Intelligent Machines (Audio) IM 837: Could Should Might Don't - Why Tomorrow Doesn't Feel Like Sci-Fi
Sep 18, 2025
In a thought-provoking discussion, designer Nick Foster explores frameworks for thinking about the future, as outlined in his book, Could, Should, Might, Don't. He critiques the oversimplified sci-fi narratives that often dominate tech predictions. Delving into AI's real-world applications, he discusses how tools like ChatGPT are frequently misused as simple search engines and highlights the complexities of privacy in AI interactions. Nick emphasizes the importance of a design-led approach to shape a more realistic and collective future.
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We Narrow Our Future Thinking
- People habitually lean on a single style of future-thinking and miss other valuable perspectives.
- Nick Foster argues we need breadth across four thinking modes to avoid weak, biased futures work.
Inventors Didn’t See Radio’s Future
- Jeff Jarvis recounts how early inventors couldn't foresee radio's cultural impact.
- He uses that history to argue we must build the future, not only try to predict it.
Think The Future As Lived-In
- Treat the future as an extension of the present and imagine technologies embedded in everyday life.
- Spend time building teams and practices that repeatedly think through small, lived-in changes rather than grand predictions.
