We measure progress in cold metrics: context windows ballooning to millions of tokens, benchmarks in math and coding shattered like glass, reasoning sharpened to a blade’s edge. Yet this is no longer about organizing chaos or hoarding knowledge—it’s about transcending both to shape a technological society of understanding. We’ve built machines that will now reason beyond us, tools so potent they mock our romantic hope to retain something worth reasoning about. Consciousness in these entities? Irrelevant. Their power eclipses every artifact of human history, and we stand, mouths agape, at the precipice of our own obsolescence as we welcome the homo obsoletus. 

We live in a time of truncated messages. Tweets replace debate, opinions drown out knowledge, and our society operates less in a mode of reflection than one of reaction. The mere fact that J.D. Vance attended the Munich Security Conference, and that Alice Weidel—yes, I have to pause in 2025 to even say this—represents the second-strongest political party in the so-called “land of poets and thinkers” underscores this reactive era.

OpenEuroLLM – this is the name of Europe’s new vision in the digital race. Under the banners of “AI Made in Europe” and “Shaping Europe’s Digital Future,” 20 leading European entities—including renowned universities, research institutions, companies, and European high-performance computing initiatives (EuroHPC) —are working together to catch up. However, the planned budget of 58 million dollars seems rather modest, especially considering the United States recently invested 56 billion US dollars in GenAI projects. The name “OpenEuroLLM” also doesn’t sound quite as impactful as Lama, Groc, Claude, or their well-known friend GPT.

We stand at the threshold of a new year, ready to pack away the holiday lights and mulled wine as we hurl ourselves headlong into 2025. And yet, a subtle, gnawing regret lingers. It’s that uneasy sense that the “me-first” society—the single-minded pursuit of our own validation—has set deeper roots in our daily lives than ever before. Moments that could be devoted to collective action, or at least mutual reflection, are overshadowed by ceaseless attempts to get ahead or outdo others.

A World of Wonders What are the implications of a world where every question has an answer, where every problem has a solution? When the pursuit of knowledge has reached its peak, and the collective human intellect stands at the pinnacle of enlightenment. The Syncretic Era, a harmonized world, a mythical enlightenment—Perfect Knowledge—a world where every conversation has been held and every puzzle solved.

In the early 16th century, the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León searched the ‘New World’ for the Fountain of Youth, a mythical source said to grant eternal life. 500 years later, many scientists and technology enthusiasts believe we are on the brink of a breakthrough in the field of longevity. The pursuit still aims at the Fountain of Youth, but now, thanks to the rapid rise of LLMs, we drink from another, eerily similar source of life: the foundation of truth. Once eternal youth is achieved, we yearn for eternal truth. It seems to me that we strive to drink from the »Fountain of Truth«, believing that with perfect knowledge we can overcome our mortal limitations.

Let's be clear: I don't own a Tesla Bot or a Porsche 911. But could a robot driver be the bridge to autonomous driving? Will we be packing our household robot—one that helps our kids with homework and cares for grandma—into our suitcase when we jet off on vacation? Or will it be sitting next to us on the plane?

“Preparing for a radical restart and some kind of Biblical end-time?”

In 2017, I wrote an outlook with predictions on ‘our future’. Admittedly, not all forecasts were precise—some missed by years or got distorted by wars and the pandemic. Yet, as I stumbled upon the article last week, I was struck by a familiar realization: the course of anticipating technological progress and its potential futures are not only observable but seem predictable, from how progress seems to happen.

Following the journalistic perception in advance, Davos 2024 initially seemed something like a crisis meeting. Restoring trust. In science, politics, and especially in the economy. That was the core theme of this year's World Economic Forum. However, it became clear during the week: The World Economic Forum has become a showcase and competition of global capitalism. Economy drives change.

In an era where the very fabric of our existence is tested – whether by the impending doom of climate change, the challenges of burgeoning technologies, the gnawing pain of hunger, or the intricate dance of geopolitics – it's in Kyiv that I find a pulse. A pulse that resonates with hope, resilience, and an undying spirit. Here, amidst ancient streets and modern aspirations, a community converges, not just to survive, but to thrive and redefine.

Why we must not only feel life, but above all fill it in order to be able to enjoy a fulfilling life.

The year 2006 holds symbolic significance for this epiphany in my journey. That year, Linde's then-CEO Wolfgang Reitzle was honored as Manager of the Year in Germany. Coincidentally, this accolade came just as our agency secured Linde as a client. My daily life oscillated between elite team-handball and entrepreneurship—a challenging blend, but one I passionately embraced, immersing myself in the evolution.

Mark has been captain of the MS Europa for 40 years. He is now handing over the helm to his successor. A young colleague who is highly regarded, very competent and equally likeable. Nevertheless, for the experts in the circle, he does not yet match Mark's empathy.

On the occasion of Mark's 60th birthday, he is described as "a phenomenal leadership figure". They say he's "deeply empathetic, always attuned to the feelings of his employees, quick to lend a sympathetic ear, and skilled at understanding guests' perspectives". His empathy is consistently highlighted as his signature strength.

