Fast Forward audio series

Tomorrow Unlocked’s audio series Fast Forward examines forces shaping technology by looking at the recent past. What can business learn from technology’s past that will shape its future?

Fast Forward episodes

Dip into Tomorrow Unlocked’s series examining what tech’s past can tell us about its future.

Fast Forward Season 2

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The metaverse blend – hyper-enhancing our hybrid future

Metaverses are immersive virtual worlds accessed through gaming consoles, VR headsets and computers. In them, you can do almost anything you’d do in the real world, like play sport and express yourself through fashion. Interestingly, the metaverse itself is already changing what these activities will likely mean to us in future.

Fast Forward

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Women in gaming

Gaming companies have long wanted their games to appeal to women. Early successes like Pac-Man showed the size of the untapped market, while ironically, Ms. Pac-Man missed the mark. How should games companies work to better reach wider audiences?

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Family life: Telegram to telepresence

Technology has long triggered change in the home – from telephones, to television, and now telepresence, with mass data flowing through high-speed broadband, streaming and voice assistants. And it’s never been easy for parents to know how to keep children safe.

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The extended self: Our future digital twins

In the future, will we each have a digital bio-twin beside us, ready to whisper in our ear when our biometric data shows we’re at risk? Scientists say genes affect our lifespan by just 10 to 25 percent, making preventing illness key to extending our lives. Today, tech that quantifies our biophysical performance abounds, and more is on the way. But how should we protect our precious and private health information, while taking advantage of these powerful, possibly life-extending tools? And what can be done about the missing data of women, people of color and others historically ignored by medical research?

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Cyborg shifts: Embedding tech in our bodies

When researchers created a ‘third thumb’ prosthesis and taught people how to use it, they found changes in the brain. As we see advanced convergence of embedded body tech into non-medical uses, we must explore the potential for unintended consequences alongside benefits like productivity and convenience. Today, systems like passports and medical ethics struggle to accept people augmented for non-medical reasons. Will we need a bill of cyborg rights?

Fast Forward

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Tech’s history is its future

Interviews and articles delving into the ideas and minds featured in the Fast Forward audio series.

 

