{"id":94454,"date":"2026-04-16T11:15:35","date_gmt":"2026-04-16T09:15:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/?p=94454"},"modified":"2026-09-27T14:41:40","modified_gmt":"2026-09-27T12:41:40","slug":"zukunftsszenarien-schaltzeit-im-jahr-2046","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/en\/future-scenarios-schaltzeit-in-2046\/","title":{"rendered":"Future scenarios \u2013 Schaltzeit in 2046"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"94454\" class=\"elementor elementor-94454\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-295be4e e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"295be4e\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5479294 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5479294\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAfter all the lovely nostalgia surrounding our 20th anniversary, it\u2019s time to turn our heads back toward the horizon. We invited a handful of inspiring people from our foresight community to take a look into our future: pointed, with a slight wink, sometimes a little thoughtful\u2026 Here you\u2019ll find six short scenarios for Schaltzeit in 2046. \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5bb3a4e e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"5bb3a4e\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3a1e68d elementor-align-start elementor-icon-list--layout-traditional elementor-list-item-link-full_width elementor-widget elementor-widget-icon-list\" data-id=\"3a1e68d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"icon-list.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-icon-list-items\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fad fa-quote-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">The future is back, beyond calculation<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-755e98d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"755e98d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Dr. Isabella Hermann<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4a92cdf elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4a92cdf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3><span style=\"font-size: 17px; color: #00120b; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; text-align: var(--text-align);\">In 2046, Europe is regarded as a fully calculated society. Decisions are no longer negotiated but derived from data. Political processes, economic developments, and even individual life decisions follow continuous forecasts, simulations, and optimization logics. Parliaments respond to sentiment data in real time, companies steer themselves through permanent analysis, and in everyday life, too, people are guided exclusively by algorithmic recommendations. Europe proudly sees itself as \u201cpost-future(s).\u201d<\/span><\/h3><p>What gets lost in the process is the unpredictable, the contradictory, the human. Although everything seems to be anticipated, many developments come as a surprise. Crises occur even though their data had long been available. Because what cannot be calculated \u2013 values and meanings \u2013 has been pushed out of the processes.<\/p><p>In this situation, futures work by and with Schaltzeit takes on new significance. People begin to step outside the logic of calculation and organize unofficial meetings on the fringes of organizations to bring the incalculable back into their thinking. These unofficial circles turn into programs again, side conversations into strategies. Futures are coming back \u2013 not as something that can be calculated, but as something we can take part in. Europe goes from \u201cpost-future(s)\u201d to \u201cjoint-future(s).\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fb3e59c e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"fb3e59c\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-39cc2c6 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"39cc2c6\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-79299ae e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"79299ae\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-727f1b4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"727f1b4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_1-1024x1024.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-94557\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_1-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_1-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_1-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_1-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_1-12x12.jpg 12w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_1.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" title=\"\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b5d8e52 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b5d8e52\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Dr. Isabella Hermann is a political scientist and science fiction analyst. Her work explores how the genre shapes narratives around \u201cfuture technologies&#8221; and their sociopolitical challenges \u2013 and, above all, how we can shape positive futures in dystopian times.<\/p><p><strong>More about Dr. Isabella Hermann here:<\/strong><br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.isabella-hermann.de\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">www.isabella-hermann.de<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-56c7a0b e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"56c7a0b\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-25260ae elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"25260ae\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Isabella_01_web_en.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-94465\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Isabella_01_web_en.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Isabella_01_web_en-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Isabella_01_web_en-819x1024.jpg 819w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Isabella_01_web_en-768x960.jpg 768w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Isabella_01_web_en-10x12.jpg 10w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" title=\"\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3608743 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"3608743\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4ba2095 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"4ba2095\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-579f5bf elementor-align-start elementor-icon-list--layout-traditional elementor-list-item-link-full_width elementor-widget elementor-widget-icon-list\" data-id=\"579f5bf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"icon-list.