Category: Exclusive Interview

In Part I of this exclusive interview, Olaf J. Groth explored the shifting geopolitics of innovation, outlining the forces that will shape the global tech landscape in the coming decades. He identified the “6Cs” — from cognitive technologies and CRISPR to climate change and China–US rebalancing — as key drivers of transformation, while stressing the foundational role of data, energy, and technical talent in the race for AI, quantum computing, and digital infrastructure leadership. Drawing comparisons between the US, China, and the EU, he highlighted each region’s strengths and vulnerabilities, examined the interplay between governments and private innovators, and addressed the opportunities and risks for emerging economies. Groth also warned of the challenges posed by fragmented “splinternets,” emphasising the need for new global accords on AI, data, and cybersecurity to ensure innovation thrives in an interconnected yet geopolitically tense world.

In Part II, Olaf J. Groth explores techno-globalism, the cross-border flow of technology, talent, and data, and the governance challenges it creates. He discusses the need for adaptive institutions, cross-border standards for AI and data, and the FLP-IT framework for resilient tech strategies. He also highlights the role of “design activist leaders,” strategic insights for companies, and a proposed global policy for algorithmic accountability to secure innovation, trust, and digital sovereignty.

PART II: The Rise of Techno-Globalism – Can Governance Catch Up?

WFA: You’ve written about “techno-globalism.” How do you define it, and why is it so critical in today’s era of borderless technologies?

OJG:  Techno-globalism, as I define it, is the cross-border flow and interdependence of technologies, talent, data, and innovation systems that increasingly shape our global economy, governance structures, and societal norms. It’s the counterweight to techno-nationalism—where states seek to control and weaponize technology for strategic advantage.

What makes techno-globalism so critical today is that we’re living in an era where technologies like AI, quantum computing, and biotech don’t respect national borders. Supply chains are global, talent is distributed, and data flows are constant. No single country can—or should—go it alone. The complexity and scale of our shared challenges, from climate change to pandemics to digital security, demand collaborative technological solutions.

At the same time, techno-globalism raises urgent questions about digital sovereignty, ethical governance, and the balance between innovation and control. Navigating this tension is one of the defining leadership challenges of our time.

WFA: Are current governance models—like those of the UN or WTO—equipped to regulate frontier technologies like AI and quantum, or do we need entirely new structures?

OJG:   I’d say current governance models like the UN, WTO, and even regional frameworks were built for a different era—one defined by slower, more predictable industrial progress and nation-state-centric policymaking. They’re increasingly ill-equipped to regulate the pace, complexity, and boundary-blurring nature of frontier technologies like AI and quantum. They require more than an update – it’ll have to be a thorough upgrade or redesign.

These technologies evolve exponentially, transcend borders, and involve actors—corporations, labs, startups, even autonomous agents—that often operate outside traditional diplomatic channels. That doesn’t mean we discard existing institutions, but we do need new adaptive, polycentric structures that can govern in real time, across domains, and with input from a broader set of stakeholders—technologists, ethicists, civil society, and the private sector.

I’ve argued that this is not just a governance challenge; it’s a legitimacy challenge. If we don’t update our mechanisms for collective decision-making, we risk a vacuum—one that could be filled by digital authoritarianism, regulatory fragmentation, or techno-feudal power concentrations. The future demands governance that’s anticipatory, inclusive, and as agile as the technologies it aims to steward.

WFA: Can you elaborate on what cross-border governance might look like for algorithms and data standards? Is this realistic in today’s divided world?

OJG:  As I’ve written and spoken about, cross-border governance for algorithms and data standards isn’t just aspirational—it’s essential. Algorithms increasingly shape decisions across finance, healthcare, defense, and public discourse. Data fuels those algorithms, and both move fluidly across borders, often without the consent or awareness of the individuals or societies affected.

What this governance might look like is a layered, modular system—not a one-size-fits-all treaty, but a framework of interoperable standards and norms. Think of it as a digital Bretton Woods 2.0: agreements on transparency, accountability, and privacy that can be adapted locally but are rooted in shared principles. These could be stewarded by coalitions of like-minded countries, tech companies, and civil society actors, with auditability and conditional access baked in. It’s also where mechanisms like algorithmic passports, data trusts, or dynamic consent models come into play.

Is it realistic in today’s fragmented geopolitical climate? It’s hard—but fragmentation is precisely why it’s urgent. If we don’t build connective tissue across jurisdictions, we risk regulatory chaos, digital protectionism, or worse—techno-authoritarian lock-in. Techno-globalism demands that we find ways to cooperate, even amid competition. The stakes are too high to leave governance as an afterthought.

WFA: In The Great Remobilization, you discuss “design activist leaders.” What qualities or mindsets define such a leader in a world of accelerating tech disruption?

OJG:  In The Great Remobilization, we define “design activist leaders” as those who don’t just react to disruption – they shape its direction with intention, foresight, and moral clarity. These leaders recognize that we’re living in a liminal phase – a period between worlds – where old institutions are eroding and new systems are not yet fully formed. In that void, leadership becomes a design act. DALs pick very selectively which parts of old systems to keep and which to recombine or reinvent before they put new structures and systems in place.

*  Zeroth Principles Discovery: Assumes that nothing is impossible – is not limited by the constraints of the current systems. DALs are able to “see / vision / imagine” new building blocks for better systems. They are not beholden to the well-trodden path of first principles and well-established logic, but create new ones.

*  Systems Diagnostic & Foresight: Thinks in actor systems rather than industries, territorial boundaries, or narrow market segments.  Understands not only the first but also the second and third-order effects of decisions and actions. 

*  Cross-Tribal Network Empathy: Empathizes with the perspectives and needs of others, appeals to tribes, builds bridges, and incorporates them into solution models. At the same time, they are not rugged-individual “hero” archetypes that pronounce “my way or the highway” but communicate that understanding complexity can lead to greater agility.

*  Hybrid Trust Building: Integrates nodes in physical v. virtual worlds, Web2 platform v, Web3 protocol paradigms, global institutions v. clubs and tribes into business strategy or policy design.

In a world of accelerating tech disruption, design activist leaders don’t wait for permission or perfect information. They act with purpose, prototyping the future while staying anchored in values that transcend any single technology cycle.

WFA: How can the FLP-IT framework help policymakers develop more agile and resilient technology strategies?

OJG:  As we’ve written in The Great Remobilization, the FLP‑IT framework is a strategic foresight tool designed precisely for moments of volatility and rapid technological disruption – exactly what policymakers are facing today. If you combine it with our Design Activist Leader framework, it is a guide for strategic leadership, not just thinking and planning:

FLP‑IT helps policymakers build more agile and resilient strategies by forcing a structured yet flexible engagement with complexity:

• Forces: It begins by identifying macro forces—geopolitical shifts, emerging technologies, and ecological stresses—that are shaping the operating environment. For example, AI is not just a technical force but intersects with labor markets, security doctrines, and data sovereignty.
• Logics: Next, it challenges policymakers to rethink the logic of governance, markets, and society in light of these forces. What assumptions about power, trust, or institutional legitimacy no longer hold? What new governance models—polycentric, participatory, adaptive—might be needed?
• Phenomena: It then prompts the recognition of emergent patterns—new digital behaviors, spikes in mergers or divestitures, techno-economic clusters, and regulatory gaps. This helps leaders detect weak signals early, before they become systemic risks or missed opportunities.
• Impacts: FLP‑IT emphasizes cross-sectoral implications. How will a decision on quantum encryption or digital trade rules ripple across health, education, or climate policy?
• Triage: Finally, it enables prioritization. In a resource-constrained world, what initiatives must be started, which legacy systems can be sunset, and where do we double down to future-proof our tech strategies?

This model doesn’t offer a fixed blueprint—it offers a mindset and method for navigating ambiguity. It empowers policymakers not to simply react to disruption, but to design through it—proactively shaping a more coherent, values-driven, and interoperable technology future.

WFA: You’ve spoken with military, corporate, and civic leaders. What patterns of concern or opportunity do you hear most frequently from them?

OJG:  In my conversations with military, corporate, and civic leaders across regions, a few patterns consistently emerge – both in terms of deep concern and strategic opportunity.

First, there’s a shared anxiety about losing control of complexity. Whether it’s generals grappling with autonomous systems in warfare, CEOs facing AI-driven business model disruption, or civic leaders navigating the misinformation crisis, they’re all contending with exponential technologies outpacing institutional readiness. The sense that our governance, ethics, and economic models were built for a slower era comes up again and again. There’s a reason we saw a record number of CEO firings or resignations last year in the US. Things are just getting too complex, too accelerated, and pressurized to stay on top of all that change justice quickly enough.

Second, there’s a growing recognition that trust is the most valuable currency. And it’s in short supply – hard to obtain and easy to lose. Leaders are worried about eroding public trust in institutions, platforms, and even scientific knowledge. That erosion creates volatility, and volatility corrodes the legitimacy needed to govern effectively in times of change.

