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Latest Megatrends insights
Megatrends
Megatrends are the powerful social, demographic, environmental and technological forces shaping our world. Independent of economic cycles, these enduring shifts redefine how societies, businesses and individuals adapt and thrive. Understanding megatrends is key to navigating the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly changing future.
Exploring Megatrends
These articles examine the transformative megatrends reshaping global economies, industries and societies. By exploring themes such as resource scarcity, the shift towards service-driven economies and the complexities of (de)globalisation, they highlight how these forces create both challenges and opportunities.
Technology and science
Technology & science · 04 Sep 2026
Reclaiming privacy
Professor Carissa Véliz analyses the risks posed to individual freedoms from digitisation.
Technology & science · 23 Aug 2026
How AI is reshaping education
Ed shares how he built Renewed Learning from his first year at university into an international tutoring business working across the UK and Hong Kong.
Technology & science · 27 Jul 2026
Sizing AI’s environmental footprint
Viktoras Kulionis puts AI’s thirst for power into context.
Technology & science · 08 Jul 2026
Why human judgment still matters in the age of AI
Tracing ivee’s evolution from recruitment technology to AI upskilling and advisory, Amelia Miller, CEO of ivee, explores AI adoption, prompt engineering, governance, automation, and why experience remains a critical asset.
Technology & science · 29 Jun 2026
Why Asia’s energy shock will hasten the clean transition
USD 100 oil is the best advertisement for EVs, says former Philippines energy secretary Vince Pérez, who believes the Iran war is speeding up Asia's energy transition.
Technology & science · 22 Jun 2026
Technology legend Steve Wozniak surveys the IT landscape
It’s 50 years since Steve Wozniak created the first Apple computer and changed the face of modern technology. And his curiosity and insights are as keen now as they were in 1976. Wozniak’s enthusiasm for innovation is clear, and thoughts bubble from him, not least about artificial intelligence.
Technology & science · 10 Jun 2026
Future of industry: embracing data and clean energy
The tech boom makes the transition to clean energy ever more urgent – but also more achievable. We find out why at the world's largest industrial innovation summit.
Technology & science · 09 Jun 2026
The demographic cliff: accelerating automation
Ageing societies will accelerate the next wave of automation. Carl Frey, author of seminal research into the impact of robotics on the labour market and Pictet Asset Management thematic advisory board member, explains how.
Technology & science · 22 Apr 2026
How AI and Automation are improving NHS GP access
Pete takes us inside the reality of GP practices, from the pressure on front-desk staff to the outdated administrative systems that still shape much of the patient experience.
Technology & science · 27 Feb 2026
Artificial intelligence powering a healthcare revolution
Machine learning is leading us to new therapies, says Generate:Biomedicines' Michael Nally.
Technology & science · 05 Feb 2026
Where AI will really be felt
Pictet Asset Management thematic advisory board member Carl Frey looks to the past to understand how AI is likely to transform the global economy.
Technology & science · 26 Nov 2025
AI and work
AI is already changing the world of work, but it is unlikely to cause wholesale unemployment
Technology & science · 24 Oct 2025
Dialogue-driven development — The human essence of platform engineering
At DevOpsDays Amsterdam 2024, Pictet Tech delivered a session titled ‘Dialogue-driven development — The human essence of platform engineering.’
Technology & science · 01 Oct 2025
We, Robot
In popular imagination, robots have near-unlimited powers: superhuman strength, agility and intelligence. The reality has been much more prosaic, argues Daegal Tsang.
Technology & science · 01 Jul 2025
The building materials of the future
Sustainable buildings of tomorrow will be made with waste and nature-based materials.
Technology & science · 01 Jul 2025
Augmenting the mind
From high-tech brain implants to mind-altering medicines, we are entering a golden age of neuro innovation.
Technology & science · 01 Jul 2025
Seven trends to watch in 2023
The key trends to look out for in science, technology and sustainability over the next 12 months – and beyond.
Technology & science · 01 Jul 2025
Blue carbon to the rescue
A pioneering blue carbon project in The Bahamas is harnessing the power of seagrass, potentially creating a template for other emerging markets.
Technology & science · 01 Jul 2025
Web 3.0: more than just the Internet
The next generation Web 3.0 promises to bring an entirely new era of the Internet where society and technology interact in a more democratised and secure way.