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-icon-list-items\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fad fa-quote-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">Operation #prototypemodeon<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b31c4f2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b31c4f2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Bernd Stegmann<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2bce4db elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2bce4db\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>In 2046, futures literacy is part of general education. People sketch scenarios over breakfast and do trend analyses on the bus. Schaltzeit\u2019s former consulting job seems superfluous \u2013 but the crew doesn\u2019t close up shop, it switches gears. Because even though everyone is brilliant at thinking about the future, many find making the future surprisingly hard. Too much analysis, too little action.<\/p><p>That\u2019s why Schaltzeit becomes the <strong>nation\u2019s intervention workshop<\/strong>: specializing in micro-futures in public spaces, spontaneous future prototypes in the park, micro real-world labs at the bus stop, small provocations for a sluggish present.<\/p><p>And the founder, now past 60? He is the <strong>gentle accelerant<\/strong>. A kind of roving futures caretaker who, with stoic calm, shows up wherever good intentions threaten to peter out \u2013 and with a dry \u201cWell, let\u2019s just give it a try,\u201d tips entire groups into prototype mode.<\/p><p><strong>Role in 2046:<\/strong> Society knows how to think about the future. <strong>Schaltzeit makes sure it happens.<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c9c566f e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"c9c566f\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-519b456 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"519b456\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-df2edc2 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"df2edc2\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f40c89c e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"f40c89c\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9008978 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"9008978\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_3-1024x1024.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-94561\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_3-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_3-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_3-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_3-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_3-12x12.jpg 12w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_3.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" title=\"\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c4c36a6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c4c36a6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>More about Bernd Stegmann here:<\/strong><\/p><p>Stegmann\u2019s path led from civic education to futures studies and technology assessment \u2013 a long-time shuttle between spaces of possibility and reality checks. \ud83d\ude0a<\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tab-beim-bundestag.de\/team_stegmann-bernd.php\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">www.tab-beim-bundestag.de<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bf808ca e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"bf808ca\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bee46b7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"bee46b7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Stegmann_04_en.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-94480\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Stegmann_04_en.jpg 864w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Stegmann_04_en-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Stegmann_04_en-819x1024.jpg 819w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Stegmann_04_en-768x960.jpg 768w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Stegmann_04_en-10x12.jpg 10w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" title=\"\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a97a5f3 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"a97a5f3\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5761555 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"5761555\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-90156d0 elementor-align-start elementor-icon-list--layout-traditional elementor-list-item-link-full_width elementor-widget elementor-widget-icon-list\" data-id=\"90156d0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"icon-list.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-icon-list-items\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fad fa-quote-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">The voice of reason in the foresight multiverse<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d22b453 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d22b453\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDr. Karlheinz Steinm\u00fcller \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-627c16e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"627c16e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>By 2046, quantum computers are throwing the structure of the universe into disarray. Here, a net media AI (<strong>N<\/strong>) is interviewing Schaltzeit\u2019s public relations AI (<strong>S<\/strong>).<\/p><p><strong>N<\/strong>: How would you characterize our times?<\/p><p><strong>S<\/strong>: We live in a foresight-drunk \u2013 no: a foresight-wasted world! Everyone wants to know their personal futures. Day after day, new foresight apps are put on the market.<\/p><p><strong>N<\/strong>: So you\u2019re afraid of the competition?<\/p><p><strong>S<\/strong>: Ridiculous! We\u2019re the ones who have to re-anticipate everything straight afterward. Ever since these do-it-yourself AIs came along, there\u2019s simply too much humbug active out there: self-proclaimed personal AI futurist agents, hourly AI horoscopes from various providers, private life-coach AIs with a forecasting module, but also traditional leftovers, especially in corporate foresight \u2026<\/p><p><strong>N<\/strong>: Meaning?<\/p><p><strong>S<\/strong>: The range goes from companies using tools based on the I Ching to old-fashioned virtual corporate astrologers. But let\u2019s not forget the individualized biographical scenario generators that, if need be, also rewrite r\u00e9sum\u00e9s with potential future employers in mind. And most recently, quantum decider apps have emerged, also known as QuBis, quantum bifurcators.<\/p><p><strong>N<\/strong>: Please explain that to a simple-minded AI like me \u2026<\/p><p><strong>S<\/strong>: As everyone knows, many people have trouble making decisions \u2013 when ordering from a menu, shopping, choosing a career or a means of transport, buying stocks, in love. A QuBi makes a random decision on a quantum mechanical basis. The advantage: thanks to quantum mechanics, reality splits at this point into all possibilities \u2013 becoming a multiverse \u2013 and you lose none of the possibilities but realize all of them \u2026<\/p><p><strong>N<\/strong>: Sorry, that\u2019s simply over the head of a non-quantum AI like me.