Presidential programs are replete with promises about pensions, crime or growth, but they make a troubling omission: The future. I am not talking about a philosophical abstraction or a slogan, but as a category of urgent and concrete political action. Where are the plans that address the tsunami of artificial intelligence, the unstoppable climate change, the inescapable population aging or the global productive reconfiguration; how to design public policies that, with an eye beyond, allow us to take advantage of the emerging opportunities and mitigate the risks that are already upon us?

 

The future is no longer distant, it is an unstoppable reality that is hitting us. On the one hand, Artificial Intelligence could be a billion times more powerful in less than a decade, redefining everything from employment to social interaction. On the other hand, demographics are pushing us towards a profound social reconfiguration: in 2050, one out of every six people in the world will be over 60 years old -31% in Chile- (WHO, INE, 2023). In addition, 2023 was the hottest year on record, and economic losses due to extreme weather events in Latin America have increased fivefold in the last two decades (World Meteorological Organization).

 

International evidence shows that what distinguishes countries that take the future seriously are the institutional structures that support it. Finland, Canada, Singapore, the United Kingdom and Spain do not improvise; they have developed robust anticipatory institutions, with specialized units and inter-ministerial networks designed to integrate foresight into their public planning. The case of Canada is remarkable: its upskilling programs in the public sector offer systematic training in foresight, digital skills and strategic thinking to prepare the state for complex and uncertain scenarios. The message is clear: build the future, not just wait for it.

 

In Chile, although there have been valuable efforts, the institutionalization of the prospective approach has not been consolidated. Initiatives such as those of Fundación Encuentros del Futuro, which has promoted strategic foresight in debates on labor, climate and technology, or SOFOFA’s collective exercise to identify drivers of change and emerging signals, are a great contribution. However, at the institutional level, the Future Challenges Commission of the Senate or the National Foresight System in the Climate Change Law still lack executive powers to articulate public policies.

 

We must stop looking at the future as a distant nebula and start building firm institutional foundations that will allow us not only to survive, but to thrive with resilience and vision in a world in constant and accelerated transformation. Uncertainty does not mean that we cannot project, imagine and plan, because the cost of not doing so is too high… Are we willing to pay it?

 

Mónica Retamal
Executive Director at Kodea