David Wood
@dw-2.bsky.social
Chair, London Futurists. Executive Director of LEV Foundation. Author or Lead Editor of 12 books about the future. PDA/smartphone pioneer. Symbian co-founder
Medicine
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David Wood
@dw-2.bsky.social
· May 23
Hello Bluesky!
Anyone looking for mind-expanding future-focused content should find plenty to savour in londonfuturists.buzzsprout.com
Anyone looking for mind-expanding future-focused content should find plenty to savour in londonfuturists.buzzsprout.com
PauseCon Brussels 2026
Join us for PauseCon in Brussels, February 21-23rd 2026. A development and training event for anyone interested in volunteering for PauseAI.
pausecon.org
PS For more details about PauseCon Brussels 2026, see pausecon.org
Here's the specification I've given myself for a workshop I'll be leading on Sunday morning at PauseCon Brussels. I've already got lots of ideas for the content of the workshop, but I'll welcome any suggestions for what I should find time to include.
Just announced: an online London Futurists conversation on 25th Feb: "From Bad to Bright Future: How to make it happen" with lead provocateur Tony Czarnecki. Free to attend. More details at www.meetup.com/london-futur...
Some images from my opening slides at the ICfS session on "Harnessing AI for Water Resilience and Sustainable Growth" on Monday, 10:30 – 11:25 AM IST, in West Wing Room 6, Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi - part of the Global AI Impact Summit. Free registration: impact.indiaai.gov.in/registration
The Economics of Abundance: Achieving it and Sustaining It
YouTube video by London Futurists
www.youtube.com
I scripted and recorded this video today following an excellent discussion on these topics yesterday with London Futurists: "The Economics of Abundance: Achieving it and Sustaining It". It seems to have come out pretty well. I hope you find it interesting! www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGhz...
The Economics of Abundance (Discord Swarm), Wed, Feb 11, 2026, 7:30 PM | Meetup
If we handle technology wisely - nanotech, biotech, infotech, cognotech, and more - we could soon reach a global situation of sustainable abundance for everyone.
That's an
www.meetup.com
For more details, and a link to the event in the London Futurists Discord, see www.meetup.com/london-futur...
Here are some headlines from the slides I have prepared to introduce the London Futurists discussion later today (7:30pm UK time) on "The Economics of Abundance: Achieving it and Sustaining it"
What we must never give away to AI, Tue, Feb 10, 2026, 7:00 PM | Meetup
As AI systems become more capable and more widely deployed, what are the human principles and practices that it will be especially important for us to retain and uphold, an
www.meetup.com
This conversation will take place as a Zoom Meeting. For more details and the links to join, see www.meetup.com/london-futur...
I've prepared my scene-setting remarks for tomorrow's online London Futurists discussion, "What we must never give away to AI". Despite huge uncertainty over near-future developments, there are six trends that we should continue to keep in mind
Horizons in Ethics & Emerging Technologies (HEET 2026)
Dive into the future at HEET 2026, where ethics meet the latest tech face-to-face!
www.eventbrite.com
It's in-person only, free to attend, but pre-registration is essential. To apply for one of the remaining tickets visit www.eventbrite.com/e/biglietti-...
The inaugural conference of the Hub for Ethics and Emerging Technologies (HEET) will take place on 16th April Collegio Carlo Alberto, Turin. Consider attending if you're interested or concerned about human enhancement tech, trustworthy AI development, and/or quantum technologies
Learning with Machines
YouTube video by London Futurists
www.youtube.com
Used wisely, AI can boost learning significantly. Some schools and universities have already worked out how to obtain good results from it - without students resorting to "cheating". But are there bigger dangers lurking? Topics covered in this recording www.youtube.com/watch?v=ti4U...
The Economics of Abundance (Discord Swarm), Wed, Feb 11, 2026, 7:30 PM | Meetup
If we handle technology wisely - nanotech, biotech, infotech, cognotech, and more - we could soon reach a global situation of sustainable abundance for everyone.
That's an
www.meetup.com
More details here: www.meetup.com/london-futur...
Taking place in the London Futurists Discord at 7:30pm UK time this Wednesday (11th Feb): An exploration of "The Economics of Abundance: Achieving it and Sustaining it"
S Korean crypto firm accidentally pays out $40bn in bitcoin
The company quickly realised its mistake and managed to recover virtually all the missing tokens from customers.
www.bbc.co.uk
"In bitcoin we trust?" - what could possibly go wrong? www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Can we change the future?
Dear Futurists, If we don’t like the future that seems to be on our doorstep, what can we do about it? In our most recent webinar, last Saturday, Gerd Leonhard pointed out features of what he…
londonfuturists.com
5) Midweek futurist events – Tuesday and Wednesday
6) How billionaires die – and what they should do about it.
Read the full newsletter here: londonfuturists.com/2026/02/06/c...
6) How billionaires die – and what they should do about it.
Read the full newsletter here: londonfuturists.com/2026/02/06/c...
Items in this newsletter:
1) March for AI Safety – Sat 28th Feb
2) Slowing down the rush towards dangerous new forms of AI
3) Learning with Machines – tomorrow, 7th February
4) Special guests at our forthcoming Freaky and Fabulous Futures event
(continued)
1) March for AI Safety – Sat 28th Feb
2) Slowing down the rush towards dangerous new forms of AI
3) Learning with Machines – tomorrow, 7th February
4) Special guests at our forthcoming Freaky and Fabulous Futures event
(continued)
"Can we change the future?" - the latest newsletter from London Futurists. It provides two answers to that question: "not much" and "a great deal"
David Wood
@dw-2.bsky.social
· 11d
Removing the pressure to rush
Here’s an argument with a conclusion that may surprise you. The topic is how to reduce the risks of existential or catastrophic outcomes from forthcoming new generations of AI. The conclusion is th…
dw2blog.com
The conclusion is these risks can be reduced by funding some key laboratory experiments involving middle-aged mice – experiments that have a good probability of demonstrating a significant increase in the healthspan and lifespan of these mice."