But on the opportunity side, I hear a rising appetite for designing new systems, not just tweaking old ones. Military leaders are exploring how to build human-machine teaming frameworks grounded in ethical constraints. Corporate leaders are looking for data architectures and AI models that enable both personalization and privacy. Civic leaders are hungry for policy tools that foster agency and participation, especially for younger generations.

Across the board, I hear a desire for more anticipatory, cross-sectoral collaboration. Leaders know that no single institution can manage the intersection of tech, geopolitics, and economics alone. They’re looking for new alliances, new playbooks—and frameworks like FLP-IT—to help them reimagine resilience at scale.

WFA: How should companies prepare for the increasing intersection of geopolitics and digital governance?

OJG:  As I wrote in my Feb 2024 article for the World Economic Forum, “Tech at the Centre of Geopolitics: 5 Strategic Capabilities for GeoTech Organizations:”

1. Develop radical foresight via systems thinking
   1. As the WEF outlines, firms need foresight & system-thinking evaluation to sense and interpret integrated geotech forces—such as China, climate, cybersecurity, COVID-like bioshocks, and cognitive/crypto disruptions—in a unified way.
   1. This means embedding horizon scanning, weak‑signal detection, and complexity modeling into core strategy teams, not just R&D.
2. Use data-driven benchmarking to evaluate readiness
   1. Establish metrics dashboards comparing your digital governance and geopolitical risk resilience against global best practices—precisely what “data‑driven best practices benchmarking” calls for.
   1. This equips leadership with objective insights into where compliance, technology, or supply‑chain resilience may fall short in different jurisdictions.
3. Run scenario simulations for portfolios and supply chains
   1. The framework’s “simulations of actors and positions” capability urges companies to stress-test geotech risks—like trade barriers, AI export controls, or regional data localization—across business units, product lines, and supplier networks.
   1. These exercises enable dynamic strategy adaptation: rerouting, prioritizing, or redesigning offerings in response to emerging geopolitical norms.
4. Integrate geotech into budgets & execution
   1. WEF highlights the need to integrate geotech considerations into both HQ and business unit planning—everything from intelligent supply‑chain platforms to “nano‑factory” models.
   1. In practice, that means tagging investments not just by ROI but by governance and sovereignty risk exposure.
5. Establish GeoTech Response Teams
   1. A central “geotech response team,” staffed with multidisciplinary expertise—from cognitive science and climate policy to national security and tech ethics—anchors, calibrates, and operationalizes the above four capabilities across siloes.
   1. These teams, properly empowered by C‑suite and board mandates, ensure cross-functional alignment and agility in responding to global digital-policy disruptions.

These five strategic capabilities support techno‑geopolitical organizational readiness:

• They reinforce techno‑geopolitical intelligence (point 1),
• Drive diplomatic agility & regulatory readiness (points 2–4),
• And parallel to my emphasis on companies becoming system designers, not just tech adopters (point 5).

In sum, preparing for the geopolitics-digital governance intersection means operationalizing these five capabilities—through foresight, data, simulation, budget discipline, and dedicated GeoTech teams. That combination builds the agility and resilience needed to not only weather but shape the digital geopolitics of the 21st century.

WFA: If you could implement one global policy tomorrow to improve the governance of frontier technologies, what would it be – and why?

OJG:  If I could implement one global policy tomorrow to improve the governance of frontier technologies, it would be the mandatory creation and adoption of interoperable algorithmic transparency and accountability standards—anchored in principles of sovereignty, security, and shared innovation.

Why? Because algorithms now function as invisible infrastructure for everything from credit and healthcare access to military targeting and infrastructure resilience. Yet most of them operate in a black box—opaque to regulators, vulnerable to manipulation, and exploitable by bad actors. Without transparency, we cannot ensure security. And without shared standards, we risk both technological fragmentation and a race to the bottom in safety, ethics, and strategic control.

This global policy would establish a modular framework for algorithmic accountability that supports three imperatives:

1. National economic competitiveness – By providing clarity and trust in AI systems, such standards would reduce regulatory uncertainty, lower transaction costs for cross-border tech partnerships, and enable firms to scale innovations globally. Countries that help shape and adopt these standards would enjoy first-mover advantages in setting the rules of the game—much like GAAP or Basel III shaped global finance. This is about industrial policy via governance leadership.
2. National security and cybersecurity – Transparent algorithms are harder to poison, spoof, or hijack. Interoperable audit protocols would help governments and vetted third parties detect adversarial inputs, algorithmic backdoors, or unintended escalation risks in defense and critical infrastructure systems. Think of it as a cybersecurity dividend from good governance. It would also enable more trusted AI cooperation among allies—especially where joint command, deterrence, or intelligence systems are involved.
3. Digital sovereignty with global interoperability – Each country could adapt implementation to its legal system and cultural context, but within a shared framework of cross-border recognition—akin to “algorithmic passports” or mutual assurance treaties. This ensures that sovereignty and competitiveness don’t require autarky, and that open societies can remain open without becoming strategically exposed.

This policy is not a silver bullet—but it gives us the architectural backbone to align innovation, trust, and power in the AI age. It’s a foundation for managing not just the tools we build, but the societal systems they are quietly redesigning beneath us. Without it, we risk drifting into a fragmented digital Cold War. With it, we have a shot at building a pluralistic, secure, and prosperous digital order.

Olaf, thank you for sharing your remarkable insights with World Future Awards and for continuing to inspire global dialogue around the future of innovation and governance. Your work is not only visionary but essential for navigating the complex intersections of technology, geopolitics, and leadership.

Visit Olaf’s LinkedIn profile for more information on his work.

At the forefront of global thought leadership on technology and geopolitics in the global economy, Olaf J. Groth, PhD, is a renowned professor, strategist, and founder whose work guides leaders through the complexities of an era defined by rapid transformation. With over 25 years of international experience spanning the tech, communications, aerospace, energy, and education sectors, Olaf has advised governments and Fortune 500 companies alike. His work is deeply rooted in shaping intelligent, forward-thinking strategies for navigating the “cognitive economy”—a future where artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and cyberinfrastructure redefine how we live, work, and govern.

Recently, World Future Awards had the honor of reviewing Olaf’s co-authored book, The Great Remobilization: Strategies and Designs for a Smarter Global Future, alongside Mark Esposito and Terence Tse. The book provides a strategic roadmap for leaders grappling with geopolitical instability, climate change, and technological disruption. Through frameworks like FLP-IT and interviews with global decision-makers, Olaf and his co-authors argue for nothing less than the redesign of our institutions to meet the demands of a new global order.

Now, in this exclusive two-part interview, Olaf delves into two of the most urgent topics of our time: the geopolitics of innovation and the rise of techno-globalism.

Questions:

PART I: Geopolitics of Innovation – Who Will Lead the Tech Future?

World Future Awards: What do you see as the major technology-driven forces shaping the global economy of tomorrow?

Olaf J. Groth: These are what we describe as the 6Cs – (1) Cognitive Technologies, like AI, data science, quantum and brain-computer interfaces will increasingly provide the cybernetic command and control functions across psychological, social, economic, biological ecological, and infrastructural domains in societies; (2) CRISPR and pandemics because they shape our social, biological and ecological relationships; (3) Crypto as an attempted governance revolution; (4) Cybersecurity where we’re seeing a double evolution upstream in supply chains and through tracking outside the firewall; (5) Climate change as the existential threat of our time for all; and (6) China-US rebalancing, because it impacts every facet of the first five forces above.

World Future Awards: In your view, what are the main forces currently shaping the global race for leadership in AI, quantum computing, and digital infrastructure?

OJG:  The first is data, and it is usually under-estimated.  We tend to talk about the shiny new thing – AI and how models might demonstrate human-like general intelligence – but we forget that data is the fuel for everything.  It may be a dry topic for non-experts, but it’s the lifeblood for the cognitive economy.  For example, data constructs like digital twins and their convergence with agents will allow us to create the future of the Agentic Twin Economy, which will power the entire global economy one day.  Then there’s technical talent, increasingly scarce and expensive, which is why we’re seeing bidding wars between OpenAI and Meta, for instance.  Energy is another critical one.  We can’t build AI-powered data centers without lots of it, and it needs to be clean and cheap because we should create healthier, less extractive, and more regenerative societies with AI, quantum, etc.  Then there’s the geological mercantilism for critical minerals.  We will see many more deals in that area, but increasingly ones that bring higher-end processing capabilities to countries that sell rare earths.  All of it will be dominated by geopolitics for the foreseeable future, as we slowly find our way to new plurilateral arrangements that will govern all of these inputs into the future of AI and quantum, or even infrastructure like sub-sea cables, satellites, etc. Digital sovereignty is here to stay. But that doesn’t mean digitally sovereign hubs can’t interconnect with special monitoring and safeguarding protocols.

WFA: The U.S., China, and the EU are each staking claims in the tech frontier. How do you assess their comparative advantages and vulnerabilities?

