Who Tells the Story of the Future? A Conversation with Karl Olsberg
In the latest episode of Zukunft Denken, Alexander Schatten, senior researcher at SBA Research, welcome Karl Olsberg, acclaimed science fiction and thriller author, AI expert, and entrepreneur. Together with Markus Klemen, Managing Director of SBA Research, we explore the power of narratives and their influence on how we understand technology, society, and the future.
The conversation takes place on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of SBA Research, where Karl Olsberg was invited as a keynote speaker.
The episode explores some fundamental questions:
- Who shapes our perception of reality? How do narratives help us navigate complexity – and when do they prevent us from seeing the bigger picture?
- Can science fiction help us understand the future? Do fictional scenarios prepare us for technological change, or can they also distort our expectations?
- Is artificial intelligence fundamentally different from previous technologies? What makes AI such a profound challenge for individuals and society?
- Are we prepared for the risks of AI? From alignment and autonomous agents to recursive self-improvement, we discuss the possibilities and limits of human control.
- How should society respond to technological uncertainty? Is overregulation more dangerous than underreaction – or is the opposite true?
One particularly interesting insight from the conversation is that science fiction is not primarily about predicting the future. As Olsberg explains, his role as a science fiction author is not to forecast what will happen, but to use fictional scenarios to make real-world problems more visible.
Beyond technological optimism and pessimism
The discussion also challenges the way we think about progress. Are technological developments really accelerating at an unprecedented pace? Do we tend to overestimate the future while underestimating the changes already taking place around us?
From the lessons of the Y2K problem to today’s debates about AI risks, the conversation highlights the difficulty of distinguishing genuine threats from hype, and meaningful innovation from technological storytelling.
Perhaps the most important question is not whether we should be optimistic or pessimistic about the future, but how we can develop a more nuanced understanding of the opportunities, risks, and uncertainties ahead.
About the podcast
Zukunft Denken explores where we come from, where we stand today, and how we can rediscover our ability to think about the future.
Link
Episode 162 – Who Tells the Story of the Future? A Conversation with Karl Olsberg