Selected articles

women gaming

Women’s growing inclusion in gaming has lessons for business

  • Women and diversity
  • min read
    • At a TED talk in California in 1998, pioneer games designer Brenda Laurel asked why gaming companies weren't making games for little girls when the market was worth six billion dollars? She concluded the male-dominated games industry was missing out on so much money because it only knew how to appeal to its own demographic. The games industry may have heard her. Soon, the race was on to diversify game themes, characters and spaces. Most gamers welcomed diversity, but some saw it as a threat – typified by a large, highly organized misogynistic harassment campaign, #Gamergate, emerging in 2014. Diversification in gaming was, however, unstoppable. Although today's gaming sector is still male-dominated, there is growing involvement of girls, women and non-binary people. In the 2020s, a rising four in ten gamers are women. I am the writer and presenter of Season 2 of Kaspersky's award-winning podcast Fast Forward, examining trends shaping technology from the perspective of the recent past. In Episode 2, I interview leading women in the gaming sector to discover how the industry is changing for women and non-binary people, and what other businesses can learn. Women-centered events and targeted mentoring In parts of the world where cultural and religious beliefs make it hard for women to game, some are working to create a smoother, safer path for young women who want to game or work in gaming. Many women's gaming events and networks have emerged worldwide. The expansion of game content and formats has helped – popular titles now include adventure games, role-playing games, cultural games that aim to solve local or global issues, and more. Ghada Almoqbel, Chief Executive Officer of Saudi Arabia's convention for women and girls in gaming, GCON, says that today women make up around 46 percent of Saudi's gamers, but were once much rarer. Ghada tells how she got involved. "I started playing video games when I was little. The only girls I knew that played were me and my sister. In 2012, I heard of the girls' convention, GCON. I didn't go, but the pictures and videos on social media were amazing." Ghada started with GCON as a volunteer, writing articles and helping organize events like 'game jams' – where everyone works together to make a game from scratch. She became Chief Executive Officer in 2018. Ask women what they need to succeed Through Ghada's leadership, GCON is growing and changing. "Our new strategy involves three departments: Game development, eSports and entertainment. Before we plan events or activities, we ask questions like, what do women need in eSports or game development?" Ghada elaborates on GCON's eSports program. "It aims to identify talent, support and empower. We want to make them role models. We want them to have more exposure in Saudi Arabia and internationally. But we're careful with eSports, because there's still lots of harassment." Have clearly communicated anti-harassment strategies In its 2021 survey, global anti-hate organization ADL found five in six adults who played online multiplayer games experienced harassment. Research has also found hostile sexism is a significant motivator of in-game harassers. David advocates for clear ways to report harassment. "In situations involving trolling, abuse or anything harmful, players need to know how to report it." He also thinks male-dominated game design may contribute to the problem. "We must see more women involved in game design and production so that the environment reflects all genders." But gamers aren't always using all available security features. "There's a fear that protecting a device might slow down the computer, but that doesn't have to be so. Gamers should check internet security solutions will work around their gaming experience. Look for gaming or do-not-disturb modes, which turn off notifications while you're playing." Ask non-binary people what they want from your products Jennifer Donahue is Head of Publishing and Marketing at HiDef games in California, US. She's worked in gaming for 25 years. Jen believes players care about being able to be themselves through their character or avatar. "Growing up, there were no strong female Jedi in Star Wars, so I wanted to be Luke Skywalker. I ended up mainly being male characters because I wanted those powers. Today, you have more options. You can largely create a character that looks like you." However, some groups are still largely marginalized from game character development. "We know non-binary folks have difficulty finding representation in avatars and gaming." Non-binary people are those who see themselves as neither male nor female. HiDef learned a lot from asking non-binary people directly what they wanted. "We did focus groups with non-binary players to understand what they wanted from game avatars. We found you have to let them do whatever they want with an avatar – whether it's accessories or customizing size and shape, or adding prosthetic limbs if you're disabled and want to show that." The non-binary players also suggested recording non-binary people dancing, as their dancing may differ from that of men or women. Jen says, "It's not just the avatar's appearance, but their actions. All these things help players authentically connect with their character." Leaders ensuring other leaders are respectful of women Jen feels the behavior of men in the workplace can still impact some women who work in gaming, but those at the top can change that. "Many men in the industry have grown up behaving in a certain way. As I have status in the industry now, I can help the next generation by calling out actions in the moment, in a professional, respectful way." She thinks more accepting, nurturing workplaces will pay off for companies. "When I'm in a safe space, I can bring my authentic self to work each day. That means I can perform at my best, as can my coworkers. Representation from different groups can only make products better." The gaming sector is growing fast with the evolution of immersive virtual worlds. It's an important future work sector. Today, huge groups of diverse players collaborate in-game to make environments they want to be in and share – homes and social spaces, festivals and galleries, even governments and schools. This is called 'world building' – it's opposite to the competitive, conflict-driven games of the last decades. There's more space opening for women and non-binary makers and players, and other diverse communities. Finally, games and virtual worlds could be part of the solution for some real-world problems we face.
women in stem

Are things getting better yet for women in STEM?

