Brain computer implant, ‘deschooling society’, return to the Moon and more: Glimpses of year 2025 at Dubai Future Forum
New milestones slated for health, economy, energy, space and other key sectors
Dubai: The first brain chip in a healthy person, an AI board member, and our return to the Moon, are among the “era-defining moments” expected in 2025, a top official announced in Dubai.
Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of the Dubai Future Foundation, revealed these and other expected milestones in his opening address at the Dubai Future Forum. The forum brought together 2,500 global leaders and experts from 100 countries and international institutions at the Museum of the Future.
“The wheel of future design is spinning faster than we or our ancestors could have imagined,” Belhoul said. In his address, Belhoul shared seven key developments expected to shape the world over the next year. He stressed that industries must adapt to the rapid growth in data and advances in technology or risk being left behind. “These firsts are signals of a world in motion,” he said.
Expected in 2025
1. A world moving beyond GDP
“A country with a high GDP may not offer the best quality of life. This calls for a rethink of GDP – a measure adopted nearly 80 years ago. For the first time, the System of National Accounts is including environment and well-being to calculate GDP. This is a giant leap towards redefining national progress and prosperity,” Belhoul noted.
2. World will double its energy from Sun
“Every second, the sun radiates over 5.5 trillion times what humanity consumes in a year, and in the coming year, our world will tap into limited source of energy more than ever. This is how the world chooses to respond to energy crisis – by turning to nature for greater energy security.”
3. Humanity returning to the moon
“In the next 12 months, we will witness humanity begin its mission to the return to the moon. NASA lunar mission will launch to land the first astronauts to the moon in just over 50 years. I wonder, with all the technological progress we’ve achieved on Earth in the past 50 years, what knowledge will the world gain from landing on the moon this time around, and how much will this new achievement impact humanity in the future?”
4. A genome bank will reach 1 million samples
“Already, the largest genome banks in the UK and the UAE each have over half a million samples, but soon, one genome bank will surpass this with a million samples. We’re entering an era where healthcare can fully become personalised, where we can anticipate and prevent certain diseases before they even develop. This milestone might happen in our nation,” Belhoul underlined.
5. Students learning outside of school reaching 5 million
“Before COVID-19, nearly 3 million children were home schooled globally, with the greatest numbers from the US, the UK, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. By the next year, outside school learning will reach 5 million students. This shift reflects a growing understanding that education is not one size fits all. The rise of online platforms, virtual classrooms and customised curriculums means that families now have more control over how, when and what their children learn.”
6. First brain computer implant in healthy person
“Brain computers implants have been a controversial topic for a while. Elon Musk’s Neuralink has now implanted two brain tubes into two patients with spinal cord injuries. But now what once felt like science fiction will become reality as the first device will be implanted as part of a trial into a healthy person. This breakthrough will redefine connections. It opens possibilities with only dreamt of,” Belhoul said.
7. First AI board member of Fortune 500 company
“Last year, the first AI humanoid CEO was appointed by a company to lead with data driven precision and strategic insights. But now you might see a leader that is AI driven, not a humanoid. I expect the first Fortune 500 company to have its first AI board member in the upcoming year. The evolution will force us to rethink what it actually means to lead,” Belhoul added.