<\/p><p><strong>S<\/strong>: Never mind. That\u2019s what we at Schaltzeit are here for \u2013 the tough cases. As the voice of reason, we set every future straight again, no matter which branch of the multiverse you happen to be in.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2bb432f e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"2bb432f\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-164b61a e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"164b61a\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-47b15ff e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"47b15ff\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ab57dfd e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"ab57dfd\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8bcb792 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"8bcb792\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_2-1024x1024.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-94562\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_2-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_2-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_2-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_2-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_2-12x12.jpg 12w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_2.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" title=\"\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-61d28e4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"61d28e4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>More about Dr. Karlheinz Steinm\u00fcller here:<\/strong><\/p><p>Dr. Karlheinz Steinm\u00fcller is a futurist and science fiction author. He has taught at Freie Universit\u00e4t Berlin and TU Berlin, is (co-)editor of several books on futures studies, serves on the editorial board of the Zeitschrift f\u00fcr Zukunftsforschung, and is Scientific Director of Z_punkt GmbH. Together with his wife Angela, he has written nonfiction books and more than a dozen science fiction books.<\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.steinmuller.de\/de\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">www.steinmuller.de <\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-98765c6 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"98765c6\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-41556f9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"41556f9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Steinmueller_01_web_en.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-94467\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Steinmueller_01_web_en.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Steinmueller_01_web_en-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Steinmueller_01_web_en-819x1024.jpg 819w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Steinmueller_01_web_en-768x960.jpg 768w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Steinmueller_01_web_en-10x12.jpg 10w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" title=\"\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-155d765 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"155d765\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8e12008 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"8e12008\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a52bc6d elementor-align-start elementor-icon-list--layout-traditional elementor-list-item-link-full_width elementor-widget elementor-widget-icon-list\" data-id=\"a52bc6d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"icon-list.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-icon-list-items\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fad fa-quote-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">Deeper. Further. More human.<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5b9494b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5b9494b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDr. Bernhard Albert \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8c91233 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8c91233\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Automated trend reports every minute: AI-flooded foresight providers compete for attention \u2013 but often deliver only mediocrity. Schaltzeit takes a different path. By 2046, three levers take the team to the top of strategic foresight: 1. Embodied Signal Detection \u2013 trained researchers sense what vibrates in meetings, what goes unsaid in the hallway, and what flickers across faces \u2013 with a sensorium for weak signals, in lived relationships. 2. Chronomorphic Foresight, in which social development is not a sequence of events but a tectonic movement. A concept somewhere between macrohistory, stratigraphy, and paleoclimatology. 3. A network of Signal Custodians replaces that of trend scouts. Deeply rooted in their communities, subcultures, and world regions, they convey knowledge that resides in relationships, not on servers. This way, Schaltzeit will still be delivering images of the future that change the world in 2046.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2866a42 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"2866a42\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9d0a6b4 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"9d0a6b4\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b988c32 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"b988c32\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9b20db2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"9b20db2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_4-1024x1024.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-94560\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_4-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_4-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_4-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_4-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_4-12x12.jpg 12w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_4.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" title=\"\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-34317b3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"34317b3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>More about Dr. Bernhard Albert here:<\/strong><\/p><p>He is the owner and founder of Foresight Solutions and a founding member of the Advanced Foresight Group. He teaches in the Master\u2019s program in Futures Studies at Freie Universit\u00e4t Berlin, in supply chain and operations management at TH K\u00f6ln, and in user experience design at Hochschule Darmstadt. As a founding and board member of Netzwerk Zukunftsforschung e.V., he is helping to guide academic futures studies into the future.<\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foresight-solutions.com\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">www.foresight-solutions.com <\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2b4a273 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"2b4a273\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b21204e elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"b21204e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Bernhard_04_en.