  • Women and diversity
  • min read
    • Skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) are valuable in today's world. So it's concerning that women make up just 28 percent of the STEM workforce globally. While countless reports have noted this problem, successful women in STEM have set about making sure young women aspiring to STEM careers have a clearer and fairer path. In Kaspersky's award-winning podcast Fast Forward, I interview women helping STEM workplaces be more welcoming to women, and supporting women, girls and non-binary people to reach for STEM success I've advocated for encouraging and supporting women in STEM for many years, having myself relied on the belief of senior women and supportive men to take my expertise seriously. It seems there's still a lot of change to happen. Inspiring and supporting women in STEM careers is essential, especially with shifting careers and jobs in the marketplace across the next decade. Towards more supportive workplaces Patricia Peck is CEO and founding partner of Peck Advogados, Professor of Digital Law and council member of Brazil's Data Protection Authority. Patricia has more than 20 years experience working in a male-led legal environment, with a focus on digital innovation. This led her to examine the scenario for women in STEM. "I was at our Supreme Court in Brazil to talk about how platforms must be more responsible for our safety, and I was the only woman speaking. For Brazil and South America, it's new, but very important to have women in tech and cyber." Patricia aims to create a culture in her company, Peck Advogados, that helps the next generation of women to flourish. "Our multidisciplinary team is more than 60 percent women. We have a diversity policy, and that's unusual in law and tech in Latin America." For Patricia, attracting more young talent comes down to understanding what they value. "They see that we'll give them growth opportunities. They want clear roles, transparency and meritocracy, and they want to have a purpose." Young women leading the conversation Stemettes is an award-winning charity based in London, UK. They run workshops and events for girls, young women and non-binary people aged five to 25, introducing them to role models and careers. These are the words of young women from varied cultural backgrounds now moving into STEM careers. Angel Pooler, who has been working for three years in web and marketing for STEM activities, feels young women need encouragement to enter STEM fields. "I've had to work on my resilience because there are many roadblocks on the way. I've learned to acknowledge my limitations, but also my capabilities." "At university, it became clear how male-dominated STEM is, and I often felt inadequate. I now appreciate why the drop-off in female graduates happens," Angel says. She encourages those at the top to start the ball rolling. "STEM industries and universities must create welcoming atmospheres with equal and transparent salaries. Then, they can do outreach in schools and show female students they're serious about offering careers in STEM." Maeve Stillman studies Biotechnology at University of Manchester, UK. "I don't feel super at ease in the job market as an incoming graduate. STEM is exciting but also intimidating. I'm trying to channel positivity and come back to my core aims and beliefs: Thinking about what I want to achieve and the difference I want to make." Maeve feels inspired by role models. "When I see women high up in companies, it's motivating and helps mitigate some of the imposter syndrome common for women in STEM." Floriane Fidegnon-Edoh is a first-class graduate in manufacturing and mechanical engineering who has worked for three years with consultancies and think tanks. "We need to have dynamic conversations about what it means to be a powerful woman." Floriane advises, "To make STEM more positive for young women, we need to address the gender wage gap. It starts with a culture and ends with the people." Kaspersky surveyed some 13,000 women working in tech in 19 countries. Their report found only one in three women said their school, college or university encouraged them to pursue a tech or IT career. Only one in five were encouraged by meeting female role models in their communities, and more than a third felt this lack of visible role models made them wary of entering the sector. Acknowledging the importance of role models, Kaspersky launched Empower Women project where Kaspersky employees share professional and personal experiences working in cybersecurity. "By having a supportive environment and network, young women can broaden their options and role models," comments Judith Tapia, Sales Manager, Mexico. "It's important to start eliminating gender roles and stereotypes, including those related to choosing specific careers, from our close social circles at home and school." Creating new patterns Dr. Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE, equity and inclusion expert, is CEO of Stemettes and President of the British Science Association. She was one of the youngest to receive a Master's Degree in Mathematics and Computer Science from University of Oxford, at age 20. Yet she found men often underestimated her as she moved through her career. Anne-Marie says, "There's much research into why some men find it tough to accept innovation coming from women in the STEM sector. Many are pattern-matching around what they've seen success and innovation look like." In other words, they're consciously or unconsciously expecting a tech innovator to resemble a stereotype. Anne-Marie believes role models are crucial. "We're finally seeing stories like the 2016 film Hidden Figures about NASA, where women particularly have led instrumental work. As these stories were hidden, many people – not just men – grew up thinking women can't contribute technically. They can't imagine a technical woman, let alone one they'd respect or be fine working for." She points to how underestimating women could be harming innovation. "Innovation may sometimes arise from problems, perspectives or experiences men don't recognize." I asked Anne-Marie how we can ensure women can confidently follow a career path alongside male colleagues. She said, "We need to listen to and understand women in the STEM sector, those looking to enter and those who've left. This means listening to the experiences they've had applying for roles, promotion within a role and going into leadership. A first step toward equitable practice is understanding the differences and putting policies in place to address those." Changing the future Despite government and corporate reviews, significant news coverage of the gender pay gap and protests over 'manels' (all-male panels) at conferences, there hasn't been enough change for women in STEM. How can we ensure the future is different? Anne-Marie says, "Ten years ago, there were two reports a week talking about this problem. I'm hoping in the next 10 years and hopefully faster, we'll see a move from lip service to action – folks taking on allyship and equitable practice, acting on those pledges and reports." Patricia feels governments must play a stronger part. "I believe regulation has a role. Change won't be widely implemented by choice. Countries should commit to diversity and protect human rights by law, not just ethics and values." It's not always easy for women in STEM to retain confidence and fulfill their potential. Historical and cultural differences worldwide mean every country is at a different stage. Many schemes and networks emerged in the last decade to encourage girls and women to study STEM, start their own businesses and reach leadership. But globally, female founders of STEM companies receive less than five percent of STEM investment, and in the last 30 years, numbers of women studying engineering have barely increased. Noushin Shabab, Iranian-born cybersecurity researcher at Kaspersky, says, "While gender parity in IT is still nowhere in sight, we need to understand that both men and women have the same brains in the biological sense, and are equally capable of intellectual work." According to Noushin, it's essential to talk about gender stereotypes early on and encourage girls to take an interest in technology. Closing the gender gap in STEM isn't just a matter of right and wrong – it's good for business. Diverse teams have been shown to widen a company's customer base. Many men also believe in equitable practice. Those who acknowledge and speak out about issues women in STEM face can make a huge difference, helping other men reflect inclusive views in the workplace. Will future equity for women in STEM be held back by lip service? Perhaps regulation is necessary to ensure accountability and action. One thing is certain – the younger generations of STEM women show that innovation is not bound by gender.  
fast forward