OJG:  Between the US and China, advantages are converging with some nuances. Both are leveraging massive amounts of data; in China, it’s national consumer data, whereas in the US, it’s data from its global consumer and enterprise hyperscaler platforms. China has also been converging on the US with respect to the quality of its universities, which matters for science-driven deeptech. Against this picture, it is concerning that the current US administration is crippling its science establishment at exactly the wrong moment. The US is still ahead on pure number of professors and PhD students as well as startup creation in – say – AI, but China is ahead in publications and patents now. The US shines on the professionalism, vibrancy, and efficacy of its venture capital system, but China’s advantage is speed and velocity of venture standup and scaleout. Europe, meanwhile, is looking good in areas of innovation that are highly regulated. For instance, its user base in fintech and crypto services far exceeds that of both the US and China, and its life sciences and biochemicals corporations are top-notch. But it suffers from overregulation in other digital services, doesn’t have a coherent data market or sufficient capital, and hence makes it hard for entrepreneurs to scale across 27 member states. Like the US, Europe has a very strong science establishment, and we’ll hopefully see that bear fruit in quantum computing as well as new materials, because of the greater strength of its manufacturing sector. Here it will likely meet China head-on, because it too is very strong there, and materials are one of the key areas in its five-year strategic plans. That central coordination, paired with pragmatic but also spotty and somewhat discretionary enforcement of regulations, contributes to China’s agility and speed, which is hard to match for democracies like the US and Europe. If Europe could apply just half of all the recommendations of the Draghi report, it could turn that focus on individual dignity into a stronger advantage in personally sensitive areas like finance and health.

WFA:  Government institutions often have trouble keeping up with the ever-accelerating tech developments, and that may affect how well they deliver benefits to their constituents.  What can we do about that?

OJG:  Deng Xiao Ping said about government (I paraphrase), “It doesn’t matter whether the cat is black or white, so long as it hunts mice.”  The two sets of institutions – tech and gov (whatever form) — will increasingly be “tied by their hips,” as it were.  Governments that can harness the tech-entrepreneurship vigor in their economies most effectively will “hunt mice” and excel.  Those who stifle will increasingly become irrelevant.  But how do you do that without democracy or effective stakeholder governance being overtaken by tech? – You innovate in government and governance, so enable it to keep pace with tech.  For the US, that means we need to infuse more AI, data science, and cutting-edge computing into the administration on all levels.  That is the one thing about DOGE that is a helpful provocation.  I’m not justifying its style or saying scrap humans by any means.  And yes, governments, especially democratic ones, should sometimes slow things down to solicit all stakeholders’ inputs. But there’s no real excuse for the government resisting a thorough self-overhaul to get better at that when it relies on everybody else in society to have a growth-mindset and do exactly that.  Only a government that leads by example can credibly require others to make sacrifices and change.  So, innovate yourself to stay relevant.

WFA: How do you see emerging economies participating in—or being sidelined from—the future tech power structure?

OJG:  Emerging economies have a potentially valuable advantage. Their institutions are not yet mature and are hence more fungible. The only good part about this is that there are fewer legacy structures and processes to dismantle as change becomes necessary. But in order to do that well, they also need competencies. Some do.  Take the examples of Singapore, the UAE, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, or Kazakhstan.  You can get a lot done if you upgrade traditional production factors like labor or infrastructure continuously through tech that flows from international partnerships and openness to trade *while* at the same time educating your people.  But today, I’d add the challenge of attracting data centers and large-scale AI compute to the picture.  Malaysia, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia have done a good job in this regard. Kazakhstan is on its way.  That requires leveraging existing positions like Malaysia’s place in the global semiconductor industry and its universities, or Kazakhstan’s natural resources, the Middle Corridor logistics artery, and its place in the space economy value chain into new high-tech ones.

WFA: What role do private sector innovators (such as Big Tech firms) play in shaping geopolitical outcomes today? Are they becoming more powerful than states?

OJG:  They have always been powerful and will become much so, yes.  Just consider China’s construction, engineering, and tech companies building infrastructure and laying transmission cables in the Belt and Road.  Or the big energy, aerospace, and tech firms in the US, which – alongside its startup ecosystem – are two key pillars for competition with China globally.  And they can significantly influence national economic or political outcomes, public sentiments, etc.  But I don’t think they outright threaten the standing of the nation state, which is more alive and well today than it was 10 years ago.  You are out of a job much quicker than you are out of a citizenship.  Governments offer social nets and militaries and have more ways to shape and rally identities than corporations do, for better or for worse.  Of course, that depends on which corporation and which government you’re talking about.  Is it true that the largest energy, minerals, or tech companies in the world have more power to pull strings for flows of assets between countries than – say – Ecuador does? – Of course, the answer is yes. Which is why every government needs to ask itself, “What are the assets we have that exert leverage on the big players we need to cooperate with, and how do I wield those to exercise as much formative power as possible?”  Take the case of Botswana and its negotiations with DeBeers ten or so years ago, for instance.  Far from perfect outcomes, but a good start.  Countries can do the same things with big data center providers today as they ask them to build or bring energy sources, train workers, or ensure that local business also gets supplied with computing power. What assets do you have as a country to ensure that both you and the provider get what they want and need?

WFA: Given recent export controls and tech sanctions, is decoupling between global tech powers inevitable—or is interdependence still too strong to unravel?

OJG:  Full decoupling will not and must not happen. Partial decoupling is more likely. Some degree of redundancy and resilience in global tech supply chains is just smart.  Overreliance on any one country or technology provider is unwise.  As tech supply chains get diversified, they will become more complex and elongated as a result.  That breeds inefficiencies that need to be recovered elsewhere in the global system of any given multinational.  I think we’ll see new types of capabilities arise from that.  Companies will become more geo-tech savvy with new strategies and designs.  We will see the birth of new “smart logistics” providers and global trading platforms as well.  They will likely build more intelligent, AI-infused regional and cross-regional operating systems for agile trade management.  And we’ll see more bilateral and plurilateral accords that will try to address inefficiencies.  Countries and countries alike will adopt more situational awareness that will not only help with trade wars, but also climate change and terrorism, just to name two other disruptive forces for trade routes.

WFA: How important is control over semiconductors and cloud infrastructure in determining geopolitical influence in this decade?

OJG:  Very. But that doesn’t mean you should try to build it yourself. Rather, you’ll need alliances with the biggest chip producers and the government agencies overseeing them, and then build localized clouds with their help and potentially even national compute reserves and stockpiles. Remember also that not every application that generates significant value requires the highest-end NVIDIA chipsets.

WFA: From your experience, how can smaller nations or alliances leverage niche expertise to remain relevant in the global tech hierarchy?

OJG:  Take some examples:  Israel is fantastic at cyber solutions, whether offensive or defensive. Kazakhstan has just developed the first 150 billion token transformer model in Kazakh, Russian, and English, potentially establishing itself as a regional compute hub for Central Asia and also bringing its space technology assets to the emerging global space economy. And by the way, Putin had played it right; instead of this Godforesaken war, he could have built a world-class global super-ecosystem for space tech, given the Soviet legacy.  If Ukraine gets peace, I have no doubt it will be a valuable global hub for frugal, smart defense tech. All of the countries of Central Asia could establish themselves as best-in-class for agritech, given that they supply so much. Vietnam has pockets of AI programmers that are well known globally, as does Canada – big country, small population, like Kazakhstan.

WFA: What are the risks of a fragmented digital world (i.e., “splinternets”) to innovation, security, and global governance?

OJG:  That’s already happening. We need global AI and data accords, possibly a cyber accord tied to them. Nations need to start discussing what data can migrate beyond borders and what can’t, or under what types of safeguards, monitoring, and forensics protocols. This will become increasingly pressing because data is no longer a matter of consumer preferences and enterprise competitive intel.  Now we’re talking people’s DNA, their phenoms, and even holistic simulations of their bodies, work, financial and social relationships through digital twins that allow predictions of where they’re headed next in life.

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PART II: The Rise of Techno-Globalism – Can Governance Catch Up?

To be continued…

Visit Olaf’s LinkedIn profile for more information on his work.

In an era where health tech is booming, Simple Life App has emerged as a global innovator, redefining how millions approach weight loss and wellness through the power of AI and behavioral science. Selected as one of the World Future Awards’ Top 100 AI Technology Companies in 2025, the weight loss app is making sustainable health not only accessible, but engaging, intuitive, and personal.

Leading this transformation is Mike Prytkov, CEO of Simple Life App. Under his leadership, the company has built a loyal community of over 700,000 active subscribers, facilitated user weight loss of more than 16.4 million pounds, and introduced the first AI health coach of its kind, Avo, the most human AI coach in the industry. Looking ahead, the company is on track to become the Duolingo of Health, blending emotional engagement and gamified mechanics to keep users motivated, entertained, and committed to their journey.

Today, we sit down with Mike to discuss innovation, user experience, and the future of AI-driven wellness.