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-94481\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Bernhard_04_en.jpg 864w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Bernhard_04_en-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Bernhard_04_en-819x1024.jpg 819w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Bernhard_04_en-768x960.jpg 768w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Bernhard_04_en-10x12.jpg 10w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" title=\"\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a17b0ed e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"a17b0ed\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7d8230f e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"7d8230f\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4ae80e5 elementor-align-start elementor-icon-list--layout-traditional elementor-list-item-link-full_width elementor-widget elementor-widget-icon-list\" data-id=\"4ae80e5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"icon-list.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-icon-list-items\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fad fa-quote-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">Foresight 2046 \u2013 there\u2019s no shortage of work<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4ea9615 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4ea9615\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDr. Stefan Niederhafner \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e603108 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e603108\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>\u201cAndr\u00e9,\u201d the soft voice of 9, his AI assistant, said quietly, \u201cthe elevator isn\u2019t working.\u201d Andr\u00e9 turned around and saw that the floor indicators of the other elevators had gone dark as well. \u201cWhat, all of them?\u201d \u201cYes. In 2039, when all the elevators in Block 4, John-Schehr 2\u201332, were overhauled, SLRB chips were installed.\u201d Andr\u00e9 sighed loudly. Why on earth hadn\u2019t he just stayed home and worked from there? A few hours earlier, the Taiwanese Liberation Army had managed to blow up the control plane server of SLRB, Taiwan\u2019s largest computer chip manufacturer, in Taipei. The event apparently triggered a previously unknown code sequence in several chip series installed in electric means of transport worldwide. The code deactivated the chips and paralyzed the affected machines. Despite countless studies, discussions, and administrative measures for risk assessment and mitigation, precisely in areas like these, everyone had once again been caught completely off guard. SLRB had already announced in an official statement that the company had been entirely unaware of the existence of such a sequence and was working flat out on a solution, but for the time being, almost all electrically powered machines in large parts of Asia and Europe had ground to a halt. In Berlin, too, hardly anything was moving on rails or roads \u2013 getting to John-Schehr-Stra\u00dfe had been bad enough after the maglev train broke down \u2013 and now eight floors on foot\u2026.<\/p><p>For a moment, Andr\u00e9 thought about how, 30 years ago, a few things had been simpler in the old Schaltzeit rooms down on the ground floor. But he consoled himself with the thought that, together with SelbstBau AG, he had at least prevented the eight additional floors.<\/p><p>He had barely sat down at his desk when Run Chu opened the door to his office; the young Chinese man, too, clearly showed the effects of the stairs. \u201cI have finished presentation,\u201d he said. His German was now almost flawless. The learn-in-your-sleep programs were fascinatingly effective. Andr\u00e9 was amazed every time at how fast the learning processes ran. As always, only the definite articles remained a persistent problem. Too bad they still only worked with low drug doses in people under 20. Andr\u00e9\u2019s Spanish was still miserable even after three months, and because of the strong side effects of the accompanying medication, he had recently given up. In any case, these learning programs were almost certainly the reason German was still spoken at Schaltzeit at all; and not only among the AI artists on the 6th floor was the transition to English often more than fluid. Covering the cost of this extra also proved to be a very good way, among other things, of getting young talent from all over the world interested in the company.<\/p><p>\u201cGreat, let\u2019s see.\u201d \u201c356, open file bravenewhuman03_final_final2.\u201d 356 darkened the room and started the presentation. The 3D projectors cast razor-sharp holograms into the room. Fifteen minutes later, the lights came back on. \u201cVery nice, very convincing. The German Life Sciences Federation and the Ministry of Economic Affairs will both be happy. Then tomorrow we\u2019ll do the run-through in front of the whole team \u2013 and the opening block of the \u2018Bundeskongress Zukunft Mensch\u2019 is done. 9, how\u2019s the capsule coming along?\u201d \u201cAccording to the product backlog, it has been reassembled. The bug was logged as fixed at 9:57 am. It can be tested again.\u201d \u201cExcellent!\u201d Andr\u00e9\u2019s mood kept improving. The capsule was really just a big toy in which people could use a sensor suit and an augmented reality visor to feel what technical enhancements to their own bodies felt like \u2013 or what it was like to be without them. After a project to optimize innovation processes for a major German medical technology manufacturer, the thing had for some reason stayed at Schaltzeit and ended up in the evidence basement. Schaltzeit\u2019s staff had now managed to squeeze an impressive amount of additional reality out of the simulations and had modified the sensor suit so that it could be put on quickly with the standard adaptive clothing that conference participants tended to wear these days. Over the course of the events, that would surely help one person or another better assess the potential of augmented human measures. Hearing is one thing; feeling, even in 2046, is another. Developing the capsule further had become much more expensive than expected and was eating up resources that were urgently needed elsewhere. The AI assistants still had to be called up by number, because nobody had yet found time to implement UN Directive 2045\/9482736 on preventing discrimination in AI assistant identification.<\/p><p>But the capsule was a damn cool gadget, now painted in Schaltzeit blue and fitted with a cool sound when the shell closed. It was still not part of the company\u2019s philosophy to animate data and content in such a way that the audience had to stare at endless rows of colorful 3D pie or bar charts. Moreover, it was urgently necessary to make clear, especially to critics, what opportunities were being withheld from people in Germany and the EU if access to even simple technical aids was only available to those who could afford a flight to Dubai or Singapore. Schaltzeit had also only been able to obtain the accompanying medication for the learn-in-your-sleep programs since being added to the European Commission\u2019s ICC list (importance capitale pour la comp\u00e9titivit\u00e9 de l&#8217;UE).