Technology & science · 01 Jul 2025
Chips with everything
The world depends on semiconductors. In this interview, Professor Chris Miller highlights the industry's latest innovations and their implications for our future in a Q&A format with Anjali Bastianpillai, Senior Client Portfolio Manager.
Technology & science · 19 May 2025
Private equity comes to grips with AI
Pictet surveys the private equity industry about what AI means for business.
Technology & science · 16 May 2025
China tech - Throwing down the gauntlet to the US
Chinese Artificial Intelligence (AI) start-up DeepSeek stunned global markets in late January by apparently achieving comparable – or superior – performance to the world’s best chatbots at a fraction of the cost.
Technology & science · 13 May 2025
Pictet Team Triumphs at Genev’Hack 2025
At the Genev’Hack 2025 conference, a two-person team from Pictet Tech’s Cybersecurity Engineering department won the ‘Into the Breach’ capture-the-flag (CTF) challenge.
Technology & science · 08 May 2025
Powering the future of economic growth: investment opportunities driven by the rise of AI
Data centres are at the forefront of driving energy demand in today's rapidly evolving technological landscape.
Technology & science · 06 May 2025
Staying warm without warming the planet
Decarbonising our heating and cooling systems is a key step towards net zero. District heating systems and heat pumps powered by renewable electricity could be the answer.
Technology & science · 20 Apr 2025
Platform Perseverance: 1,000 Kubernetes Clusters
The talk described how a team of three platform engineers navigated regulatory requirements, operational constraints and rigorous change management processes in order to operate 1,000 Kubernetes clusters for a Swiss private bank.
Technology & science · 15 Apr 2025
Surveying forecasts of AI’s economic effects
How big will generative AI’s economic footprint be?
Technology & science · 27 Mar 2025
Quantitative strategies: distilling the best of active and passive
Quantitative strategies represent the best of active and passive approaches. They're able to generate additional alpha but at low cost and market levels of risk.
Technology & science · 07 Mar 2025
Measuring the impact of anti-obesity drugs
The next wave of GLP-1 treatments will do more than just shrink waistlines.
Technology & science · 05 Mar 2025
Is AI running out of steam?
The research effort into artificial intelligence appears to be slowing down according to patent data. It could be because as the private sector takes over the bulk of the effort, the focus of new research is narrowing.
Technology & science · 05 Mar 2025
Digitalising the world's supply chains
Covid-19, rising inflation, labour shortages and now war have disrupted the logistics that underpin global trade. To adapt, companies must turn to technology.
Technology & science · 11 Feb 2025
Pictet at the EPFL Applied Machine Learning Days
Pictet Tech hosted a session titled “Unlocking the Power of AI and GenAI in Financial Services: Strategies for Maximising Benefits” at the AMLD. The panel included Pictet Tech specialists alongside an external expert from a financial market infrastructure organisation.
Technology & science · 06 Nov 2024
Democratising education: Closing the knowledge gap
Personalisation and accessibility: how can artificial intelligence optimise learning? We speak to education specialist Sal Khan on his journey to creating Khan Academy.
Technology & science · 26 Sep 2024
AI-powered digital pathology: disrupting healthcare services
AI-powered digital pathology promises to deliver faster, more accurate results and improve cancer care.
Technology & science · 27 Aug 2024
Exploring the role of AI in philanthropy
The reach of the artificial intelligence revolution is reshaping not only the way we conduct business, but also how we drive the positive change we wish to see in the world.
Technology & science · 22 Aug 2024
Harnessing wind power with rotor sails
With master mariner Kim Diederichsen at the helm, London-based Anemoi Marine Technologies is forging ahead developing its innovative rotor sails, which harness wind power and reduce fuel consumption – helping to cut fuel and emissions from the shipping industry and meet net-zero targets.
Technology & science · 06 Aug 2024
Beyond success: entrepreneurship, technology, and the evolution of clothing | Film
How will nano materials revolutionise the clothing industry? According to Steve Tidball, founder of futuristic clothing brand Vollebak, we’re entering an age where technology is going to be absorbed into our clothes, turning them into tools. But what does the future hold for clothing as it becomes a technological tool?
Technology & science · 29 Jul 2024
Smarter sport
The sporting world is becoming increasingly high-tech, encouraging people to improve health and fitness and supporting growth of the digital industry.
Technology & science · 21 May 2024
The deepfake detectors
Sophisticated deepfake scams present major challenges for the cyber security industry – as well as major opportunities.
