I read this article about the ethical role of foresight professionals — especially around new emerging technologies like Apple’s spatial computing headset and AI tools — and I found it really thought-provoking.

GERALDINE WHARRY Apple’s headset, Synthetic Optimism and Inconvenient Futures

It talked about how often, when new technology comes out, there’s a lot of hype and blind optimism around it, without much real thought about what the long-term effects might be.

The article introduced the idea of "Synthetic Optimism" — where people focus only on the positives of technology and ignore the potential harms — and explained why it’s so important for designers, technologists, and researchers to stay critical and realistic.

✏️ Ethical Choices for Designers and Foresight Professionals

One of the main points that stood out to me was how foresight professionals (and honestly, all of us working in design and tech) have a responsibility to challenge assumptions.

Instead of getting swept up in the excitement, we need to ask deeper questions like:

• How could this new tech affect people’s mental health?
• Could it lead to more isolation or inequality, even if it’s designed with good intentions?

The article used examples like AI and Apple’s headset to show how easily new products can be seen as exciting breakthroughs — but might also come with real risks, like increased surveillance, privacy loss, or social disconnection.

Another really important point was about focusing on long-term societal impact, not just short-term innovation.

It's easy to get caught up in thinking "this new product is cool!" but much harder (and much more important) to think:

• Will this actually make people's lives better in the long run?
• Who could be harmed by it?

The article also talked about the danger of following the “hive mind” — just repeating popular ideas about tech without offering proper ethical critique.

Foresight professionals should be the ones asking uncomfortable questions and making sure the risks are part of the conversation, not just the benefits.

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This article really reinforced how important it is for designers — especially those working in speculative design — to think critically about the technologies and futures we’re imagining. Speculative design isn’t just about creating futuristic ideas that look exciting — it’s about questioning what kind of futures we actually want to create, and challenging assumptions about where technology is leading us. The idea of Radical Hope fits perfectly with speculative design. Both involve facing uncomfortable truths about society, asking difficult “what if” questions, and using creativity to explore more ethical, thoughtful alternatives — rather than just assuming that all progress is good progress. Reading this made me realise that speculative design isn’t just a creative exercise — it’s also a serious responsibility. As designers, we need to imagine better futures, but also highlight the risks and push conversations about where we’re heading. Going forward, I want to keep practicing critical thinking and use speculative design as a tool not just for creativity, but for asking important, challenging questions about the future.

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