<\/p><p>\u201cMaybe the SLRB chip shutdown will even help,\u201d Andr\u00e9 thought, \u201cnobody\u2019s getting to Dubai for now.\u201d He looked down at the street, where almost nothing but pedestrians, scooters, and bicycles was still moving.<\/p><p>\u201cOh, and 9, pull the folder on that EU data sovereignty project from the archive for me \u2013 six or seven years ago, together with MegaBitKom, for the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of the Interior, I think. Looks like we should offer it again.\u201d Things couldn\u2019t stay like this in the future, after all.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-40c7fcb e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"40c7fcb\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fd20a50 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"fd20a50\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4274ea1 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"4274ea1\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9374bc5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"9374bc5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_5-1024x1024.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-94559\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_5-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_5-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_5-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_5-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_5-12x12.jpg 12w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_5.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" title=\"\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-11d2d13 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"11d2d13\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>More about Dr. Stefan Niederhafner here:<\/strong><\/p><p>Dr. Stefan Niederhafner, founder and managing director of SUDECO, has conducted research and taught in Europe, Asia, and the US. Since 2006, he has been advising on strategic foresight from a glocal perspective, integrating global trends with local contexts, economic goals, and ecological responsibility.<\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sudeco.eu\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">www.sudeco.eu<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cab19e4 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"cab19e4\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a9aadfa elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"a9aadfa\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Stefan_01_en.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-94483\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Stefan_01_en.jpg 864w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Stefan_01_en-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Stefan_01_en-819x1024.jpg 819w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Stefan_01_en-768x960.jpg 768w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Stefan_01_en-10x12.jpg 10w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" title=\"\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a83b767 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"a83b767\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c494191 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"c494191\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5b81951 elementor-align-start elementor-icon-list--layout-traditional elementor-list-item-link-full_width elementor-widget elementor-widget-icon-list\" data-id=\"5b81951\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"icon-list.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-icon-list-items\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fad fa-quote-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">The futures court of appeal<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4e8fcbc elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4e8fcbc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Bernd Stegmann<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-843ce4b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"843ce4b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>In 2046, the future is a national pastime. Hobby foresight circles, neighborhood forecasts, and enthusiastic couch futurists are popping up everywhere. But the more futures thinking there is, the more chaotic the overall picture: wishful bubbles, trend hypes, collectively overlooked side effects.<\/p><p>This is where Schaltzeit finds its new niche. The team becomes an <strong>independent futures ombudsman office<\/strong>: a mix of quality assurance, plausibility check, and ethical filter. They sort, untangle, and clear the fog \u2013 not in an authoritarian way, but as a curating body.<\/p><p>The founder, now past 60, serves as the <strong>living memory of the space of possibilities<\/strong>. A kind of futures archivist with a mischievous streak who occasionally throws in a forgotten perspective during meetings \u2013 often in passing, but with enormous impact. His comments are rare, precise, and feared: \u201cHave you considered the side effect 15 years down the line?\u201d<\/p><p><strong>Role in 2046:<\/strong> Society produces the future. <strong>Schaltzeit keeps it responsibly on track.<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cc6a080 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"cc6a080\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cded0c8 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"cded0c8\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e944b3e e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"e944b3e\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ab5be46 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"ab5be46\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_3-1024x1024.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-94561\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_3-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_3-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_3-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_3-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_3-12x12.jpg 12w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/authors_scenarios_3.