Questions:

World Future Awards: Mike, congratulations on being named one of the World Future Awards’ Top 100 AI Technology Companies. What does this recognition mean to you and the team at Simple?

Mike Prytkov:  It’s a huge honor—and a moment of reflection for our team. We set out to make health feel less intimidating and more human, and this award affirms that we’re on the right path. It validates how AI, when designed with empathy and intention, can truly support people in building healthier lives. We’re grateful and motivated to keep pushing the boundaries.

WFA: Simple Life App has gained immense popularity for its empathetic AI coach, Avo. How did the idea for Avo come about, and what makes it so effective?

MP: We realized early on that most people don’t struggle because they lack information—it’s because they lack consistent support, motivation, and accountability. In the real world, people who work with a coach are far more successful on their weight loss journey. So we asked ourselves: what if we could bring that same support to everyone, every day? That’s how Avo was born. Unlike a typical coach, Avo is always available, trained in proven behavioral science, and adapts to each person’s unique needs. What makes Avo truly special is the way it blends smart personalization with genuine empathy—offering encouragement that feels warm and human, not clinical. It’s this emotional intelligence that makes Avo feel less like a tool, and more like a true companion.

WFA: You’ve talked about making weight loss feel more engaging and sustainable. Can you tell us more about how Simple Life is creating that experience?

MP: We took inspiration from platforms like Duolingo—where progress feels fun and self-reinforcing. We’re bringing that same energy to health. So far, we’ve been leaning into features like streaks, which help turn consistency into something that feels good and emotionally validating to maintain. I won’t share too much yet, but we’re introducing a very special character that will help keep you motivated and accountable, all while putting a smile on your face and giving you a reason to want to come back to the app every day. Stay tuned – we can’t wait for people to see what’s next because we’re about to take things to the next level. Basically Coach Avo was only scratching the surface for us. 

WFA: One of your guiding principles is “Keep It Simple.” How do you balance cutting-edge technology with an easy-to-use interface for users of all ages and tech abilities?

MP: Our product team constantly tests features with real users to make sure they’re intuitive. If something feels confusing, it doesn’t belong in the app. But simplicity isn’t just about clean design—it’s also about making change feel achievable. We personalize the experience so users aren’t asked to do things that don’t fit their lifestyle. Because if something isn’t realistic, it isn’t simple. Whether you’re 25 or 65, we want the journey to feel clear, doable, and supportive every step of the way.

WFA: Simple emphasizes science-backed behavior change over quick fixes. How do you ensure the platform stays grounded in real science while remaining user-friendly?

MP: We partner with behavior scientists, dietitians, and doctors to validate what we build. But then we translate that into language and experiences that feel light, supportive, and doable. The science is under the hood—what the user sees is something that fits naturally into their day and works for their unique needs and goals.

WFA: With over 200,000 meals scored daily and millions of messages sent, how do you use this data to personalize the user journey without compromising privacy?

MP: Privacy is non-negotiable. We anonymize data before analyzing it to improve our algorithms. That way, Avo gets smarter while keeping user trust intact. The more we understand common patterns, the more useful and relevant our coaching can be—without ever crossing a line.

WFA: With users around the world, how do you design Simple to meet people where they are—regardless of their background, goals, or starting point?

MP: Our approach is rooted in flexibility and empathy. While weight loss is a common goal for many of our users, we know that no two journeys look the same. That’s why we’ve built Simple to adapt to each person’s lifestyle, habits, and challenges. Avo offers guidance that feels personal—not prescriptive—so users feel supported in ways that actually make sense for them. We also know that people like to hit their goals in different ways, so we’re constantly adding more value to the app—whether that’s through new workout types, voice calls with coaches, or other tools to keep people engaged and supported. That adaptability is what makes the app work for so many people, in so many different contexts.

WFA: Looking five years ahead, what’s your vision for Simple Life App—and the future of AI in health and wellness?

MP: We want to be the most trusted AI companion for weight loss and health worldwide. Our goal is to make getting healthy feel simple, doable, and even fun—never intimidating. Just like Duolingo made learning a new language feel light and fun, we believe Simple can do the same for weight loss and wellness. We’re using AI to bring together the best knowledge and personalization in a way that truly motivates people and works in real life—not just in theory. It’s about long-term success, built from small, achievable wins that work with your lifestyle.

Thank you, Mike, for sharing your insights and vision. We’re excited to see how Simple continues to empower millions toward healthier, more joyful lives, one small habit at a time.

Visit https://simple.life/ to learn more about the award-winning weight loss app.

In a rapidly evolving digital landscape where web3 innovation reshapes how communities interact and engage, Galxe has emerged as a transformative force. In 2025, the company received its first World Future Awards for Best Web3 Growth Platform.

Web3 businesses face growing challenges with fragmented tools, disjointed user experiences, and ineffective engagement. Galxe solves this with a secure, all-in-one platform that turns user base engagement into scalable, data-driven growth powered by automation and identity intelligence. Built on Gravity—Galxe’s ultra high-speed Layer 1 blockchain—the platform unifies onboarding, identity verification, automation, and user engagement into one seamless experience. Galxe has evolved into the largest community-building platform in web3, boasting over 34 million users and has partnered with over 7,000 brands in the space, such as Coinbase, Polygon, Forbes, and Avalanche.  

Leading this innovation is Charles Wayn, Co-founder of Galxe and Gravity, and a prominent blockchain entrepreneur. With a clear vision for scalability, decentralization, and user-centric design, Charles has helped shape Galxe into a cornerstone of the web3 ecosystem. Today, we sit down with Charles to explore his entrepreneurial journey, the breakthroughs powering Galxe, and the future of digital identity and community building.

Questions

WFA: Charles, what inspired you to co-found Galxe, and what gap in the Web3 ecosystem were you aiming to fill at the time?

When we started Galxe in early 2021, my co-founder Harry Zhang and I had been experimenting a lot with DeFi, like many others in the space at the time. We were fascinated by the possibilities of web3 and kept asking ourselves: beyond speculation, how could NFTs and DeFi actually be used to create real utility and impact, especially for community building?

That led us to our first idea: NFT-as-a-service. We wanted to give businesses a simple way to create and distribute NFTs, not just as collectibles, but as tools for recognizing status, achievements, and membership within a community. What really clicked for us was the potential to connect NFTs to actual user behavior. That’s where the concept of “credentials” came in, essentially behavioral data that could be composable, verifiable, and meaningful.

We then identified a bigger gap in Web3 around identity and contribution. Projects were struggling to understand who their real community members were. Not just wallet addresses, but real people actively participating, contributing, and building. Galxe set out to bridge that gap: to help projects recognize and reward meaningful engagement in a decentralized way. That mission still drives everything we build today.

WFA: Galxe has grown into a platform with over 34 million users and has partnered with over 7,000+ crypto brands. What have been the biggest challenges—and triumphs—on this journey?

The numbers are a testament to what we’ve built, and they prove that our model works. Which is why Galxe has become the leading community-building platform in Web3. But none of this would be possible without the incredible team we have. From engineering to ecosystem to marketing, our team is relentless in building innovative solutions and staying ahead in an industry that’s constantly evolving.

One of our biggest triumphs has been our ability to stay deeply connected to the community. We listen. We iterate. And we ship what people need.  At the end of the day, community is what makes or breaks a Web3 project. That principle is at the core of everything we do.

Of course, the excitement of this space comes with challenges. As an industry, we still have work to do when it comes to improving user experience and building greater trust. We’ve seen how complex onboarding or security concerns can become real entry barriers for newcomers. That’s why we’ve always prioritized both usability and safety, like a seamless UX and robust security infrastructure, making Galxe accessible and trustworthy for everyone, from first-time users to enterprise-level partners.

So, whether it’s helping a brand launch their first campaign or supporting an ecosystem’s long-term growth, our goal remains the same: an essential growth engine for web3 businesses — not just a helpful tool, but the central infrastructure that powers how web3 ecosystems scale, engage, and retain users.

WFA: Gravity, your new Layer 1 blockchain, boasts incredible performance. What sets Gravity apart from other blockchains, and why was building it a strategic priority for Galxe?

Gravity was purpose-built to push the boundaries of blockchain performance and user experience because we knew that to scale web3 adoption, we needed infrastructure that could actually keep up with demand. What sets Gravity apart is its high-performance Grevm engine, the fastest open-source parallel EVM available today. In benchmark conditions, it delivers up to 16.57 gigagas per second, with 1 gigagas/second targeted in real-world use, resulting in a 5.5× performance boost in high-conflict transaction scenarios compared to traditional engines.

We also engineered sub-second transaction finality, which is a game-changer for end users. It eliminates the lag and uncertainty that have plagued blockchain UX for years. At the core of this performance is Gravity’s innovative 5-stage pipelined architecture, which allows for parallel execution and consensus. This design isn’t just about speed; it enables scalable, decentralized interoperability across multiple blockchain ecosystems at lower cost and higher throughput.