To succeed in tech innovation, take these lessons from the past

  • Leadership
  • min read
    • Inventor of the audiocassette Lou Ottens' death at age 94 in early 2021 gave the media and technology world a chance to stop and think. In the age of Musks and Zuckerbergs, it's easy to forget how much Ottens changed the game. The home and studio standard of the time, open-reel tape, didn't travel nearly so well. Reels and playback machines were heavy, bulky and easily damaged. Ottens started with the idea of something conveniently carried. He cut a piece of wood to the size of his pocket as a template. From the pocket to the world By the 1980s, we were connecting cassette players to early home computers and telephone answering machines. Before cassettes receded into obsolescence around the late 1990s, the penetration of Lou Ottens' innovation was total. But the audiocassette stayed influential beyond its popularity. Ottens also helped develop the Compact Disc, which stored more data and was more durable. But its use and distribution patterns followed those established by its predecessor, the cassette. Symbols on PlayStation, other game controllers and almost all audio-visual players mimic those introduced with the audiocassette. Past lessons invaluable for future success Frantic pace can distract us from learning from the past. The influence of Ottens' audiocassette beyond its seeming obsolescence is a case in point. New audio documentary series Fast Forward, presented by me for Tomorrow Unlocked by Kaspersky, is devoted to examining trends from the recent past shaping today's technology. It distills practical lessons that might otherwise have been lost in our rapid forward momentum. Clayton M. Christensen and Joseph Bower coined the term 'disruptive' to describe game-changing technologies in their 1995 article, Disruptive technologies: Catching the wave. Although 'disruptive' has since been overused, Bower and Christensen first identified the idea of disruptive technologies by taking the long view of innovation's history. Overuse tends to stretch meaning to the point where the original definition is all but lost. Disruptive technologies, often come from outside an existing system of established firms and products, create new markets that eventually displace that system. The concept can be crushed down to Mark Zuckerberg's infamous (former) motto for Facebook: Move fast and break things. Launching unfinished business The current rush to disrupt in tech industries condemns customers and producers to live in a 'beta' universe where bugs become features to be dealt with later. . But as entrepreneur Andy Budd observed in a recent blog post," Without a clear picture of what you're building, it's almost impossible to predict problems. We're encouraged to learn about the future not by thinking, imagining or researching outcomes, but by launching products and learning from the results." The law of unintended consequences tends to govern the 'beta' universe. Taking the long view can help swing those consequences from negative to positive. It's unlikely Lou Ottens foresaw the deep, long-term impact of the audiocassette while he cut that block of wood to fit in his pocket. Making time for failure a success Ottens was only five in 1926 when Thomas Edison died. Edison invented the phonograph, which made mechanical sound recording and playback possible for the first time. Edison first tried to market the phonograph by putting it inside a doll that recited nursery rhymes and wished its owner a happy Christmas. The doll was a dismal failure, withdrawn from shelves after most were unsold or returned by disturbed customers. Maybe his customers didn't want a talking doll, but they did want to hear a famous operatic tenor like Enrico Caruso in their parlors. "I have not failed," Edison said about his repeated setbacks while inventing the lightbulb. "I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." Edison's profound commitment to try and try again shows, in times when 'ever beta' doesn't seem to equal 'ever better,' innovators and entrepreneurs may still find the long view offers the most useful lessons.
ai ethics