In Istanbul's Atatürk Stadium, an imposing figure steps onto the sacred turf of the Champions League final. Erling Haaland, an undeniable beacon of football, one of the sporting giants of our time. At the same time on the ochre dust of Roland Garros, Casper Ruud prepares for another final, after his convincing 3-0 victory over Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals of the French Open.

In times when the boundaries between perceived reality and virtuality continue to blur, a pressing question emerges: Where has humanity gone? The threat lies not in the polarization of supposed opposites between analog and digital, but in the way we perceive the world. For in a virtual world, the perception of our own perception is just as real as in the supposed physical world.

The question “What is real?” can be traced back to the shadows in Plato’s cave. Two thousand years later, René Descartes lacked knowledge about arguing against an evil deceiver feeding us the illusion of sensation. Descartes’ epistemological concept later led to various theories of what our sensory experiences actually are.

A Plea for a New Performance Culture – Greta Thunberg and Luisa Neubauer won’t save the world. Yet, the outcry of the youth shows the urgency involved, and science points to the need for action. This is a model that has, indeed, led to some sensitization with respect to the climate crisis. But it also shows that fifty-two years after the first Earth Day, we’re rolling out our own changes far too slowly.

From the heaven of knowledge, a new creature of God has descended into the medial world. And his promise of salvation is quaero ergo tuum sit. Instead of cogito ergo sum—I think, therefore I am—it is now said, I search, therefore you are. So, praise the being. Praise ChatGPT, You.com, Google, and the Artificial Intelligences . . .

— Reflecting on Powerful Prescience and Reshaping Posterity‘s Future — Bonn, December 17, 1770: the first artist is born. To be more precise, this is likely the date of his baptism; the actual birthdate remains unknown. With him—Ludwig van Beethoven—art is poised to take on a creative role. Beethoven, already gifted from birth, will ultimately commit himself to art without compromise.

A Plea for a New Performance Culture – Greta Thunberg and Luisa Neubauer won’t save the world. Yet, the outcry of the youth shows the urgency involved, and science points to the need for action. This is a model that has, indeed, led to some sensitization with respect to the climate crisis. But it also shows that fifty-two years after the first Earth Day, we’re rolling out our own changes far too slowly.

“Subdue the earth!” With this instruction, the Old Testament God […]

The world and how I see it

Will there be a conscious revolution in a quantum world? Will we become obsolete?

Prosperity for future generations can only be achieved if there is a collective effort to strive for “dynamic equilibrium.”

We call the worldless memories in front of arbitrary backdrops “Our Moments” and “Our Stories.” These have now even reached an existential dimension: “I Instagram, therefore I am.”

Positive progress and innovation are driven by free societies that seek change. Change, however, is not a natural law.

Complexity and chaos of information. Uncertainties and ambiguities. A clusterfuck of paradoxes. How do we cope with the now? Here are 3 things you can do starting now:

We are getting closer to that time of the year. What will be new in 2017? Any resolutions? Start smoking? Stop smoking? What is it going to be?

Here are 3 things you should do in 2017 – and the good thing? You do not need to wait until January 1st.  Start tomorrow morning, and follow up in the next week.

#1. Set off time every week in your Calendar for something new. Something where you can face your fears or simply learn something new – or just play. It is not about finding a „work-life balance“, but rather a „life-life-balance“. Your „work-life“ should include play, and your „private life“ should also be in balance.

Science, Technology and God have been playing hide-and-seek since Leonardo Da Vinci (seen by many as the first scientist) started slicing up dead people in the search for answers of mysteries and secrets.

Berlin. There I was, at 6 a.m., running alongside the beautiful river of Spree with my friend from politics – the only time slot made available for me to meet up in his packed schedule.

2022 – six years into the future, what should we expect?  It will be somewhat of a milestone, as it is 350 years since one of the greatest geniuses that ever lived passed away, at age 44,

In order to understand what tomorrow will bring, we must study what has already come to pass and use the knowledge gleaned from history’s greatest thinkers to identify our current “blind spots” that those before us have already observed.

Forget “Innovation” – Forge Your Future with Avant-Garde

Forget “Innovation” – Forge Your Future with Avant-Garde

In 1439, Johannes Gensfleisch (better known as Gutenberg) created what might be the most revolutionary invention in history: the printing press. His press shifted the paradigm of communication, because people started to publish books, essays, and other written material more cheaply and in greater numbers than ever before. Through print, they shared their inspiring, sometimes crazy ideas and advancements over the following centuries, which eventually led to the technological revolutions of our time.

– Google figured it out, they are disrupting their own core business and they understand that the “era of search” as we used to know it, is coming to an end, and, that they are vulnerable for “disruption”. They have successfully been dividing their business and industries into various fields for some time now (Calico, Nest Labs, Google X, Google Fiber and numerous others through Google Capital and Google Ventures) and they continue to invest and do so and have moved from their ABC to “ALPHABET”.