Environment
Environment · 01 Oct 2025
Fighting waste with innovation
Efficient waste management and recycling are key to securing a sustainable future for our planet. NG Nordic is one company developing innovative solutions.
Environment · 01 Jul 2025
An idea that's worth floating
Why floating wind turbines could turn the tide in renewable energy.
Environment · 12 May 2025
Climate anxiety - Hannah Ritchie
Oxford’s Hannah Ritchie explains why optimism is sustainable.
Environment · 05 May 2025
The state of climate capital
New research by Pictet with the Institute of International Finance highlights the stark gap between actual investment and what’s needed to reach net zero.
Environment · 05 Mar 2025
Biodiversity: why investors should care
For too long, businesses and investors have ignored the threat biodiversity loss presents to human prosperity and growth.
Environment · 04 Mar 2025
Tracking the energy transition
Renewable energy presents investors with opportunity and complexity.
Environment · 24 Feb 2025
Iberdrola’s path to sustainable energy
César Pérez Ruiz, Head of Investments & CIO at Pictet Wealth Management, sits down with Iberdrola’s Ignacio Sánchez Galán to discuss how a utility giant is navigating the energy transition.
Environment · 06 Feb 2025
Solving climate change demands more than moonshots
Improvements to existing technologies are just as important in the fight against climate change.
Environment · 19 Nov 2024
Renewable natural gas: turning trash into low-carbon energy
First used by the Assyrians, biogas is evolving into a viable low-carbon solution that could yield a number of environmental and financial benefits.
Environment · 21 Oct 2024
Resilience and regeneration
Planetary resilience via the regeneration of our ecosystem services – from the climate to biodiversity – will be key to our continued ability to thrive over the long term. In this Q&A, we discuss what this means and the investment implications.
Environment · 13 Jun 2024
Curbing the tide of coral degradation
After witnessing the obliteration of a coral reef, due to rising sea temperatures, marine biologist Vriko Yu founded Archireef, a startup dedicated to the restoration of degraded marine environments using 3D printing technology
Environment · 05 Jun 2024
Climate Crunch: A closer look at the transition risks of net zero
Although most investors would agree that building a net zero economy is no longer an option, but a necessity, the transition could cause considerable disruption over the next five to seven years. These are the findings of a new report conducted on behalf of Pictet Asset Management by the Institute of International Finance.
Environment · 08 May 2024
Pioneering sustainable solutions in waste management
Successfully taking over a family business is perhaps no easy task, but Iiro Kankaansyrjä has transformed and streamlined his father’s 40-year-old Finnish waste management company, Kapasity Oy, and launched a tech-driven startup, EasyWaste.
Environment · 02 Apr 2024
Closing the loop in textile recycling
It is not possible to recycle most fabrics with current methods, meaning millions of tons of fast fashion clothes that are thrown away each year end up in landfill. One start-up is looking to change that.
Environment · 02 Apr 2024
Don't underestimate the energy transition
Diego Diaz Pilas, the global head of technology and ventures at Iberdrola, offers insights into the speed of the energy transition and its challenges in this conversation with Mega.
Environment · 10 Jan 2024
Climate Anxiety | Podcast
This podcast episode delves into the intricate fabric of the political landscape, contemplating the emergence of a pioneering sustainable generation.
Environment · 20 Dec 2023
Closing the loop in textile recycling
It is not possible to recycle most fabrics with current methods, meaning millions of tons of clothes that are thrown away each year end up in landfill. Sydney-based startup Phoenxt has developed innovative chemical processes that successfully turn old garments into beautiful new textiles.
Environment · 15 Dec 2023
Sophie Chapman, EcoBricks
Paving the way with recycled plastics
Environment · 24 Nov 2023
Microbial paths to a sustainable world
Microbes are essential to food production. They can also help make it greener.
Environment · 06 Nov 2023
The long and winding road to net zero
A global authority on energy transitions, Prof. Vaclav Smil has built his considerable reputation on always cleaving to the facts. Here, he delivers some hard truths about the world's decarbonisation ambitions.
Environment · 22 Sep 2023
Renewables: timing the transition
Renewable energy may be green but it’s notoriously unreliable. We can’t summon the sun or the wind but we can time demand to coincide with supply. Here is how.
Environment · 03 Jul 2023
Feeding the world without devouring the planet
Modern farming is the prime cause of the climate breakdown. Swap grass-fed beef for pancakes made of air, says British environmental activist George Monbiot.