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" title=\"\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6572bba elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6572bba\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>More about Bernd Stegmann here:<\/strong><\/p><p>Stegmann\u2019s path led from civic education to futures studies and technology assessment \u2013 a long-time shuttle between spaces of possibility and reality checks. \ud83d\ude0a<\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tab-beim-bundestag.de\/team_stegmann-bernd.php\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">www.tab-beim-bundestag.de<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9cbab72 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"9cbab72\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-592897e elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"592897e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Stegmann_05_en.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-94479\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Stegmann_05_en.jpg 864w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Stegmann_05_en-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Stegmann_05_en-819x1024.jpg 819w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Stegmann_05_en-768x960.jpg 768w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046_Stegmann_05_en-10x12.jpg 10w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" title=\"\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3577868 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"3577868\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-19c6236 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"19c6236\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a2dfe40 elementor-align-start elementor-icon-list--layout-traditional elementor-list-item-link-full_width elementor-widget elementor-widget-icon-list\" data-id=\"a2dfe40\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"icon-list.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-icon-list-items\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fad fa-highlighter\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">Predictions for 2046 that are guaranteed to be wrong<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bab8ea9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"bab8ea9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAuthors unknown  \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-89fb0a6 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"89fb0a6\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6790905 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"6790905\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3acf11c elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"3acf11c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046-Prognosen-party_en.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-94485\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046-Prognosen-party_en.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046-Prognosen-party_en-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046-Prognosen-party_en-819x1024.jpg 819w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046-Prognosen-party_en-768x960.jpg 768w, https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Schaltzeit-2046-Prognosen-party_en-10x12.jpg 10w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" title=\"\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e6c443a e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"e6c443a\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cdb3481 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cdb3481\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Futures thinking, as we all know, also includes the art of occasionally thinking through the unthinkable. At our anniversary party, we pursued this discipline in all seriousness: over good music and cold drinks, we asked what absurd predictions you had in store for 2046. What is guaranteed not to happen \u2013 or might it happen after all?<\/p><p>A few highlights:<\/p><ul><li>Tax returns fit on a beer coaster \u2013 as promised.<\/li><li>Printers are the most reliable devices in the entire office.<\/li><li>Men and women understand each other without words.<\/li><li>You can transform into a plant.<\/li><li>Schaltzeit has been forgotten.<\/li><li>Online dating is out. Really!<\/li><li>Andr\u00e9 retires to the sofa.<\/li><li>\u2026.<\/li><\/ul><p>With that in mind: the future hasn\u2019t been written yet \u2013 let\u2019s see what happens.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>After all the lovely nostalgia surrounding our 20th anniversary, it\u2019s time to turn our heads back toward the horizon. We invited a handful of inspiring people from our foresight community to take a look into our future: pointed, with a slight wink, sometimes a little thoughtful\u2026 Here you\u2019ll find six short scenarios for Schaltzeit in 2046. <\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":94459,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_ppma_block_editor_authors":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[319,336,335,333,348,331,337,320,334,343,330,340,264,295,341,327,317,318,346,272,325,322,344,338,328,321,329,265,324,332,290,315,294,342,323,345,347,316,279,326,339],"ppma_author":[303],"class_list":["post-94454","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-allgemein","tag-algorithmen","tag-augmented-human","tag-augmented-reality","tag-automatisierung","tag-beratung","tag-chronomorphic-foresight","tag-corporate-foresight","tag-datengesellschaft","tag-datensouveraenitaet","tag-disruption","tag-embodied-signal-detection","tag-europa","tag-foresight","tag-futures-literacy","tag-gesellschaft","tag-innovation","tag-jubilaeum","tag-ki","tag-komplexitaet","tag-kuenstliche-intelligenz","tag-megatrends","tag-multiversum","tag-nachhaltigkeit","tag-ombudsstelle","tag-prototyping","tag-quantencomputer","tag-reallabor","tag-schaltzeit","tag-schwache-signale","tag-signal-custodians","tag-strategische-vorausschau","tag-szenarien","tag-szenariodenken","tag-technologie","tag-trendanalyse","tag-unsicherheit","tag-wandel","tag-zukunft-2046","tag-zukunftsforschung","tag-zukunftskompetenz","tag-zukunftsszenarien"],"acf":[],"authors":[{"term_id":303,"user_id":1,"is_guest":0,"slug":"z1k4amxs38ef","display_name":"Schaltzeit","avatar_url":"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/cropped-schaltzeit_logo-2-96x96.jpeg","author_category":"","first_name":"a","user_url":"","job_title":"","description":"The Schaltzeit team is international and spans all age groups. We create friction \u2013 among ourselves, too. What unites us is a passion for substantive work. We\u2019re happy to leave the buzzwords to others."}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94454","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=94454"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94454\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":99420,"href":"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94454\/revisions\/99420"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/94459"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=94454"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=94454"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=94454"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/schaltzeit.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=94454"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}