Strategically, Gravity is foundational to Galxe’s mission to power growth in web3. Whether you’re a protocol, dApp, or ecosystem partner, you need infrastructure that can deliver on scalability.

WFA: Galxe Quest has powered over 1.1 billion quests. How does this product drive community engagement, and what does that say about the evolution of loyalty in decentralized spaces?

Galxe Quest drives engagement because it fundamentally flips the traditional loyalty mode. Instead of locking users into a brand’s ecosystem, it rewards participation with onchain assets users actually own. That simple shift from centralized to user-owned makes all the difference.

With every quest completed, users collect real value: tradable NFTs, interoperable points, and a transparent onchain history that’s theirs to keep and use across web3. That kind of ownership fosters deeper loyalty because users aren’t just being rewarded, they’re being recognized.

To me, the 1.1 billion+ quests reflect a broader shift in web3, loyalty isn’t just about frequency, it’s about freedom, transparency, and belonging. And that’s exactly what Galxe is building.

WFA: Galxe has a streamlined token distribution tool that simplifies airdrops for both projects and users – Earndrop. How does Earndrop’s automation and centralized claiming experience improve community engagement and user retention compared to traditional airdrops?

Earndrop fundamentally improves community engagement and user retention by addressing one of the biggest friction points in web3, token distribution. Unlike traditional airdrops that often require custom dev work, fragmented claim pages, or multiple user touchpoints, Earndrop offers a fully automated, cohesive experience. Users can check eligibility and claim tokens from multiple campaigns and across multiple chains in one place, which naturally encourages ongoing platform engagement.

On the project side, Earndrop is built on the same intelligent framework and highly-scalable infrastructure that powers Galxe Quest. That means projects can confidently distribute assets, whether it’s for a TGE, loyalty reward, or early access campaign, without worrying about performance, manual processes, or security gaps. It completes the distribution lifecycle that Quest starts, giving teams a flexible and secure way to convert on-chain actions into tangible token rewards.

Ultimately, Earndrop turns what was once a tedious backend process into a strategic growth tool. By eliminating distribution headaches and increasing transparency, it empowers web3 projects to focus on deeper community building and smarter token launch strategies.

WFA: Galxe recently launched ‘Starboard’, a data-driven growth and analytics tool. Why did the team build this solution, and why now?

We built Starboard to address a major gap we saw after working with thousands of projects. Web3 teams could attract users, but they couldn’t always identify who truly mattered.

Galxe helped kickstart growth for countless protocols through Quests, bringing millions of users into web3. But as the space matured, the conversation shifted from how many showed up to who actually stayed, contributed, and created value. Teams began asking smarter questions:

• Who brought in liquidity?
• Who kept showing up as a builder or brand advocate?
• Who’s driving real traction?

The answer wasn’t always visible; however, Starboard solves this by giving projects a unified view of onchain and offchain contributions, mapped directly to outcomes like protocol usage, developer activity, and community strength. It transforms fragmented campaign data into a clear leaderboard of impact, so every reward is tied to real progress, not just participation.

We didn’t build Starboard to replace Quests; Starboard is a complementary tool to Quest, completing the journey from first touch to long-term alignment. In web3, growth means building with the right people, and Starboard helps teams track what matters and reward real impact.

WFA: Galxe has evolved into an all-in-one platform, powered by analytics, automation, and engagement solutions. How do you see this integrated approach shaping the future of Web3?

Web3 has long struggled with fragmentation. Teams are often forced to piece together disconnected tools and systems just to drive basic growth. Galxe was built to change that. Our integrated approach brings together identity, analytics, engagement, and now distribution, meaning that projects no longer have to choose between scalability, usability, and depth of insight. 

By unifying the core elements of modern growth into a single platform, we empower teams to build smarter strategies, drive stronger community participation, and make decisions backed by real behavior-based data. It’s not just about convenience; it’s about unlocking a new standard for how web3 projects should launch, grow, and scale.

We believe the future of Web3 will be shaped by platforms that prioritize simplicity, trust, and community. Galxe’s model reflects that vision, offering a fluid, secure, and future-ready foundation for builders and users.

WFA: Looking ahead, what excites you most about the next 12 months for Galxe, and what can the web3 community expect from your team?

The next year is an important one for us. With a product stack that now supports the full web3 growth cycle, we’re focused on collaborating with more teams that are building thoughtful, useful tools in the space. One major milestone ahead is the mainnet launch of Gravity, which we see as a meaningful step forward for both Galxe and the broader ecosystem. We’re continuing to develop tools that are more flexible, better integrated, and focused on helping teams drive real impact.

WFA: Thank you, Charles, for sharing your insights and pioneering vision. Your leadership continues to inspire innovation across the web3 space and beyond!

Visit https://www.galxe.com/ for more on the award-winning company.

In a time where healthcare and technology are converging at an unprecedented pace, visionary leadership is essential to drive transformation that is not only innovative but also inclusive. Dr. Umbereen S. Nehal exemplifies this rare combination of clinical expertise and technological foresight. A seasoned physician executive and founder of a digital health venture incubated at MIT, Dr. Nehal has been at the forefront of aligning digital innovation with frontline realities, advancing personalized, equitable, and system-wide healthcare solutions.

World Future Awards is honored to feature Dr. Nehal in this exclusive interview exploring The Role of Physician Leaders in Accelerating Digital Transformation in Healthcare. With a unique perspective shaped by her leadership across government, industry, and care delivery, Dr. Nehal brings deep insight into how data-driven, human-centered innovation can reshape the future of global health, especially in the U.S., where she has had her greatest impact.

Questions:

World Future Awards: You bring a rare dual lens as both a physician and a tech executive. How has this combined perspective shaped your approach to digital transformation in healthcare?

Dr. Umbereen S. Nehal: When done right, both clinical care and digital innovation serve the human end user, either as patient-centered clinical care or user-centered design of tech. I am not trying to “disrupt” or add more fragmentation; mine is a systems thinking approach. As a frontline physician, I experienced cumbersome tech that turned me into a data entry clerk. Frustrated that it took my focus away from what my patient needed, I became a “super user” to improve my own work. Now I do that at scale as a digital health founder. We need more coordination and efficiency so that tech can do mundane tasks so we can reduce clinician burnout and bring humanity back into healthcare.

WFA: What are the most critical areas of opportunity for physician leaders to accelerate digital transformation while maintaining clinical integrity and improving outcomes?

USN: I would advise physicians to engage as advisors, co-designers, or even founders. No one knows the pain points, needs, or workflows of healthcare better than practicing clinicians like doctors, nurses, pharmacists, etc. Physicians have been sold (or even mandated to buy) so much bad technology over the years that many are understandably sceptical of the latest promises on health tech. Sometimes doctors get described as “resistant” or “luddite.” I would take more of a driver’s seat. Learn some basics. Have the ability to ask smart, incisive, probing questions about tech. This is something that I have been developing a course on, in fact. Most conferences are now offering sessions on AI so any physicians can learn what is most critical for their field or clinical setting.

WFA: Your current venture, incubated at MIT, addresses a core pain point in clinical care—limited time during doctor visits. What inspired this focus, and how is your AI-enabled solution improving that experience for both patients and physicians?

USN:  While at MIT, I founded HER Heard based on my own patient experience of fragmented care, late diagnosis, and delays in getting care. I also saw how my stoic, dignified mother often got ignored by nurses and doctors compared to louder, more demanding patients. I do not think women need to “speak up” more; instead, the system needs to listen better. I think of it like how a queen is surrounded by those serving her, anticipating her needs. With AI agents, we can make that possible for the average woman, too.

Specifically, we have created a structured, pre-visit process that captures the nuance of the patient’s story and lived experience that fits into the healthcare system. We’re using AI as an interface and analysis tool for collecting, organizing, and synthesizing patient-reported data—symptoms, goals, concerns, and values. The system prepares the patient for the visit with education and prompts, while giving the clinician a summary that aligns both with their workflow and what insurance wants documented. Our platform and AI pre-visit medical assistant is built on best practices from AHRQ (Agency for Health Research and Quality), like Shared Decision Making (SDM). We’ve embedded patient-reported outcomes and quality-of-life measures because those are the metrics that matter for patients and are research-grade data.

WFA: You’ve played leadership roles in public health, Medicaid reform, and digital health innovation. How do you connect government, industry, and clinical practice to design inclusive, data-driven health systems?

USN: From my various roles, I see the importance of data portability, ownership, and control over one’s own health data as a patient. As an advisor to federal agencies like the NIH, I have been involved in the community recruitment for the All of Us database, for instance. I am excited by what researchers can do with that data. For the average woman, though, she still struggles to access her own data for her own health in a way that informs her day-to-day health. From my work at a state and local level, I know the health landscape well. I don’t duplicate what exists but build according to the unmet needs. That allows me to tap into underserviced markets to bring more people along for digital health, reducing the digital divide.