See dw2blog.com/2026/02/05/r...
See dw2blog.com/2026/02/05/r...
David Wood
@dw-2.bsky.social
· 11d
That's the theme of my latest personal blogpost.
Quote: "Here’s an argument with a conclusion that may surprise you.
The topic is how to reduce the risks of existential or catastrophic outcomes from forthcoming new generations of AI."
Quote: "Here’s an argument with a conclusion that may surprise you.
The topic is how to reduce the risks of existential or catastrophic outcomes from forthcoming new generations of AI."
David Wood
@dw-2.bsky.social
· 11d
Reducing AI risk isn't just about slowing down. It's also about removing the pressure to rush.
David Wood
@dw-2.bsky.social
· 15d
Take Back Tomorrow with Gerd Leonhard
YouTube video by London Futurists
www.youtube.com
Forthright, hard-hitting, visionary, and (despite all the references to "the bad future") ultimately upbeat - A recording of yesterday's London Futurists webinar "Take Back Tomorrow" featuring Gerd Leonhard and Liselotte Lyngsø is now available. Highly recommended! www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Wga...
David Wood
@dw-2.bsky.social
· 17d
Meet the Vitalists: the hardcore longevity enthusiasts who believe death is “wrong”
They argue we need a revolution—and more and more influential scientists, funders, and politicians are taking them seriously.
www.technologyreview.com
"Meet the Vitalists: the hardcore longevity enthusiasts who believe death is 'wrong'" - a sympathetic, thoughtful account of what is likely to become an increasing powerful narrative in the years ahead www.technologyreview.com/2026/01/29/1...
David Wood
@dw-2.bsky.social
· 18d
Seven forthcoming futurist and futurist-adjacent events
Dear Futurists, It has never been harder to predict the future. That’s because of: Multiple fast-changing new technological capabilities, happening in parallel, with hard-to-predict interacti…
londonfuturists.com
9) Wow! or Yeow?! 2026: tomorrow;
10) My conversation with James of Ârc.
And don't miss the preamble to the newsletter:
6 reasons why it's never been harder to predict the future, and 7 profound trends that, nevertheless, seem likely to continue.
londonfuturists.com/2026/01/29/s...
10) My conversation with James of Ârc.
And don't miss the preamble to the newsletter:
6 reasons why it's never been harder to predict the future, and 7 profound trends that, nevertheless, seem likely to continue.
londonfuturists.com/2026/01/29/s...
David Wood
@dw-2.bsky.social
· 18d
4) Participatory and Deliberative Democracy in the Digital Age: Thu 5th Feb;
5) Learning With Machines: Sat 7th Feb;
6) What We Must Never Give Away to AI: Tue 10th Feb;
7) Freaky Futures and Fabulous Futures: Fri 13th Feb;
8) My conversation with Ezra Chapman;
(continued)
5) Learning With Machines: Sat 7th Feb;
6) What We Must Never Give Away to AI: Tue 10th Feb;
7) Freaky Futures and Fabulous Futures: Fri 13th Feb;
8) My conversation with Ezra Chapman;
(continued)
David Wood
@dw-2.bsky.social
· 18d
"Seven forthcoming futurist and futurist-adjacent events" - the latest newsletter from London Futurists:
1) Take Back Tomorrow: Sat 31st Jan;
2) Pull The Plug launch: Mon 2nd Feb;
3) The Adolescence of Technology: Wed 4th Feb;
(continued)
1) Take Back Tomorrow: Sat 31st Jan;
2) Pull The Plug launch: Mon 2nd Feb;
3) The Adolescence of Technology: Wed 4th Feb;
(continued)
David Wood
@dw-2.bsky.social
· 21d
Learning with Machines, Sat, Feb 7, 2026, 4:00 PM | Meetup
Many of us are making increasing use of AI systems to help us study, conduct research, develop forecasts, draft policies, and explore all sorts of new possibilities. The re
www.meetup.com
Our panellists will be reflecting on their own experiences over the last 12 months, and offering advice for wiser use of AI systems in a range of important life tasks. For more details, and to register to attend this live London Futurists webinar, see www.meetup.com/london-futur...
David Wood
@dw-2.bsky.social
· 21d
When we use AI, how can we handle the chaos of too much information, the distractions of superficiality, the vulnerabilities of expediency, the treachery of hype, the deceit of hallucinations, and the shrivelling of human capability in the wake of abdication of responsibility?
David Wood
@dw-2.bsky.social
· 21d
Just announced: "Learning with Machines", on Sat 7th Feb. Futurists Bruce Lloyd, Peter Scott, and Alexandra Whittington will be highlighting opportunities and risks of involving AI when we study, conduct research, develop forecasts, draft policies, and explore new possibilities
David Wood
@dw-2.bsky.social
· 22d
On Thursday (29th Jan), the venerable Cambridge Union will debate "This House Believes Science Should Pursue Immortality". Anyone with a life membership of that union (my card dates, ahem, from 1978) and who is in the vicinity, may wish to consider attending