The mirror we don’t recognize ourselves in: Talking AI with Dr. Beth Singler

  • Artificial intelligence
  • min read
    • One of many experts appearing in Tomorrow Unlocked's new audio series Fast Forward is Dr. Beth Singler, anthropologist and Junior Research Fellow in artificial intelligence at University of Cambridge. Dr. Singler (@BVLSingler) examines the social, ethical and philosophical implications of artificial intelligence and robotics. She has spoken at Edinburgh Science Festival, London Science Museum and New Scientist Live, and been interviewed by New Scientist, Forbes and the BBC. I interviewed Dr. Singler about AI and the future of work. Ken: In your work, you engage people in conversations about the implications of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics. What do people think AI is? Beth: For the public, it isn't one thing. People point to examples of AI being implemented, but it has different definitions for people. They draw presumptions from science fiction and media accounts of dangerous AI and scary robots. It's a malleable term – people say 'the algorithm' and mean AI. Many think of AI in the workplace replacing human physical work, but we see AI taking on more knowledge labor and even emotional labor. Ken: What kind of emotional tasks can AI do? Beth: We increasingly see interfaces with AI that give simulated emotional responses. AI assistants do tasks for you but pleasantly and civilly. Call center work is already highly structured and scripted – an AI assistant or chatbot can take over that pleasantry system. How workplaces implement AI will influence how we connect with other humans. Ken: Are we creating a human-machine social world we'll have to learn to interact with? Beth: Yes. We're seeing these human-machine interactions playing out in different places – in the home, workplace, and care settings. We're having to understand that relationship and teach our children to negotiate it. There are discussions on whether children should be polite when using AI assistants. We're coming up with a new social format for interactions with AI. Ken: I thought, of course you should be polite to machines – if only because one day they'll look at everything we've said and done and judge us accordingly. I want to be on the right side of them. Beth: We also see arguments that you should be civil to AI assistants because this is how we should behave to other entities, whether human or non-human – that it reflects our natures. If we aren't civil to machines, it says more about us than their needs. There are many different answers to questions of politeness to AI assistants. Ken: People find conversations with Cleverbot amusing when it asks things like, "Don't you wish you had a body?" or "What is God to you?" They don't consider Cleverbot thinks it's appropriate because a human asked IT those questions. We're looking into a strange, distorting mirror and not recognizing our reflection. Beth: Absolutely. There's a reason the Black Mirror TV series is called Black Mirror – it's a reflective surface for understanding ourselves. AI and machine responses come from data sets, and those involve biases. It's a moment to reflect, for instance, on questions of personhood before we even get to anything like artificial general intelligence (AGI) or superintelligence. Should we be civil? If we say rude or sexist things to a female AI assistant, does that matter? These questions come out again and again. I'm an anthropologist, meaning I study what humans do and think. These big questions are integral to our concept of what AI is. I've seen in my work engaging the public and seeing their sometimes hopeful, sometimes fearful responses that this will be a conversation we'll have for some time yet. Ken: I was at an airport buying a train ticket one afternoon. It was quiet, and the woman behind the counter said, "You should have been here yesterday – the automatic ticket machines had recalibrated and was giving wrong tickets. People adjust. Machines don't." I wondered if this ability to adjust is part of our relationship with machines. Beth: It's interesting how much we adjust to machines. With the airport systems that use facial recognition software, I often have to take off my glasses, change my hair or bob down. We adjust ourselves to be accepted by the system. You see this in how automation is changing the workplace. There are interviews with facial recognition software involved, so we're trying to smile more in a video interview. We're increasingly making changes to fit the machine-based system. Ken: It suggests an element of trust. Where does trust fit in our relationship with machines? Beth: Trust is key. We want to believe software that observes our responses in job interviews is fair and neutral, but we have examples where trust is let down. In the UK in 2020, an algorithm that helped grade student exam papers damaged public trust – it penalized students studying at less high-achieving schools. In my work, I see examples of people trusting too much – they have an image of a superintelligence that doesn't exist yet. Society can only trust technology it understands. Digital literacy – understanding what AI is and isn't – is key to that. Ken: We tend to understand things better as fiction. It's a way to get a grip on the world. But I get the feeling fiction's not a grip anymore, but a stranglehold. Is that fair? Beth: I enjoy science fiction accounts of AI in their many interpretations, fears and hopes. One of the hazards is a strict, negative story used too often. I'm a fan of the Terminator film franchise, but I see how dystopian imagery of robot uprisings shapes people's views of AI. And AI making crucial decisions about our future – whether we get a job or a mortgage, or how we're treated in hospital – may also be overshadowed by Terminator-like stories. Ken: And it stops us noticing when AI does good things, like in medicine and traffic control. The robots are already among us, but they don't usually walk on two legs. They're more likely to be sorting out your airplane ticket. Beth: There's a move toward making robots cuter and replicating child and animal forms to reduce those threatening associations from science fiction. Think of Arnold Schwarzenegger's Terminator versus the therapeutic robot PARO, modeled on a baby harp seal. Ken: Is there an element of trying to make work more fun? Perhaps work becomes more like play if you have an AI assistant who helps with the emotional labor? Beth: Yes. There's a history of trying to gamify the workplace – developing 'third space' options that involve games or places where you can nap. Perhaps how we apply AI is a part of how we make the workplace more enjoyable. If our software chatted back to us, was entertaining and responded to us, it might seem less laborious. Ken: Going back to emotional labor, programs could soften the edges of work relationships, whether online or in an office – I can imagine something like an 'emotional Roomba' (robot vacuum cleaner) allowing for moments of interaction. Beth: We see examples of AI mediating between humans in conversation, like machine learning algorithms suggesting how to respond to emails or warning your tone is too harsh – softening the edges of our interactions at work is a developing space. Ken: After some emails I've had, I see the value in something like that. Beth: I also saw an application for divorced or divorcing couples helping conversations be more amicable for the benefit of any children. A machine learning algorithm warns you things like, perhaps you're being a bit sarcastic. Ken: I'm scared of an algorithm that understands sarcasm. That will be the end of humanity. Beth: There's a wonderful Tom Gauld cartoon about scientists trying to create a sarcastic bot. And the bot says to the scientist, "It's going great. This guy is a real genius." Ken: What thought about AI and the future of work would you most like people to take away? Beth: I'd like people to consider how much we should change our behavior in relation to AI in the workplace. People don't normally interact in purely rational ways. If we curtail that normal human messiness, we're not anthropomorphizing AI but robo-morphizing humans. If we make ourselves smile more to do well in an interview with facial recognition software, we limit ourselves. Although we might see AI as a human simulation, do we become a human simulation in response to AI? Listen to Tomorrow Unlocked's Fast Forward audio series for more expert views
space law