WFA: “Equity by design” is a central theme in your work. Can you share how you ensure that inclusivity and health equity are embedded into digital health solutions from the start?

USN: Most digital tools start by empathy mapping for a primary user, usually the most tech-savvy. Designing for the ideal user can be efficient from a product standpoint, but it completely misses the complexity of healthcare realities. At HER Heard, we apply principles from universal design. We intentionally design for people called “the extreme user” who experience more challenges. Consider the woman working two jobs who also cares for aging parents – she has limited time, energy, and attention span, so she needs highly engaging and tailored UI/UX. We also think of family systems and community supports, not just one individual user at a time. Because women make 80% of healthcare decisions for their families, it is often said that a woman is the “Chief Medical Officer” of her family. In this way, we also strengthen the business model. Where a woman seeks care, her children, spouse, and parents may also go.

WFA: As a former Chief Medical Officer for 14 centers and co-author of a $1.8B Medicaid reform initiative, what lessons have you learned about operationalizing innovation in large-scale systems?

USN: At the state level, that $1.8B Medicaid transformation required enabling data transfer between a range of hospitals and several government agencies (Medicaid, Department of Public Health, CMS, etc). From that, I got into the weeds of data infrastructure and definitions needed for interoperability. It was a crash course in how legacy systems were not built with a future focus. Then, as the Chief Medical Officer managing a $100 million budget, I found that many vendors wanted to sell to us, even though their products were not built for our population.

This is the classic “build versus buy” dilemma. I recommend a hybrid approach: be a pilot site to co-design the innovation to suit your organization’s unique needs. I learned this best when I had oversight of a $300 million research budget for PCORI (Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute), where all our studies were co-designed and co-administered with community partners for true grassroots innovation.

WFA: What role do you see human-centered design and personalized medicine playing in the future of healthcare, especially when powered by AI and big data analytics?

USN: Patient-generated data from wearables or symptom diaries may be able to fill in gaps in research and make personalized medicine more accessible. If genomics is added in, the precision increases. With HER Heard, for instance, the primary goal is to serve individual women with personalized health. In addition, by designing to record research-grade data, we will create a valuable data lake over the years. If patients opt in to participating in research, the pooled data can help us better understand women’s health overall.

In tech, the term “GIGO” or garbage in, garbage out is used to describe bad data giving bad analyses. We can only get personalized medicine that works for everyone if we have the right data. For instance, women were not included in clinical trials until 1993. That means the textbooks used to teach doctors and nurses are wrong. Even many of the so-called “evidence-based guidelines” are incorrect.

Once we have better data that is more representative across all of humanity, we can offer better personalized healthcare. In order to get there, we do need everyone engaged. Privacy, understandably, is a concern for many. I am hopeful that decentralized AI will allow more data to stay secure on individual devices while only the key insights are shared. Personalized medicine is not just the clinical care being personalized, but even the level of data privacy itself being personalized. We are moving away from centralized data on servers or a cloud and towards individual choice. 

Thank you, Dr. Nehal, for sharing your time, insights, and visionary perspective—your work at the intersection of medicine, technology, and equity is truly inspiring and essential to the future of healthcare.

Visit Dr. Nehal’s LinkedIn profile to learn more: https://www.linkedin.com/in/usnehal/

In an age where digital transformation is redefining the global business landscape, visionary leaders are those who not only embrace change but actively shape it. Mohammad Arshad stands out as one such leader.

As the CEO of DecodingDataScience.com and a globally recognized AI community builder with over 150,000 members, Arshad has built a reputation as a strategic thinker and pioneer in applying artificial intelligence, data science, and generative AI to solve complex business challenges. With over two decades of experience spanning retail, digital, marketing, and tech across industry giants like MAF, Accenture, HP, and Dell, he brings a rare blend of deep technical expertise and strategic leadership.

Recognized by the World Future Awards in their thought leadership article, “How AI is Reshaping Industries,” Arshad continues to inspire the next generation of digital leaders through his global keynote sessions, mentorship, and hands-on innovation.

In this conversation, we dive into his perspectives on navigating organizational transformation, fostering innovation, and addressing global challenges in the ever-evolving digital era.

Questions:

World Future Awards: Mr. Arshad, you’ve led transformation initiatives across global enterprises—what do you see as the most critical qualities for leaders navigating digital disruption today?

Mohammad Arshad: In today’s digital age, I believe the most critical quality is the ability to stay adaptive while maintaining clarity of purpose. Digital disruption is not just about adopting new tools—it’s about rethinking how we create value. At every transformation initiative I’ve led—from retail to consulting to tech—I’ve realized that leadership requires a blend of vision, execution, and empathy.

You must inspire teams to embrace uncertainty, make data-driven decisions, and continuously reskill. I also believe in what I call “digital humility”—the idea that no leader can know it all, and the best ones build ecosystems of learning and collaboration around them. That’s what I’ve tried to do with Decoding Data Science.

WFA: How do you balance fostering innovation while maintaining operational stability in large, complex organizations?

MA: This is a challenge I’ve faced often, especially when working with legacy organizations trying to modernize. The key lies in creating parallel tracks: one for sustaining operations and another for accelerating innovation. You can’t let innovation threaten stability, and you can’t let stability block innovation.

At MAF, for example, I supported initiatives where the core business had strict SLAs and KPIs, but we also built sandboxes for data experimentation, launching pilots in retail analytics and customer personalization with clear exit criteria. It’s about structuring innovation like a startup within the enterprise, while aligning it with real business metrics.

WFA: In your experience, what are the most common pitfalls organizations face when implementing AI or digital transformation strategies, and how can leaders avoid them?

MA: The first pitfall is jumping to technology before aligning on the problem. Many leaders get excited about the latest models—LLMs, vision systems, recommender engines—but haven’t asked, “What business problem are we solving?”

The second is underestimating the cultural shift. AI is not just a tech upgrade—it requires rethinking workflows, roles, and how decisions are made. I’ve worked with companies that built great models but failed to drive adoption because the frontline teams weren’t involved early on.

Lastly, data readiness is often overlooked. Without good data practices, even the best algorithms fail. My advice: build the AI journey like a product—with a clear use case, MVP mindset, measurable ROI, and continuous learning.

WFA: With the rapid advancement of Generative AI, how do you see leadership roles evolving over the next five years?

MA: Leadership will evolve from being directive to being orchestrative. With GenAI, leaders don’t need to micromanage—they need to curate the right prompts, questions, and systems to drive outcomes.

For instance, in my AI Residency program, I train professionals to think with AI, not just use it. Future leaders must know how to integrate human judgment with machine intelligence. They’ll need to make ethical decisions fast, interpret outputs, and design workflows where humans and AI collaborate effectively.

Soft skills—empathy, storytelling, ethical reasoning—will become leadership differentiators in a world where AI handles the routine.

WFA: You’ve built a thriving AI community of over 150K people—how has community-building influenced your approach to leadership and business strategy?

MA: It’s been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. When I started Decoding Data Science, it was a small group of passionate learners. Today, it’s a global ecosystem with over 150,000 members. Through this, I’ve learned that leadership is not about broadcasting—it’s about listening and co-creating.

Many of my product ideas, bootcamps, and challenges have emerged from conversations in the community. It’s helped me stay grounded, understand real-world struggles of learners and professionals, and stay agile in my offerings. This community-first mindset has also made my business resilient, because we evolve with the people we serve.

WFA: What are some emerging global business challenges you believe leaders must prepare for in the next decade, especially in relation to data ethics and responsible AI?

MA: We’re entering an era where trust will be the currency of digital leadership. AI can do amazing things—but if we can’t ensure fairness, transparency, and accountability, we risk backlash and missed opportunities.

Leaders must prepare for increased regulatory oversight, such as the EU AI Act, and also self-impose standards around bias detection, consent, and explainability. This is particularly critical in regions like the Middle East, where adoption is rising but local datasets and cultural nuances need more attention.

One major challenge is AI governance—how do we ensure AI decisions align with human values? I believe we need cross-functional AI ethics committees, and leaders must invest in training not just their engineers, but their policy and business teams.

WFA: Having worked across regions and industries, how do you tailor leadership and innovation strategies to different cultural and regulatory contexts?

MA: This is where empathy and observation come in. Working across the UAE, India, Europe, and with US clients, I’ve realized that no two markets are alike. Leadership in Dubai requires understanding regulatory frameworks and national visions like UAE Centennial 2071; in India, it’s about frugality, scale, and inclusivity.

I adapt by listening, partnering with local experts, and avoiding assumptions. For example, when deploying AI in healthcare or education, I align not just with laws, but with local values—what does fairness mean in that context? That’s how you lead with respect and relevance.

WFA: Finally, what advice would you give to aspiring leaders looking to make a meaningful impact in the digital era?

MA: Start where you are—don’t wait for the perfect title or permission. If you believe in something, build it. Use the tools around you—AI, communities, no-code platforms—to test ideas and learn fast.

