News 16.10.2024

Need to Know

The Future Laboratory returns to SXSW Sydney, Fuseproject introduces friendly AI-powered robots and residential wellness resorts attract Boomers.

The Future Laboratory returns to SXSW Sydney

SXSW Sydney 2024, Australia SXSW Sydney 2024, Australia

We’re thrilled to be returning to SXSW Sydney this year.

Our co-founder, Christopher Sanderson, will be participating in three events throughout the festival. Check out more information below:

: Brand Futures: Will AI Splinter or Standardise Design? (in partnership with The Company You Keep)

AI-generated design is having a manifest impact on how brands and communities use visual language to communicate. This debate will explore how algorithms are influencing both aesthetics and semantics (the meaning of design codes) and will include discussions on identity, art direction, typography and colour.

: The Future of Luxury is Recrafted

The consumers – or rather the collectors – of tomorrow will expect luxury to signal status not through excess, but by acting as a guardian of craftsmanship and provenance, an ESG champion and a cultural compass. Join Chris in unpacking our latest luxury macrotrend.

: A Sustainable Future for Travel: From Crisis to Transformation (in partnership with Intrepid Travel)

This panel will delve into how we can shift towards a more sustainable travel industry that benefits local communities, connects people and protects the planet. Tourism, unlike other industries, relies on the preservation of the destinations, cultures and environments we visit.

Stay tuned for next week’s events.

Fuseproject introduces ‘friendly’ design for AI-powered robot

US – Design studio Fuseproject has teamed up with Kind Humanoid to create a new genre of AI-powered robots for real-world environments. Unlike robots built for controlled factory settings, Kind Humanoid is designed to function in unstructured places such as homes, hospitals and public spaces.

With a focus on human interaction, the robot blends advanced cognitive abilities with physical agility to assist in tasks such as healthcare, elderly care and sustainable energy.

Fuseproject’s design approach stands out with its friendly and approachable aesthetic, inspired by surrealism. The robot features a soft, diamond-shaped face that can express emotions through animated screens, and its torso design resembles clothing to foster familiarity.

This project redefines how humanoids can integrate seamlessly into everyday life, offering long-term societal benefits. As the rise of intelligent robots continues, Kind Humanoid demonstrates how design can make AI feel less mechanical and more human.

As the lines between what is natural and what is artificial are increasingly blurred, our Synthocene Era macrotrend report explores a future when technology will redefine what it means to be human.

Kind Humanoid by Fuseproject, US

Strategic opportunity

Public services and players in the care industry should consider introducing AI companions that can offer assistance and emotional support to seniors living alone or in care facilities

Wellness resorts attract Boomers with luxurious residential villas

Six Senses resort at Amaala by Red Sea Global, Saudi Arabia Six Senses resort at Amaala by Red Sea Global, Saudi Arabia

US – Wellness resorts are increasingly offering residential villas, catering for affluent Boomers seeking luxurious spa treatments and longevity-focused medical services.

According to The Wall Street Journal, one wellness connoisseur, Lisa Reagan Love, a 68-year-old professor from Oklahoma, recently purchased a four-bedroom villa at Susurros del Corazón, an Auberge Resorts Collection in Punta de Mita, Mexico. Her new residence provides access to wellness activities such as sound baths and breath work sessions at the on-property ONDA spa.

The rise in wellness-focused residences is partially due to the appeal over conventional senior communities, as older generations seek exercise classes and spiritual meditation over traditional bingo nights.

As wellness travel revenues exceed pre-pandemic levels, resorts are also looking to residential villas to broaden their offerings. SHA Mexico in Costa Mujeres provides seaside residences priced in the millions granting residents preferential access to wellness facilities. In addition, Velvære is partnering with Fountain Life Center to create a wellness community in Park City, Utah, featuring 115 residences and a 10,000-square-feet holistic wellness compound. This community will offer on-site treatments such as reiki and acupuncture, with the opening scheduled for 2026.

We have previously analysed the rise of Glow up Getaways where hyper-personalised health hubs are offering the ultimate longevity getaways for the ultra-wealthy.