How space law keeps cowboys and rogue satellite drivers out of orbit

  • Tech for business 
  • min read
    • Space law is a fascinating area. As part of new Tomorrow Unlocked audio series Fast Forward, I'm talking to Assistant Professor and Deputy Director of the International Institute of Air and Space Law at Leiden University, Tanja Masson-Zwaan (@tanjamasson) about the challenges of using space law designed for the old space race in the new world of space exploration. Ken: What have been the biggest changes in space exploration since the Moon landings 50 years ago? Tanja: Nowadays, it's not two superpowers – the US and the Soviet Union – but many more countries and start-ups, companies, even universities. That change raises legal issues because space law is based on states rather than corporations or entities. Under the many space treaties, resolutions and so on, states are responsible and liable, and must perform their activities in certain ways. Companies becoming involved, maybe becoming the main actors, stresses the system. That's why we see new national legislation: States are making sure their companies and entities don't break the principles they signed up to. Ken: Are you saying if I launch a satellite that damages someone else's satellite, my government is liable, rather than me? Tanja: When a private entity launches and operates a satellite, it first needs state authorization and supervision – for instance, through a license from the government. If their satellite crashed into a satellite owned by another state, the state that launched the object is liable, not the private entity. That's different from aviation. If you lose your suitcase, you can sue the airline. If your satellite is damaged, you will go to your Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who would present a claim to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the state that launched the satellite that caused the damage. Ken: What's the legal position on mining and mineral rights in space? Tanja: It's an exciting time with missions to the Moon and Mars. The potential for resource extraction and commercialization is creating a buzz, although it's a scientific and technical challenge, as well as a financial and legal one. Extracting and commercially using space resources is also essential for establishing a semi-permanent human presence on these bodies or for using the Moon as a stepping stone to Mars. You wouldn't have to bring all the water you need from Earth – you could use water on the Moon and transform it into fuel to go to Mars. But whether you can use those resources or commercialize them is a legal question not addressed in the space treaties. The treaties also have a principle that benefits from space must be for all countries. Many conditions must be guaranteed. But how? That's the debate. Ken: When the US planted its flag on the Moon in 1969, did that have legal validity? Did they claim anything? Tanja: The US explicitly said putting their flag on the Moon was an expression of pride about being the first nation to the Moon, not claiming to own the Moon. To claim the Moon is contrary to a cardinal principle of space law: You cannot own any part of outer space – but owning a part of space isn't needed to use it and its resources. Ken: Low earth orbit is getting crowded. There are functioning and non-functioning satellites and all kinds of space junk. What legal space do they occupy? Tanja: If anyone wants to use that space, they must follow rules. For example, states must coordinate with a United Nations specialized agency, the International Telecommunication Union, to get rights to use frequencies or orbits, which they can then give to their satellite operators. The 1967 Outer Space Treaty says the use and exploration of outer space are free, so states can put satellites in space if they follow rules, but they can't claim to own that space. The state must also authorize and supervise if private entities carry out activities. Ken: You mentioned in a blog post the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which could decide on outer space disputes. What kind of issues are brought to the court? Tanja: Over 100 states are party to the Permanent Court of Arbitration. It has special rules for solving disputes about space activities. Disputes could arise about collision damage or signal interference, but also product liability and intellectual property. Diplomacy usually solves space disputes because there are always other interests at stake, like friendly trade relations. So far, no case has been brought to the Permanent Court of Arbitration, nor to