Environment · 27 Jun 2023
On a mission to cut air pollution in Southeast Asia
Motorcycles are the main form of transport for the majority in Southeast Asia. They are also a major source of pollution and carbon emissions. ION Mobility’s goal is to gradually replace them with more eco-friendly electric alternatives.
Environment · 01 Jun 2023
Brave New World | Podcast
For centuries, humans have manipulated the natural world to meet our needs, gradually gaining control over the biosphere to support the growth and prosperity of our civilizations.
Environment · 29 May 2023
The battle for green supremacy
Governments across the world have intensified efforts to secure an ever bigger slice of the environmental tech market.
Environment · 22 May 2023
Green steel
A boutique Brazilian company is leading a ‘green steel’ revolution, changing an industry little-known for sustainability.
Environment · 14 Apr 2023
Rethinking climate change mitigation
Sir David King, the founder and chair of Cambridge University's Centre for Climate Repair, offers some novel solutions to tackle climate change– from refreezing the Arctic to filling the oceans with artificial whale poo.
Environment · 31 Mar 2023
A user guide to the future | Film
How can humanity cope with an unknowable future? How do we effectively handle this seemingly impossible challenge?
Environment · 20 Mar 2023
Turning water green
The world needs better access to safe water and sewage. The challenge is to achieve that sustainably.
Environment · 01 Mar 2023
Climate Crisis - Climate Solutions | Podcast
Unlike the collapse of late Bronze age societies, the climate crisis we face in the 21st century originates from human activity. Hundreds of millions of people are likely to become climate migrants, forced from their homelands by famines, droughts, and other ecological catastrophes. How can we make sense of the disaster of climate change? And what can we do to mitigate its worst effects? Is there hope if we act now?
Environment · 29 Nov 2022
Raising the standards of carbon credit schemes
Niklas Kaskeala’s job is to make life difficult for his clients. The chief impact officer of Compensate is in the frontline of the war against greenwashing, and he has no hesitation in speaking truths that some may not want to hear.
Environment · 24 Nov 2022
Turning waste products into carbon capture
The carbon reduction revolution is progressing at pace – and Carbo Culture is at the forefront.
Environment · 07 Nov 2022
Damming Rivers | Film
Pictet meets Carolina Caycedo, artist researching community-led alternative energy production across the Americas.
Environment · 05 Oct 2022
Your power in the fight against climate change
Anxiety over climate change is widespread today, but we should remember that we can make a positive impact through both our individual decisions and actions within our communities.
Environment · 05 Sep 2022
Nutrition in Latin America | Podcast
Today, we look at nutrition in one of the world’s most promising yet challenging regions: Latin America. Our speakers explore food culture and production in Latin America, how regional poverty fosters food insecurity and hunger, and how these factors, in turn, impede economic and social development.
Environment · 01 Sep 2022
Power of Conversation: An evening discussion with Pictet Wealth Management and Conduit Capital
What will it take for investors across the board to invest for both profit and purpose – and why is it taking so long to reach the critical mass we urgently need?
Environment · 03 Aug 2022
Using AI to help prevent environmentally devastating forest fires
Forest fires are a significant contributor to global warming, and the majority are caused by power lines hitting trees. Roelof Pieters is co-founder of Overstory, which uses AI and human expertise to work with power companies to address the issue.
Environment · 01 Aug 2022
A new twist in the US clean energy saga
Michael Gerrard, a leading expert on US environmental law, explains why the US Supreme Court's ruling to curtail climate change regulation won't derail the country's clean energy drive.
Environment · 01 Aug 2022
Clean Energy Chronicles
Chris Goodall, economist and author of the widely-acclaimed 'What we need to do now for a zero carbon future', provides his unique take on the latest developments in the clean energy industry.
Environment · 25 Jul 2022
Investing in our environment through private markets
Responsible future
Responsible future · 21 Sep 2026
Keeping cool in a warmer world
As global temperatures rise, there is growing demand for efficient and innovative cooling technologies.
Responsible future · 25 Aug 2026
Power shift: investing in the electrification megatrend
A global shift toward electrification is gaining momentum. This megatrend is driven by a mix of industrial demand, technological advances and geopolitical risk. In this Q&A, PWM energy equity analyst Malik Zetchi shares his perspectives on where investors can find value in the electrification revolution.