Also, don’t just chase trends—solve real problems. Build a portfolio of meaningful work and let your values guide you. And finally, lift others as you grow. That’s how you create impact that lasts.

In my journey, every milestone—whether it was speaking at Gitex, mentoring over 1,000 professionals, or launching the AI Residency—was driven by a simple principle: teach what you learn, and learn as you teach.

Thank you, Mr. Arshad, for sharing your invaluable insights and inspiring perspective on leadership in the digital era—your vision and experience are truly shaping the future of global innovation.

To learn more about Mohammad and his inspiring work, visit his LinkedIn page at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mdarshad/

Lydia Teryoshina is one of the leading voices in Microsoft’s Azure business, driving digital transformation and innovation across Central Europe. With over 15 years in sales with experience spanning IT, pharma, logistics, and iGaming, she has a strong track record of scaling businesses and leading strategic initiatives. Since joining Microsoft in 2017, she has played a crucial role in expanding Azure Data & AI business, achieving remarkable business growth year over year. Her leadership has not only driven market success but also fostered partnerships, with five of her collaborators earning Microsoft’s Partner of the Year recognition between 2022 and 2024.

Recognized as one of the Most Inspiring Women in Technology 2024 by World Future Awards, Lydia is celebrated for her contributions to AI innovation and advocacy for diversity in tech. She is deeply committed to mentorship, championing women in AI and leadership roles.

In this interview, Lydia reflects on her career journey, discussing challenges for women in tech, the role of mentorship in career growth, and how diversity enhances AI innovation. She also shares key leadership insights and her vision for the future of AI, offering valuable lessons for both aspiring and experienced professionals in the field.

Questions:

World Future Awards: What inspired you to pursue a career in AI and tech, and how did you navigate challenges as a woman in this field?

Lydia Teryoshina: Back in the day, before I started my journey in IT, I had a bullet-proof stereotype that IT was all about coding, tech people working with computers, physical servers, and wires. I believed that only tech-savvy individuals could pursue a career in IT, and since I was into humanities, I thought there was no space for me in that direction.

At that time, I didn’t think much about gender differences because it was obvious that STEM culture in schools and universities was predominantly male. To me, that wasn’t important since I was stuck with the wrong impression that my background wouldn’t allow me to enter the IT field at all.

I have a degree in marketing and PR, but I moved into sales right after finishing university. It took several years and encouragement from close friends to realize that I could succeed in IT sales by focusing on my strengths. That’s how my journey as a Sales Manager in iGaming industry began.

Navigating challenges as a woman in this field has been an ongoing process. I’ve learned to leverage my strengths in communication and relationship-building to carve out a space for myself. It’s been about breaking down those initial stereotypes and proving that there’s a place for diverse skill sets in tech. My journey has been about continuous learning, adapting, and finding ways to contribute meaningfully to the industry.

WFA: As someone who has scaled businesses and led strategic AI initiatives, what advice do you have for women looking to break into leadership roles in tech?

LT: My mentors have always emphasized the importance of focusing on the strengths of every individual, regardless of gender. We are all different, and by assessing ourselves properly, we can quickly discover that qualities like leadership, communication, and empathy are highly valued in any environment. This realization can drive us to seek new knowledge and gradually become more tech-savvy.

Today, the STEM gender gap persists*:

• Women make up 29% of the global STEM workforce.
• Women represent 35% of STEM graduates, a figure that has remained unchanged for a decade.

I believe that the journey starts from family and school, gradually influencing the lives of young women. In my view, a few fundamental principles must be followed to address the issue collectively:

• Spark Interest Early: Make STEM exciting for girls through hands-on learning, female role models, and mentorship.
• Build Bridges, Not Barriers: Create scholarships, networks, and career programs that support women in STEM.
• Fix the System, Not the Women: Ensure fair hiring, equal pay, and workplace policies that empower, not exclude.
• Rewrite the Narrative: Challenge stereotypes, amplify women’s voices in media, and make STEM accessible to everyone.

In general, I believe that women have the ability to adapt, be flexible, and creative. It’s quite easy to assess the need for resources within the IT field to bring value forward. For example, at Microsoft, women are excelling in all areas and roles of the industry, from CVPs and engineering/quantum computing to design, program management, sales, tech support, legal and corporate affairs, finance, and many more.

My advice to women looking to break into leadership roles in tech is to leverage your unique strengths, seek out mentors, and continuously learn and adapt. By doing so, you can carve out a space for yourself and make a significant impact in the tech industry.

WFA: How do you see the role of women evolving in AI and data-driven industries over the next decade? What barriers still need to be addressed?

LT: Over the next decade, women will take on an even bigger role in shaping AI and data-driven industries. From healthcare and finance to manufacturing and the arts, they will drive innovation as researchers, engineers, policymakers, and business leaders. AI is no longer just about code — it’s about ethics, regulation, and human impact. As more women enter these critical fields, they contribute to building AI responsibly, ensuring it benefits everyone and that diverse perspectives become part of the new norm.

But challenges remain. Women are still underrepresented in technical and leadership roles, AI systems continue to reflect societal biases. Many talented women leave the field due to workplace culture issues and limited career advancement. To change this, we need more accessible STEM education, stronger mentorship networks, fairer funding opportunities, and workplaces that truly support women’s growth. With the right changes, the next decade won’t just see more women in AI — it will see them leading the way.

WFA: Your career has spanned industries from IT to pharma to iGaming. What key lessons have you learned about adaptability and success in fast-changing environments?

LT: You’re absolutely right — I’ve moved across several roles and industries, from pharma to iGaming and then into IT. Each transition required me to build new relationships, adapt quickly, and continuously expand my skill set. These experiences reinforced how essential flexibility and lifelong learning are to effective leadership — qualities that are becoming increasingly non-negotiable.

Since I have been in the sales business, where success depends on relationships with customers, I learned early on that the good old KYC (Know Your Customer) approach is the best. Figuring out every possible detail about your customers is key to success, as it gives you more options to adapt to possible changes quickly because you are aware of their history.

When it comes to a corporate role, you must ensure you know your targets (both soft and numerical).

To sum up, here are the main points I rely on whenever progressing with my career:

·         Embrace Change Proactively: Change is inevitable; it’s just a matter of time. Thus, don’t be afraid to change or step out of your comfort zone — be flexible.

·         Continuous Learning: I’ve faced my share of challenges when preparing for technical exams — they didn’t come naturally to me, but through focus, discipline, and a clear goal, I proved to myself that anything can be learned. Since then, I’ve not only earned those certifications but also become a Learning Champ, inspiring others to develop both technical expertise and the soft skills essential for effective collaboration.

·       Collaboration and Communication: Regardless of all of us being authentic, we must be open to diverse opinions and learn how to articulate our positions with clarity & respect to be a successful part of a team.

WFA: What are some pivotal moments or decisions in your career that helped shape your leadership style?

LT: Leadership isn’t about simply managing others. In fact, some of the least effective managers focus on increasing their number of direct reports instead of developing real leadership skills. I’ve spent many years as an individual contributor and have always felt confident in that role. It’s absolutely possible to earn respect across communities and from people at all levels — not through authority, but through impact, consistency, and influence.

Authenticity also plays a key role. It’s important to recognize that you won’t always be everyone’s first choice — and that’s perfectly okay. What matters is staying true to your unique style and values. Blending in might seem like the easier route, but it doesn’t always support meaningful growth. At the same time, there’s no single path to success — everyone is working toward their own goals, and each journey is valid in its own way.

It all comes back to the idea that stepping outside your comfort zone isn’t just a challenge — it’s the norm for developing and stretching leadership skills.

WFA: You’ve led high-growth teams and worked closely with partners. How do you approach mentorship, and what impact do you think mentorship has on women in AI and tech?

LT: In the age of AI, which can sometimes feel intimidating, many women experience impostor syndrome. Having a mentor who validates their experiences and supports their growth can make all the difference in building the confidence to take on challenges, speak up, and pursue leadership roles.

Mentors offer practical advice on critical aspects like salary negotiations, career transitions, project selection, and avoiding burnout. For women, particularly in male-dominated fields, having someone who truly “gets it” is invaluable for making strategic career decisions.

Mentorship is about gaining a fresh perspective. The journey to success often involves tough feedback from peers and mentors — feedback that is essential for growth and progress.

I encourage adopting a broader view by engaging with different people who contribute to your success, whether they are supporting your mental well-being (like a psychologist or coach) or helping you enhance both your soft and technical skills through career mentorship.

As mentioned earlier, it’s crucial to look up to someone who exemplifies the qualities you aspire to. Mentorship fosters representation and inclusion, proving that with the right approach, almost anything is possible.

WFA: What leadership strategies have helped you build trust and drive high performance in male-dominated industries?

LT: That’s a great and powerful question! While I don’t lead teams myself (yet 😄), here are leadership strategies that have consistently helped me as a woman to prevail in male-dominated environments:

·         Show competence with confidence: Know your stuff and speak up with clarity.

·         Be consistent: Deliver reliably to earn respect and credibility.

