Got a spare minute? How we use our most precious resource It's Christmas time again, the nights are drawing in, city centres are packed with crowds, and, at some point, many people are getting that indistinct feeling that everything is getting a bit tight. N... Society Dec 17, 2025
The GDI reading list for 2025 As the year draws to a close, we've put together a carefully chosen selection of books that particularly impressed our researchers and staff. From views on the meaning of life and cultures revolving a... Food Health Retail Society Sustainability Technology Dec 16, 2025
Architecture of change – shifts that will shape our future The GDI Major Shifts framework describes 20 developments across the five dimensions of society, geopolitics, economy, technology and ecology. Why these five in particular? Joschka Proksik: They are, i... Society Dec 16, 2025
Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim – from clickbait to more complex content Our minds are bombarded by social media shorts, automatically summarised AI responses and pithy messages. Nuance and fine distinctions rarely cut through the information overload. Yet, complex issues ... Society Technology Dec 10, 2025
Building trust in the age of AI When was the last time you saw an original piece of content that really blew you away? Authenticity is often lost amidst a deluge of AI-generated product images, interchangeable claims and polished co... Society Technology Nov 19, 2025
Cory Doctorow: 'enshittification' or why platforms became useless When was the last time you looked at photos of your closest friends on Facebook? And how many links in Google's search results showed what you were actually looking for? Cory Doctorow, an author, tech... Retail Society Technology Nov 4, 2025
Nicholas Christakis: "AI is changing our interpersonal interaction too" AI assists us in everyday life, but it can improve human performance in collective challenges, such as coordination or cooperation, too. Nicholas Christakis, a Professor of Social and Natural Science ... Society Technology Oct 15, 2025
Convenience and digital grocery shopping are hot topics in the live podcast The live recording of the "Retail Reality Show" podcast as part of the 75th International Retail Summit at the GDI provided the audience with fascinating insights into food retail. In this park sessio... Food Retail Society Oct 9, 2025
Future Skills: 'Wanting' – the skill of the future The study « Future Skills » study by the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute distinguishes between three skill categories: knowing, wanting and doing. Knowing is required to understand actual situations – w... Society Technology Oct 2, 2025
Hyperconnectivity – between the conflicting priorities of convenience and control Switzerland is having a second attempt at introducing the e-ID. It promises to eliminate excessively complex administrative procedures, enable electronic signatures, allow bank accounts to be opened a... Society Technology Sep 23, 2025
From croissants to geopolitics – strategies for the retail of the future What trends are emerging in global retail and how are retailers responding to them? Answers were provided by thought leaders from the areas of research, business and retail at the 75th International R... Retail Society Sep 16, 2025
The porcupines in the shop The shop as a social space A shop is not a neutral place. Anyone who enters it becomes part of a social framework - whether it be consciously or unconsciously. The furnishings, the sounds, the presenc... Retail Society Aug 20, 2025