any other international court such as the International Court of Justice – the highest judicial organ of the UN. Ken: Is lawmaking in front of technology, for once? Tanja: It's an interesting question, should law precede technology, or should technology evolve and law follow? I think they should follow each other closely. It doesn't make sense to make laws when we don't know how something will work. For example, we don't know if suborbital flights will have horizontal takeoff, vertical drop from a plane or something else. On the other hand, you must look ahead to preserve the future use of outer space. Having a dispute settlement mechanism can prevent disputes because parties are confident there's a way to settle it if something arises. Ken: Growing up with the space race, I don't think many thought about the environmental impact. It seems like laws are needed in that area now. Tanja: When the space era started, it really was a space race – neither side worried about what was going up. Scientists were excited just to be launching things into space. But space is getting polluted. There are also concerns about going to another celestial body and spoiling its pristine environment with bacteria. The Committee on Space Research has established a planetary protection protocol. There are rules about what level of protection you must apply depending on the mission and where you're going. The rules evolve as we gain knowledge. If there will be a sustained human presence, will we have a landfill on the Moon? Are we going to put garbage into orbit around the Moon? We'll have to find a solution to keep it sustainable, now that we're all super dependent on space. Ken: Is there a fundamental question, beyond nations and corporations, about our rights as a species to go into space? Some people feel passionately that we have no business on Mars because it's not our planet. Tanja: And some cultures have special connections with the Moon and other celestial bodies. It's important to respect that. But humankind is driven to push frontiers and to discover. I like the quote: We should go out and explore, but also show respect for other cultures and beliefs, and the environments of other planets. Ken: What is possible within the law to restrain corporate buccaneers from taking advantage of space? Tanja: There are some space cowboys out there doing things that may raise concerns in the community. Is that what we want? I think we should appreciate the good being done alongside the issues it raises. Elon Musk's company SpaceX now operates a third of all satellites, and that happened in a year. If SpaceX launches the planned 42,000 satellites, how will we deal with that? He also says he will provide broadband to places on Earth that don't have it, and that's good. And he's developed reusable rockets, so he's contributing to space sustainability. I think there needs to be a regulatory counterweight. The US authorities should ask those in Elon Musk's position to do environmental impact assessments and find ways to develop their plans without disrupting science and astronomy. It's give and take, but you have to appreciate what these people are doing – they have the money states never will. Ken: What's next in your space law work? Tanja: I've just started a big EU project researching the European position on space traffic management. We don't have rules on space traffic management nor space security and safety, like retrieving objects from outer space. We need these rules for sustainable space exploration. Ken: Is there money to be made in space salvage – bringing satellite components back to Earth? There must be some mineral wealth up there. Tanja: An analogy is salvaging wrecks on the sea. A ship owner can abandon a ship, and a salvage company can salvage it, selling the scrap metal. We have an extra problem in space because space object ownership is eternal – you can't abandon anything. We need to get a space debris-removal industry going, but they'll need approval for every piece they retrieve. The state that launched it will be eternally liable if something else is damaged during space salvage. We also need to make it possible to refuel or repair in space. It's hard to tighten a screw on a satellite without putting the satellite in jeopardy. So as well as space salvage, space sustainability may mean a new industry of in-orbit servicing. Ken: So there are wider benefits to a focus on sustainability in space. Thank you, Tanja, for filling us in on space law. Tanja: You're welcome. Listen to the full Fast Forward audio series for more interviews with featured experts.
phygital business

