4 Futurists Break Down Post-COVID Opportunities | Trends by The Hustle

In the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, we’ve turned to all kinds of people — including virologists, Ph.D.s, and market analysts — to explain the challenges we face in the present. But who can help us better understand the next-order effects of this crisis?

One answer: Futurists, professionals in a variety of fields who, through rigorous analysis and research, make projections about what the world might look like someday. Futurists aren’t prophets, but they offer a unique perspective on navigating uncertainty.

Our analysts and writers spoke with a number of prominent futurists, focusing on how COVID-19 might impact various sectors in the short- and long-term. A few takeaways:

• A hitch in global trade could inspire a localism movement in various sectors like tourism, shipping, and production.
• We might see an uptick in 3-D printing and other self-sufficiency tools.
• The crisis could accelerate the intersection of AI and biology.
• Educational content on immersive platforms (VR, MR, XR) is poised for growth.