature diagnostic tools, advanced medical sensors, gene and nano-therapies) that realistically hold out hope of eliminating many common diseases and ultimately may even lead to ways to combat ageing. These technologies will also provide new ways to directly interact with the brain.
• Robotics – smart, helpful assistants that can take on many of the repetitive, mundane or even dangerous tasks that humans have to do today. Michio introduce the audience to robot nurses in Japan – one approach under investigation to address an ageing population that will need both care and companionship.
• Nano and quantum technologies – computers and machines so small they can live within a cell.In conclusion, Michio predicts that the workplace and the market place will change dramatically within the space of just one century; losers will be those that engage in repetitive tasks or act as ‘middle men’ – much of these tasks can already be done with robots or computers; the winners will be those that work in non-repetitive fields or draw on ‘intelligence’ in areas like leadership or creativity – what Michio terms ‘intellectual capitalism’.

  The future Michio describes is not to be feared; it will mean dramatic changes in work, leisure, politics and the arts, but in the end, our humanity will become our most valuable asset. What we in the audience should take from this is that the future cannot be delayed – it is being created every day, every hour, and every moment – and that it is a lot closer than many of us realised.