How ‘phygital’ tech could save post-pandemic retail stores

  • Future tech
  • min read
    • COVID-19 has had a monumental impact on retail worldwide. While everyone has found lockdowns and social distancing challenging, stores are working hard to adapt to shifting consumer expectations and a new reality. It's make-or-break for many bricks-and-mortar outlets. How will savvy stores stay safe from the crumbling façade of face-to-face shopping? One way is by using interactive shopping experiences that combine physical and digital – or 'phygital' shopping – to keep, win and wow customers. Storefronts shutting, ecommerce booming In the UK in 2020, according to research by professional services firm PwC (formerly PricewaterhouseCooper,) around 10,000 more chain stores closed than opened – that's around 27 closures every day. The US fared better within this downward trend, with Coresight research finding 5,437 more stores closed than opened in the same year. Meanwhile, the Office for National Statistics reported UK ecommerce grew by 46 percent in 2020 – its strongest annual growth since 2008. The global picture was similar, with eMarketer estimating worldwide ecommerce sales grew 28 percent in the same year. Adding interest to physical shopping Phygital retail isn't entirely new. Stores have been experimenting with these new technologies for a few years. The 2021 opening of 'frictionless' grocery store Amazon Fresh in London shows the potential of phygital technology to change physical shopping beyond recognition. Customers at Amazon Fresh scan a QR code when they enter, place items in a basket and leave when they've finished shopping. In-store cameras and sensors track what's placed in the basket, and the shopper is automatically charged. Forget lines and self-checkouts announcing "unexpected item in the bagging area." Neil Saunders, managing director and retail analyst at GlobalData Retail, thinks more consumers will want both ease and inspiration from their shopping experience, post-pandemic. "Technology can make the shopping process more convenient and enhance it with the likes of augmented reality or location-based push notifications with offers." Starting the phygital journey doesn't mean an overnight transition to fully digitized business. It may mean introducing relatively simple tools that enhance the consumer experience. Letting shoppers check when their order will be ready to pick up or alerting customers when their favorite item is on sale can go a long way to making shopping more convenient. New audio documentary Fast Forward by Kaspersky Tomorrow Unlocked explores more phygital experiences in retail, with analysis from expert technology futurists, in episode 2: Scan purchase for maximum score. Not just for the biggest players More ambitious retailers who have embraced technologies like augmented reality can expand their digital horizons by giving customers new ways to understand products. Sportswear brand Adidas launched three augmented reality experiences at their flagship store on Oxford Street in London, letting shoppers use their smartphone camera to explore new product features. While high-tech retailers like Samsung and Amazon undoubtedly pioneered digital in physical retail, small and medium-sized businesses and non-tech firms can benefit from this emerging trend – if they ask the right questions. Bart Veen, Founder and Creative Director of event company BART, has created technology-led events for brands like Tommy Hilfiger and the Mall of the Netherlands. He believes technology shouldn't be used for technology's sake. There must be a well-defined understanding of the impact the technology will have on the business. Improving the customer experience is more than a nice-to-have for high street stores – it may give a much-needed edge in a competitive market. According to Salesforce's 2020 State of the Connected Customer report, 80 percent of customers think the experience a company provides is as important as its products and services. But the same research found two in three customers felt impersonally treated in their interactions with stores. There's a fine line between using technology to refine customer experience and overusing digital tools that take away the personal touch shoppers want. On their phygital journey, stores should work with experts in tech who know how to avoid crossing the line. "Innovation is doing something that hasn't been done before, and it's all about collaborating. If you have the best experts together and you all have the same goal in mind, you can create something extraordinary," says Veen. Post-pandemic retail Like many industries, the banking sector doubled down on digitization as COVID-19 limited access to face-to-face banking. But as online banking keeps growing, branches are still vital to many, especially older people and small business owners. Yet, most provide few services beyond the traditional offering of paying in cash and checks, activating cards and buying foreign currency. The UK's Barclays bank saw an opportunity and converted 25 closed branches into Eagle Labs: Spaces for co-working, mentoring and networking, as well as getting banking advice. They also used digital technologies to enhance start-ups' experience and make services faster and more convenient, while bank staff offered valuable personal customer interaction and support. As retail bounces back after COVID-19, there's a need to reassess what physical stores do. Barclays is just one of many companies looking to move beyond its traditional services. Fashion, grocery and electronics are all accelerating their digital transformation to meet customer expectations better. Mark Thomson, Director of Retail and Hospitality Solutions for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at retail technology provider Zebra Technologies, believes the most effective phygital solutions enhance the physical experience with digital benefits. An effective shopping experience blends in-store and online. "Customers measure an in-store experience against an online one, so it needs the right technology to let retail staff host an experience rather than just attend," says Thomson. "Physical stores have a future, but as part of a more digital world." As the lines between physical and digital retail blur, retailers in all industries can capitalize on recent tech innovations that make in-store shopping less stressful and more convenient. From cashier-less shopping to augmented reality to location-based push notifications, future retail will pair the best of technology with personalized experiences.

Fast Forward episodes

Fast Forward Season 1

View all series

What will future supermarkets be like?
1 min

What will future supermarkets be like?

Which unexpected technological items will we see in the bagging area next?

  • Episode 2
  • 1 min
Welcome to the labyrinth
1 min

Welcome to the labyrinth

To see the future of technology, should we look to the past?

  • Episode 1
  • 1 min
How will cities change in the future?
1 min

How will cities change in the future?

Planning how cities will grow means thinking way ahead.

  • Episode 3
  • 1 min
Can machines outsmart us?
1 min

Can machines outsmart us?

Are we capable of telling machines apart from humans? Some evidence suggests we’re surprisingly easy to fool.

  • Episode 4
  • 1 min
Your future robot colleagues
1 min

Your future robot colleagues

Should you be polite to your AI assistant? Why are we all too trusting of robots?

  • Episode 5
  • 1 min

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Thought-provoking stories about how technology helps us create a better future. From real-life cybercrime to defending our online lives.

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