We’re all familiar with the futuristic world that Hollywood dreamed up: The Jetsons, Minority Report, Back to the Future, Total Recall — stories that invited us to imagine tomorrow’s possibilities with an equal amount of wonder and dread. As we approach 2040-2060, Michael McQueen, change strategist and bestselling author, shares that these visions are now coming into view. But as often, they reveal more about our blind spots and opportunities to innovate, than about the future itself.
What Hollywood Nailed and What It Missed
Appearing on The Morning Show, Michael’s sci-fi tech check-in brought audiences up to speed on some of future concepts that Hollywood got right:
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Home robotics: If you recall Rosey from The Jetsons, the concept of having robotic cleaners at home is a familiar idea. Nowadays, having machine helpers is no longer pure fantasy but something of a norm. Experts even estimate that within the next decade, as much as 40 % of household chores may be automated.
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Autonomous transit: Total Recall’s “Johnny Cab” was a memorable scene, putting at the forefront a driverless taxi. Decades ago, this might have been a far-off scenario but nowadays, companies like Waymo operate fully driverless rides in U.S. cities. While companies like Joby and Archer Aviation are pushing for flying cars in Dubai and Abu Dhabi as we speak.
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Personalised systems & predictive analytics: Minority Report showed the concept of an AI-powered society where advertising was specifically targeted for individuals, or what we call “targeted ads”. It’s finally real and it’s wherever you are online.
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Advanced health diagnostics: Futuristic tech and innovations wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Star Trek. Their concept of a full-body scan was a marvel back then, but is no longer fictional today. Rapid MRI and whole-body screenings are emerging to detect disease earlier than ever, with companies such as Esra leading the industry.
How “Preparing Now for What’s Next” Translates to Practical Strategies
Hollywood gave us fantastic, innovative stories of tomorrow. But for Michael, reality demands foresight, courage, and discipline today. At the heart of Michael’s keynote, “Preparing Now for What’s Next,” is a simple but urgent truth: Disruption is inevitable but irrelevance is optional. The future won’t arrive in one form, but through waves of new technologies, cultures, business models, and regulatory shifts.
In his keynote “Preparing Now for What’s Next,” he distills decades of research into a clear call to action: disruption is inevitable, but irrelevance is optional. He equips audiences with tools to:
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Map blind spots and challenge assumptions using sci-fi as a strategic mirror.
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Build future literacy by scanning trends across AI, robotics, and cultural shifts.
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Pilot boldly, but ethically, aligning innovation with human behaviour and values.
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Break cultural inertia through curiosity, adaptability, and a bias for learning.
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Commit to perpetual reinvention, embedding relevance as a core operating system.
Leaders who thrive as times evolve will be the ones scanning across all four areas, recognising that trends like generative AI, data analytics, spatial computing, and the rising expectations of Gen Z are not distant possibilities but current forces shaping what’s coming next. But strategy alone is not enough. Michael warns that even the best ideas will fail in culture stuck in legacy thinking and fixed mindsets. The focus is on building organisations that are future-ready, with clear and practical steps to stay ahead of disruption.
Michael’s award-winning talks help organisations cut through the noise of constant disruption, translating emerging technologies into strategies that keep them relevant and resilient. Because as he reminds audiences, the future won’t be defined by technology alone but by the leaders bold enough to adapt before it demands they do.
