For most of the last century, we measured progress with a single yardstick: profit and growth of GDP. The industrial revolution and the information revolution both fed this simple economic logic. But today, that model is utterly unfit for the future as we head into the Intelligence Revolution fuelled by AI, robotics, fusion energy, and quantum computing.

If we continue to pursue the sole objective of Profit & Power, we will implode before we reach 2050. A world of abundance cannot coexist with the outdated economic mantras of the pre-AI world.

In 2026, we are living at a historic inflection point: we will experience more change in the next 10 years than humanity has seen in the past 100 years.  We must realize that the old, industrial-revolution-era capitalist paradigm (which focuses solely on profit and growth at all costs) is fundamentally broken and unfit for this exponential, intelligence-era future. To truly thrive, we must now transition to a new economic logic based on the “5Ps”: People, Planet, Purpose, Peace, and Prosperity.

As artificial intelligence and many other game-changers accelerate, we experience that technology is an incredibly powerful tool,  and often feels like magic. However, we must also understand that technology has no inherent ethics or values; it operates entirely on logic and efficiency, and is by default not aligned with ‘real life’ human experiences.

While machines can simulate understanding, they cannot truly understand our emotions, compassion, and unique human relationships – existence and embodiment is a requirement for that. Therefore, our ultimate job in the future is to remain human, or to ‘become more human’.  We must nurture and protect our “androrithms” – our creativity, empathy, and originality – against the rise of algorithms, ensuring we do not become mere tools of our own technology.

We must also be highly cautious of our daily ‘synthetic digital information’ consumption habits. We are already battling “digital obesity,” a state where our excessive consumption of information and constant connectivity negatively impacts our health and well-being. Much like eating too much junk food, we are gorging on digital (and AI-made) content. Offline is becoming our new luxury!   Yet, as automation becomes ubiquitous (AI agents), we risk falling into “Abdication“—surrendering our decision-making and personal agency to intelligent machines.

The 5Ps are not just another meme — they are a better, future-ready economic operating system for decisions about science, technology, business, and policy. Get the first four right, and prosperity stops being the thing we chase. It becomes the thing we earn.

The 2020s will see the fastest economic transition in history — from a growth-at-all-costs economy toward a planet-centered model built on global collaboration, sustainable food systems, zero-carbon energy, circular economies, and new stock markets.

The window is narrow: 5–10 years to lay the foundations for a Good Future. The future is not written — it's a choice. The 5Ps are how Gerd Leonhard proposes to design it.

NotebookLM made Podcast below:)

AI is ushering in the Intelligence Revolution — 100x bigger than the Industrial Revolution. This is Gerd's #1 speaking topic for 2026. Be prepared for hyper-exponential game-changers: AI, robotics, fusion energy, and quantum computing are converging to reshape every industry and society.

In his interview with Westernacher, Gerd explores the future of AI, global collaboration, and new economic logic. The 5Ps provide the framework — but building the Good Future requires action from capital markets, corporations, and policymakers alike.