Responsible future · 15 May 2026
Feeding the world with bio-agriculture
A growing population and changing climate may put strain on the world’s food production. A new generation of biostimulants could help solve the problem while protecting our environment.
Responsible future · 15 May 2026
National security and environmental risks: dual threat to portfolios
Risks from biodiversity loss, climate change and geopolitical conflict are converging to cause potential shocks to financial markets. Investors can no longer afford to ignore these dynamics.
Responsible future · 30 Apr 2026
Group Sustainability Report
The Pictet Group’s third Sustainability Report covers the 2025 calendar year and outlines the progress we made against our sustainability strategy.
Responsible future · 13 Feb 2026
Seven trends to watch in 2026
The key trends in science, technology and sustainability over the next 12 months – and beyond.
Responsible future · 21 Oct 2025
Small but mighty: can microbes save the planet?
Tiny microbes could help combat climate change, improve crop yields and recycle plastic.
Responsible future · 01 Jul 2025
Thinking aloud on taking responsibility
Dina de Angelo shares her thoughts on how responsibility is becoming increasingly inherent in the choices clients make – and how ideas about responsibility are influenced by gender, ethnicity, personal experience, and generational differences. The future of investing is changing, but the human aspect matters more than ever.
Responsible future · 19 Jun 2025
Creating AI powered sustainable alternatives to non-recyclable packaging
With a shared background in consumer goods, the founders of Hamburg-based startup one.five came together to tackle the global issue of reducing CO2 emissions caused by non-recyclable plastic packaging, and create sustainable alternatives.
Responsible future · 19 Jun 2025
Deploying battery-powered renewable energy
Singapore-based startup VFlowTech is on a mission to power the green transition, having spent years developing a low-cost energy storage system.
Responsible future · 30 May 2025
Don't fear credit defaults
Misconceptions about defaults make investors wary of corporate credit. But bondholders are more than sufficiently compensated for taking on that risk, our analysis shows.
Responsible future · 30 May 2025
Investing in biodiversity: navigating nature-related risks and unlocking opportunities
Companies and investors are beginning to incorporate nature-related risks and opportunities in increasingly innovative ways.
Responsible future · 28 Apr 2025
Vaclav Smil — Innovation with grains of salt
Professor Vaclav Smil cautions about the hyperbolic claims being made for new headline-grabbing technologies.
Responsible future · 25 Mar 2025
How to ensure trees are our ally in the battle against climate change
Rewilding and forestry management both have their part to play in safeguarding the world's main carbon sinks.
Responsible future · 06 Feb 2025
Solving climate change demands more than moonshots
Improvements to existing technologies are just as important in the fight against climate change
Responsible future · 09 Dec 2024
Trumpeting emerging markets
Donald Trump's election victory is likely to trigger volatility in emerging markets assets in the coming months, but could prove to be surprisingly positive over the medium- and longer-term.
Responsible future · 18 Nov 2024
Can laser-powered nuclear energy light up the future?
Munich-based startup Marvel Fusion is pioneering an alternative system to harness cheap, green nuclear power in a safer, more reliable way using laser technology – known as nuclear fusion.
Responsible future · 17 Oct 2024
Cities lead the way in building resilience to climate change
Suffering from amplified temperature rises, cities are serving as laboratories in the quest for innovative infrastructure solutions to environmental change.
Responsible future · 10 Oct 2024
Advancing the energy transition with government help
Policies and regulations are key to energising a revolution in clean power and carbon reduction, according to carbon capture start-up Climeworks.
Responsible future · 23 Aug 2024
The Klosters Forum: Financing the transition towards sustainable and resilient cities
During this years' forum, we delved into the pressing challenge of urbanisation and underscored the urgency of collaborative efforts, innovative financing and transformative approaches.
From societal shifts to megatrends analysis
Identifying the big and small changes in society and the economy has been our job for more than 220 years.
Comprehensive view of the forces shaping our future
Our megatrends analysis tracks change, including growing disparities in health and wealth in society; the specialisation and sophistication of the network economy; new technology and science in materials including medicine; the threat of climate change, and how changing economic power affects corporate and social governance. Morever, capitalism itself must invest along more sustainable lines to safeguard against tragedy, injustice and instability for the benefit of us all. Pictet’s megatrends give you insights into the patterns and counter-movements that will shape the future.
Megatrending 2025
Delve into cutting-edge insights from leading experts on the trends that will define the future.