·         Contribute to psychological safety: Ensure everyone feels safe to speak.

·         Call out bias tactfully: Address unfairness professionally to shift culture.

·         Be authentic: Lean into your strengths; don’t try to fit a mold.

·         Support others: Mentor and sponsor to build trust and community.

·       Focus on outcomes: Let results and impact do the talking.

WFA: AI systems are only as good as the data and perspectives that shape them. How does diversity, both in teams and leadership, lead to more responsible and innovative AI solutions?

LT: Diverse teams and leaders help build better, fairer & responsible AI. When people from different backgrounds work together, they bring different ideas, life experiences, and ways of thinking. This helps them notice problems others might miss, like bias in data or unfair results.

In AI, that’s really important. If only one type of person builds the system, it might not work well for everyone. But with a diverse team, the AI is more likely to be useful, fair, and safe for more people.

Diversity fosters more creative and effective solutions, as diverse perspectives drive innovation and generate long-lasting ideas.

In short: AI is smarter and more responsible when it’s shaped by a wide range of voices.

Thank you, Lydia, for sharing your insights, experiences, and leadership journey with us—it’s been truly inspiring to learn from your expertise and vision for the future of AI and tech.

Learn more about Lydia and her admirable career journey via her LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lydiateryoshina/

We are excited to welcome Pigalle Tavakkoli as the newest board member of  World Future Awards. An award-winning Experience Design strategist, trainer, and educator, Pigalle spent 15 years as a producer facilitating collaborations between scientists and artists and devising storyworlds that merged live and digital platforms for cultural and scientific organizations, festivals, and brand activations across the UK and Europe. She has created a comprehensive experience design process and methods and provides training and consultancy for global brands such as Apple, The Guardian, and Unilever. Her unique approach combines art and science, strategic insight with creative vision, for lasting value and high-impact solutions for her clients.

Pigalle also co-developed and has been teaching the UK’s first course in Experience Design at the University of the Arts London for 12 years, and is the founder of the School of Experience Design. She is recognized as a thought leader and pioneer, as an international keynote and contributor to white papers and articles.

With accolades such as the Empowering Learning Journey Hero award for her innovative and impactful teaching methods, her roles as Council Member of the World Experience Organisation, and Jury Member for Conventa Best Event Award, Pigalle brings a wealth of expertise to the World Future Awards, where she will continue to shape the future of experience design.

We spent some time with Pigalle to learn more about her background, her accolades, and her vast experience.

World Future Awards: Congratulations on being selected as the newest board member of the World Future Awards! How do you see your experience contributing to the organization’s mission?

Pigalle Tavakkoli:

I’m delighted to join the board, thank you for the invitation. I’m passionate about designing meaningful experiences that empower people to reach their potential and drive impact, and excited to collaborate and cross-pollinate expertise, approaches and perspectives with the other board members.

I resonate with the World Future Awards mission to support the world to become better, smarter, and especially a more playful place to live in. As board members, we have a responsibility to shine the spotlight on individuals, projects, and organizations who are carving paths to achieve this, and I’m looking forward to supporting others to shine.

WFA: As an expert in Experience Design, how do you think the future of customer and client experiences will evolve over the next decade, especially in a world that’s becoming more digitally driven?

PT: We’re living in an era of accelerating changes with disruption is the new normal. This means that customer and client needs are also rapidly changing, and we need to keep up with their shifting priorities and motivations. However, there is a core human need that remains constant, which is the need for connection to ourselves, each other, and wider society for our lives to have meaning and purpose. As our lives become more intimately digitally intertwined, a gap is growing between ourselves and each other, which leads to increasing isolation and disconnection. This presents us with an opportunity to design digital experiences that humanize and bridge the divide so that digital systems become an enabler not a breaker of connection.

WFA: You’ve worked with major global brands like Apple, The Guardian, Pukka Herbs, and Unilever. Can you share a specific example where your approach to Experience Design led to a significant shift in how a brand connects with its audience?

PT: When I speak with and listen to an organization and their teams, they share the audience or client challenges they’re concerned about. Often these turn out to be symptoms, and when I follow their signals, I discover the underlying causes. This allows me to develop bespoke training to unblock the root challenges and release the team’s potential for the organization to thrive.

For instance, one organization thought a key challenge was that their teams needed to better understand the client brand stories to secure more pitches. However, I discovered the teams did understand the client brand stories well, and the reason why connections weren’t forming was due to their definitions and understanding of storytelling. This meant that each person used this in different ways across pitches, and consequently, this became confusing for the client. So I unified the department on the meaning and structures of story and narrative, and how to apply this to their proposals, for a cohesive message which would be clear for clients to understand.

The Director of Delivery responded by saying, “It was incredibly informative and you very clearly defined narrative as separate to the story. It was really useful for interrogating a brief and identifying the gap between what brands want from their

audience and vice versa, and how to bridge this. Everyone really engaged with this.”, with their Creative Director saying it was, “the best training this year”.

WFA: The concept of ‘emotionally charged’ experiences is central to your work. Could you elaborate on how emotions play a crucial role in shaping customer loyalty and long-term engagement?

PT: Emotions and memories are formed and stored in structures that sit alongside each other in the brain. As close neighbors, they have a symbiotic relationship with each other. When we have an emotionally rich experience, this sends signals to the area of the brain which sparks up emotions, and the emotions send signals for a memory to be formed. Afterward, when we think back and remember the experience, the memory sends signals for the same emotions to be sparked back up. Since memories can’t be formed without emotions, it is crucial we design nuanced emotional journeys to inspire loyalty and long-term engagement.

Another aspect to consider is that behavioral science methods often look to change behavior by changing the way people think, feel, and do. However, based on 15 years of producing experiences that transformed audiences, I’ve discovered there is another sequence for behavior change. I created the Emotion Change Equation method, which starts by changing the way people feel, then changing the way think, and once we have designed this effectively a natural outcome will be changes in behavior.

WFA: You co-developed the UK’s first course in Experience Design, and founded the School of Experience Design. What are some of the key insights or skills that you aim to impart to the next generation of experience designers?

PT: The benefit of teaching and training for 12 years has been witnessing the trajectory of cohorts and teams as they progress in their projects, careers, and businesses around the world. I like to seed the value of experience design within them while equipping them with practical skills, so they’re inspired and tooled up to be the change-makers of the future.

Amongst the frameworks, methods, and tools I’ve shared and passed on, key takeaways are that an experience takes place internally within the audience, and the event, product, and service are the external tools and containers to achieve this. After the interactions and experiences have taken place, transformation is when the audience implements and integrates changes into their daily lives. So they’re not just being experience designers, they’re also agents of transformation.

WFA: In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges organizations face when trying to implement experience design strategies, and how can they overcome these obstacles to drive better results?

PT: The traditional direction for devising an organization’s strategy is for the board and senior leaders to develop it, and then they inform the heads of departments and managers of the new strategy, who then update and oversee their teams to

carry it out. This is a top-down, one-way didactic approach. The risk is that the staff responsible for embodying and delivering the strategy are unconnected to its formation, so they lack understanding and motivation as to why they are being told to adapt or change their approach and actions.

I advocate devising an organization’s strategy from a different direction. Instead, I support senior leaders to co-develop it alongside their heads of departments, managers, and teams. The strategy is then shaped in collaboration between the whole organization, which removes silos, improves cross-departmental working, and strengthens internal communications. This is a bottom-up, two-way dialogue approach. The benefits are that the staff responsible for embodying and delivering the strategy are now connected to its formation, so they have a clear understanding and personal investment to adapt or change their approach and actions.

WFA: Given your extensive background in both education and consultancy, what advice would you give to businesses and leaders who want to begin integrating Experience Design into their strategy but may not know where to start?

PT: I collaborate with boards, leaders, managers, and their teams to ask them curious questions and listen to their perspectives. Through analysis, I uncover insights into their strengths, identify challenges and routes to solutions, and their current understanding of experience design, as benchmarks from which to build on. Based on the insights, I devise bespoke training to solidify their strengths, close gaps, and enhance their systems. This means they move from designing experiences by intuition, to creating them by intention for increased outreach, engagement, and impact. 

Through playful and dynamic workshops and sprints, they are hands-on with my experience design process, to immediately apply methods and learn through doing. Along the way, they also gain insights into the science that underpins the methods with rigor. This unifies the organization and teams with a shared understanding and vocabulary on experience design and transformation.

Their shared outcomes, shifts in perspectives and learnings inform the review, adjustment, and updates to the internal culture and organizational strategy. Since the refreshed strategy has been co-developed by the leaders alongside their internal teams, this secures buy-in and motivation across the organization to cascade and implement learnings and embed the strategy as a daily practice.

Thank you so much for sharing your invaluable visions and expertise, Pigalle, it’s been a true privilege to learn from your experience and vision.

To learn more about our renowned board member, please visit Pigalle’s LinkedIn profile here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pigalletavakkoli/