Global experts discuss the role of artificial intelligence in the future of humans, planet and nature

Dubai, November 19, 2025: International experts predicted, on the second day of the Dubai Future Forum 2025: The largest global gathering of experts and designers of the future and its international institutions from about 100 countries at the “Museum of the Future”. The human future can be designed and the Earth’s resources can be sustained in cooperation and partnership and stimulating the imagination to achieve ambition by benefiting from scientific progress, knowledge accumulation and conscious and responsible artificial intelligence.

Within the five main themes of the Dubai Future Forum 2025, which included an in-depth look at the future, exploring the unknown, the future of societies, the future of health, and the future of systems, the speakers presented qualitative strategic visions that outline global future trends.

Within the theme of exploring the unknown, and in a session entitled “What future awaits the Earth when the polar ice melts?” Dr. Allison Christitello from the Canadian Ice Laboratory said that after decades of working in the polar regions, it can be said that the melting of ice has become a real wake-up call. The shocking truth today is that our decisions and actions, no matter how small they seem, leave an impact deep in the polar ice. The plastic bottle we throw away or the clothes we wear may ultimately affect the fragile environments of the poles.

She added that the interconnectedness between us and the planet requires awareness of our individual and collective responsibility, and taking effective steps to understand and address invisible risks before it is too late.

In turn, Ragnar Axelsson, photographer and filmmaker, said that the melting of ice at the poles leaves devastating effects on the lives, traditions and future of entire peoples, sharing poignant stories that reflect the extent of anxiety and despair that afflicts fishermen and indigenous people as they witness the collapse of their way of life as a result of climate change.

He added that hope is no less important than any technological solution, and that art and storytelling are powerful tools to restore hope and build resilience in forgotten communities.

Wassim Saeed from the Emirates Polar Program pointed out that what is happening in the poles is not just a distant environmental issue, but rather an indication of real global risks, from rising sea levels to food security.

He explained that no country is immune from the repercussions of the melting of ice in the poles, which now threatens supply chains, climate, and global social and economic stability. He said: “We face a shared responsibility to harmonize policies, science, and innovation, and to work together as scientists, governments, decision-makers, and individuals, to enhance our resources, resilience, and readiness to protect the communities and economies most at risk.”

Within the theme of the future of societies, and in the session “How do museums and art galleries contribute to designing the future?” Marina Pique, from the Museum of Tomorrow, stated that the primary goal of the artist’s work is to embody human motives and aspirations. She stressed that the focus is on providing spaces that enable an integrated experience that addresses all senses. She stressed that teamwork based on artistic diversity yields better results, despite the difficulties that come with multilingualism and different visions.

For her part, Megan Tamati Quinnell, curator of Maori and indigenous arts, considered that the future role of the artist carries with it a deep moral and cultural responsibility, and a commitment to preserving indigenous human knowledge, and called for a conscious commitment to promoting pluralism and inclusivity in voices and viewpoints.

In turn, Hassan Rajab from HsnRgb Studio pointed out that complexity is an essential element in artistic work, stressing the importance of exploring this pluralism and honesty with oneself in the artistic field, because it is a source of inspiration for authentic creativity.

Within the theme of the future of health, and in the session “How do radical medical innovations reshape the future of human health?” Professor Sir Konstantin Novoselov, from the National University of Singapore, said that some of the decisions made by the brain can be copied today, and in our research we are trying to learn how to deal with the nerve currents of the brain, so that we can enhance healing capabilities through medications or specialized devices.

He added that people’s mentality has changed from reservation about new inventions to curiosity towards knowing and understanding more, no matter how bold the ideas are, and perhaps we will learn the language of animals so that we can communicate with other types of living creatures.

For his part, Dr. Tim Sievers, from BlackRock Neurotech, presented an overview of brain-computer interfaces, and said: “We are developing electronics that can be integrated with the human brain to monitor and study nerve currents in relation to movement, speech, and other things. These technologies are used with patients who suffer from difficulty speaking or moving, and the development taking place in brain-computer interfaces may reach the stage of restoring the ability to move, see, hear, or touch to those who have lost them.”

Within the focus of an in-depth look into the future, Geraldine Wessing from Shell, Lauren Braverman from PepsiCo, and Maria Akerlund from Inter IKEA Group discussed, “Foresight strategies in global companies.”

The speakers pointed to the rapid transformation in the role of institutional foresight within global companies, as foresight is no longer merely the production of future ideas, but rather has become a pivotal tool in strategic planning and building long-term scenarios.

The speakers stressed the importance of involving various work teams in foresight processes, with the need to include its direct impact in current and future decisions to ensure that departments adopt it and not view it as a luxury.

The speakers discussed the growing role of modern technologies, especially artificial intelligence, in supporting the analysis of internal and external factors and environments that govern the work of companies, stressing that technology cannot replace human skills in imagining future paths and understanding complex organizational contexts.

Within the theme of the future of systems, and in a session entitled “How does imagination turn into an engine for change?”, Dr. Julian Bleeker, from the Near Future Laboratory, stressed that “artificial intelligence is an accelerator, has amazing ability, and has enormous potential. It is a tool that helps us explore, train, and test different scenarios, but we are still the ones who decide our destination and the nature of the world we want to be in.”

For her part, Dawn Lim, from the Design Council of Singapore, said that using artificial intelligence for imagination is better than any of us can do, and with technology, we are able to translate our most creative and innovative imaginations into realistic artistic products.

Dima Boulad, Head of the Design Research Department at Dubai Design Lab, presented the need for imagination to have some kind of guidance, and a space of support and care to take place. She said that there is power in making your mind go towards possibilities and exploring spontaneous opportunities. Our role is to preserve the richness of our imagination, and to decide what we do with it responsibly and ethically.

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