“Predictions are extremely difficult, especially when they concern the future”, Winston Churchill once said.

And yet, every year, as December rolls around, we’re buried under a flood of predictions from experts and self-proclaimed gurus. It’s that season again. But how do we make sense of it all—and what should we do instead to kick off the new year with real success?

"But aren’t you a futurist?" some of you asked me in the past when I criticised future predictions.

No I am not, and I’ll tell you why.

Trying to predict the future with data, AI, the intestines of sacrificed animals or the weird spells of drugged-up alleged virgin priestesses implies a belief in a deterministic future.

I don’t buy that.

Because I don’t think the future is set yet.

We can shape it together with our fellow humans.

The Good News

The future is, and remains, volatile and uncertain; otherwise, it would not be called the future but the past.

But that is also the good news about it.

It means that the future has not yet been decided. It means we can still shape it. Anything else would be incredibly boring and would also contradict our free will.

It’s neither possible nor desirable to eliminate the uncertainty of the future. We simply have to learn to deal with it in a different way:

Let’s spend less time on forecasts of a deterministic future and devote more time to shaping a desirable one.

Because “the best way to predict the future is to create it.”

As Abraham Lincoln (or whoever, it’s attributed to several leaders) put it so beautifully.

And that’s what I am all about:

Creating the future, not predicting it.

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👇Let us know in the comments: What do you think about future predictions?

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🎬Video concept by the fabulous Red Swan Chief Creative Officer Xaver Kettele.

♬Music: Audiojungle

Perfect imperfection: In this episode of Code Red: Technology, Madness, and the Future of Humanity, Chris Kalaboukis and I discuss the wild, unpredictable world of AI creativity.

Sometimes, creative AI tools like Midjourney or Runway have the audacity to flat-out ignore our precise prompts, dismiss our carefully crafted wishes, and mock our desires by producing something entirely different.

It’s enough to make any control freak’s blood boil. But unintended results can ignite a spark of unexpected creativity. Could it be that AI isn’t just a tool we wield, but a creative partner with a mind of its own? Instead of merely using it, are we co-creating with it, allowing its quirks and defiance to push us into new artistic realms?

🎙️ Join us as we explore real-world examples and personal experiences that challenge the way we think about AI's role in creativity.

🚨 Key points:
→ AI’s Creative Rebellion: Why tighter control often leads to defiance.
→ Co-Creation vs. Tool: The case for treating AI as a creative partner, not just a machine.
→ Lean Prompts, Big Ideas: How less direction leads to richer, more inspired outcomes.
→ Copyright Question: Should AI-generated art belong to its creators—or everyone?

👉 Hit subscribe for more unfiltered discussions about the intersections of technology, art, and humanity.

And don't forget to join the Code Red Substack community at coderedbyredswan.substack.com. We love to see you there! ♥️

👇And let us know in the comments: Is AI’s defiant creativity a valuable partner or an annoying problem?

🎬Video concept & editing by the fabulous Red Swan Chief Creative Officer Xaver Kettele. ♬Music: Audiojungle

"Scrum masters and hackathon enthusiasts will hate us." In this episode of Code Red: Technology, Madness, and the Future of Humanity, hosts Ursula Eysin, CEO of Red Swan, and Silicon Valley’s Chris Kalaboukis, tackle a hot question in the world of corporate innovation: Are hackathons a real innovation driver, or just corporate theater? You’ll be surprised by their take on what really goes on behind the scenes at these events—and why they often fail to deliver results. 🚨 Key points: → Hackathons Unmasked: Why most hackathons are more about optics than actual innovation. →The Innovation Black Hole: What happens to great ideas after the event, and why so few make it out alive. →Employee Frustration: How poor communication kills motivation and leaves employees burned out. →Agile & Scrum: Friend or Foe?: The real reason why these frameworks often lead to mediocrity, not breakthrough ideas. →Why Innovation Fails: The dangers of short-term thinking and why long-term vision is the only way to drive true change. →Internal vs External Innovation: Why companies spend millions on outside startups instead of leveraging their own creative talent. 🎙️ Ursula and Chris dig into real-world examples and share their experiences working with top global companies, offering fresh perspectives on how to break the cycle of stagnant innovation. 👉 Subscribe for more no-BS discussions on the future of technology and how it shapes humanity! 💬 Join the conversation: Have you participated in a corporate hackathon? Share your experience in the comments! #Innovation #Hackathons #TechPodcast #FutureOfWork #HumanCreativityUnleashed