Trend researcher Horx: Artificial intelligence is overrated

Futurologist Horx has discovered trends in the digital world, in how society deals with eco-questions and in politics . In his estimation, they will employ people in the new year and beyond.

Frankfurt / Main (dpa) – The trend and futurologist Matthias Horx considers the topicartificial intelligence to be rather overrated. It has become “a kind of fetish – a hype that creates dangerous illusions”.

“Most real-world problems are far too complex and” alive “to be solved by data systems,” said the sociologist and director of the Zukunftsinstitut in Frankfurt am Mainin an interview with the German Press Agency . That also applies to autonomous driving.

It’s time for a “digital honesty”: ” Computers and robots can not regulate care, reduce poverty, or slow traffic, and we need smarter social, humane systems.”

Horx sees the social media channels in a digital crisis . “The social media make people addicted to social affirmation, and the” like “button acts on the soul like sugar on the organism,” he said. “But these are empty emotional calories, spreading his life on the net eventually leads to self-expression narcissism that quickly turns into depression and self-doubt.”

In addition, there would be hatred and attacks on democracy in the social networks. “That’s why Facebook and co. Are currently losing millions of users and the heyday of the digital illusion is over, it’s about a new phase, a humanistic digitization,” said Horx .

The researcher also sees a trend towards radical honesty. Companies tried to be radically honest with themselves and their fellow human beings. “There is already a psychology movement of the same name, but the trend is also becoming visible in corporate strategies, especially after experiencing the banks and the diesel scandal.” More and more companies are reviewing their ecological, communicative, substantial credibility because otherwise they will be seriously shipwrecked “, was Horx . As examples he named the Deutsche Bank or VW . “Honesty is incredibly difficult, because we are busy the whole day pretending ourselves and others.”

Horx hopes to say that in the new year instead of “hysteria and populism topics such as” terror / poverty / migration “” positive fascination issues emerge. “The moon landing will be the 50th anniversary of 2019. I imagine a new space longing comes up, a space age 2.0, and people are looking for a way out,” he said.

The very hot summer of 2018 has made it clear to many people that global warming is changing something in their lives. “Especially young people today are more willing to change than ever in terms of nutrition, lifestyle and mobility,” said Horx . “And they also feel like this change, not just fear or indignation, there will be a new youth revolt with ecological issues in the next few years.”

The futurologist also sees a movement towards rural life: “This is the progressive province: After the trend in the cities in the next phase back to the country, in regions that are cosmopolitan and creative,” he said.