We are reaching a tipping-point and moving with rapid pace toward technological singularity. According to futurist, Ray Kurzweil, we are only some twenty years away, and I personally am a strong believer of just this; there are many reasons and arguments supporting this theory.

We are again underestimating two core things that have always occurred throughout history: a) the law of acceleration and b) the skills and knowledge / opportunities of the next generation. As the cycles of history have repeated themselves time and time again, these two Inspired at the Pratharna Bhoomic (prayer ground), I sat down with a school class of 60 young children from Mumbai. It was amazing how, despite their age, I listened and learned and I became the student and they became the teacher.

In my childhood, I was captivated by the awe-inspiring phenomena of “Saltstraumen” and “Moskstraumen,” powerful vortexes near my mother's birthplace on the island of Værøy, in the Lofoten archipelago. These natural wonders, which I witnessed firsthand, have fueled the imaginations of artists and authors like Edgar Allan Poe, Walter Moers, and Jules Verne. In contemporary culture, echoes of such maelstroms resonate in the epic battles of Jack Sparrow in "Pirates of the Caribbean III."

Recently, I had the privilege of addressing 350 leading women in European business, a gathering that was as humbling as it was honorific. The assembly of such esteemed business leaders provided a unique vantage point from which to explore the future of leadership and the current business challenges.

The event was a hotbed of vibrant, open discussions, largely propelled by the diverse voices of women from various sectors. What struck me in these conversations was their intensity, often surpassing what I've observed at male-dominated summits. Many women shared their experiences of having to outperform their male counterparts to gain equal recognition and benefits. This sentiment echoes the words of Madeline Albright, who famously said, "There seems to be enough room in the world for mediocre men, but not for mediocre women, and we really have to work very, very hard."

Rethinking the Approach to Equality

"The woman who can create her own job is the woman who will win fame and fortune." - Amelia Earhart

Germany has recently made headlines by implementing a gender quota, mandating a 30% representation of women in leadership positions. This move is indeed significant and highlights the ongoing dialogue about gender equality. However, the effectiveness of such quotas in truly addressing gender disparities is debatable. Is being chosen for a role based on a quota genuinely desirable?Inspired at the Pratharna Bhoomic (prayer ground), I sat down with a school class of 60 young children from Mumbai. It was amazing how, despite their age, I listened and learned and I became the student and they became the teacher.

Business success and innovation emerge from a willingness to embrace failure. It's essential to cultivate a culture that views failure as a critical learning tool. Historically, all significant innovations have resulted from iterative processes that capitalize on numerous "mistakes" along the way. In contrast, many of today's organizations prioritize minimizing failure and adhering strictly to processes, which can stifle creative disruption. Apple, for instance, despite its outward appearance of perfection, has experienced its share of failures, such as the Apple Lisa, Macintosh Portable, Apple Newton MessagePad, Pippin, and the Apple USB Mouse. These examples underscore the importance of learning from failures.

If you visit the African savannahs, you will encounter acacia-dwelling ants, a species that not only repels tree-eating elephants but also plays a vital role in regulating carbon sequestration within those ecosystems. Similarly dynamic is the portrayal in John A. Davis's computer-animated movie "The Ant Bully," which is based on John Nickel's 1999 book. In this Warner Bros blockbuster, produced by Tom Hanks, the ant named Zoc explains the ants' philosophy: working for the colony's benefit allows them to achieve remarkable feats together. This concept bewilders little Lucas, a human character, who observes that most humans pursue personal gain, leaving Zoc puzzled about how humans manage to accomplish anything at all.

En route back to Norway for the holidays, an unexpected breakdown on the Autobahn left me stranded, awaiting the arrival of a tow truck, courtesy of ADAC—Germany's "yellow angels." This downtime, however, became an opportunity, thanks to LTE connectivity, allowing me to dive into Ray Kurzweil's riveting discourse on "Our Path to Singularity." Kurzweil, a visionary thinker, forecasts a future where hybrid thinking evolves into technological singularity—a juncture where artificial intelligence surpasses human intellect, challenging our sovereignty over technology.

I admit it, I actually visited McDonald’s today… twice.

First I went to a “regular” one here in Frankfurt and later, in the evening, my wife dragged me into another one, as she all of a sudden really wanted a ‘McD.´ This, however, was one of the “new” ones, and it was a different kind of experience. McDonald’s just announced bad financial results, and I wonder whether this has something to do with how they innovate at the front-line of customer service.  We had to take a number and were put on the „waiting list“. We could even watch a big screen that showed us where we were in the queue. Unhappily, it took 723 Seconds fo

THE ONE IDEA THAT CHANGES THE WORLD

In the realm of sports, a single innovative idea can redefine the boundaries of what's considered possible. This truth is vividly illustrated by the evolution of the ski jumping world record, which has seen remarkable progress over the decades. As of now, the record stands at an astonishing 246.5 meters, held by Johan Remen Evensen. The journey to this point, however, is a story of bold ideas and relentless pursuit of excellence, reminiscent of the transformative impact seen across various sports disciplines.