Strategic opportunity

Hospitality venues should partner with healthcare professionals to offer on-site health and wellness services, such as acupuncture or personalised meal plans from nutritionists, appealing to older generations and health and wellness fanatics

Stat: Gender bias persists on investment platforms

Photography by Mikhail Nilov, US Photography by Mikhail Nilov, US

Global – A recent study published on the Social Science Research Network (SSRN) reveals a persistent gender bias on financial platforms, showing that users engage less with female-authored financial content. Analysing over 7m comments on 200,000 articles from Seeking Alpha, researchers found that women contributors receive up to 40% fewer comments than their male counterparts, despite displaying equal skill and accuracy in financial forecasting.

The study highlights how women authors experience significantly higher disagreement from users, leading to less trust in their opinions. This bias affects not only engagement but also financial outcomes, as heightened disagreement with female-authored perspectives resulted in abnormal trading patterns the following day. 

Despite controlling variables such as authors’ experience, topics and accuracy in stock predictions, the research suggests that gender-driven biases are deeply entrenched. Alarmingly, fewer than 6% of contributors identified as female, hinting that these platforms may not feel welcoming for women. These findings highlight the urgent need for FemFin: Female Forward Finance to improve market fairness.

Strategic opportunity

Encourage diverse voices and female representation in your brand’s content strategy to foster trust, challenge biases and unlock untapped audience engagement and market potential

Previous News Articles
Louis Vuitton brings La Beauté to life with immersive Soho pop-up

News

Louis Vuitton brings La Beauté to life with immersive Soho pop-up

Louis Vuitton has marked the launch of its first cosmetics line with a limited-time pop-up in New York’s Soho, transforming 104 Prince Street into ...
Retail : Luxury : Beauty
Foresight Friday: Dan Hastings, deputy foresight editor

News

Foresight Friday: Dan Hastings, deputy foresight editor

Every Friday, The Future Laboratory team offers an end-of-week wrap-up of the topics, issues, ideas and virals we’re all talking about. This week, ...
Foresight Friday
Stat: US adults are losing confidence in capitalism 

News

Stat: US adults are losing confidence in capitalism 

Stat : Statistic : Money
Knight Frank’s research signals the rise of wellness in luxury real estate

News

Knight Frank’s research signals the rise of wellness in luxury real estate

In The Residence Report, released in September 2025, global real estate consultancy Knight Frank explores the future of luxury residential developm...
Luxury : Real Estate : Wellness
Nike changes Just Do It to Why Do It? in new campaign

News

Nike changes Just Do It to Why Do It? in new campaign

Nike has re-imagined its iconic Just Do It slogan for today’s athletes with the launch of its latest campaign, Why Do It? 
Visual : Nike : Campaign
New Zealand’s Department of Conservation merges sustainability and local pride

News

New Zealand’s Department of Conservation merges sustainability and local pride

The Department of Conservation in New Zealand has unveiled a three-year campaign with Deloitte Digital and Deloitte’s Sustainability and Climate te...
Conservation : National Branding : New Zealand
Stat: The majority of Gen Alpha consumers buy clothes to create content

News

Stat: The majority of Gen Alpha consumers buy clothes to create content

Clothing retailer PacSun’s study of more than 6,000 Gen Z and Gen Alpha consumers in the US reveals how fashion purchases are increasingly made for...
Gen Alpha : Fashion : Retail
John Lewis celebrates 100 iconic products for its centenary

News

John Lewis celebrates 100 iconic products for its centenary

John Lewis is marking 100 years of its Never Knowingly Undersold promise with a new multi-media campaign created by advertising company Saatchi &am...
Brand Heritage : Heritage : Branding
Monzo tackles financial literacy with The Book of Money

News

Monzo tackles financial literacy with The Book of Money

British online bank Monzo has launched The Book of Money in response to research showing that half of Britons (51%) feel they are not reaching thei...
Finance : Gen Z : Education
Stat: Light preventative personal care routines on the rise

News

Stat: Light preventative personal care routines on the rise

Kenvue, owner of brands including Neutrogena, Aveeno and Listerine, has launched A New View of Care: The Power of Personal Care Routines, a global ...
Stat : Statistic : Health
You have 1 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN