“We are now at the point of take-off for exponential change. In the next 10 years, things once considered science fiction will become science fact, from augmented reality and artificial intelligence (AI) to quantum computing. As a result, we will undergo more change over the next decade than we have in the last century. While daunting, this also creates incredible opportunities because we have the chance to lay the foundation for what I call “The Good Future.”

You can download my Policy paper on the ELF website (or below)

It was a great pleasure to contribute a virtual keynote at the European Liberal Forum, on March 20, 2021 and today I am delighted to be able to share my new Policy Paper “The Next Ten Years: How Europe Can Shape and Create a Good Future“, also published by ELF.

“This policy paper argues that in this crucial moment we, Europeans, need to develop a new operating system that would reflect our European values and priorities for the future. It outlines the key guiding principles of this system, in particular regarding the interplay between humans and technologies, and ends with suggestions for policymakers.”

The Audio Version is available on my SoundCloud channel

ELF 2021_03_31_Gerd-Leonhard-Policy-Paper

Europe stands at a definitive crossroads. I believe we must divorce from the dysfunctional, hyper-capitalist American tech model and step up our game as the world’s moral and ethical compass. It is time for us to first prioritise innovation and then establish true AI and tech sovereignty, build a “future-fit capitalism” rooted in the 5Ps (People, Planet, Purpose, Peace and Prosperity), and decisively lead humanity toward a human-centric future.

To secure this future, I propose four mandates:

1. Escaping the “Bad Future”

We are currently hurtling toward a dystopian reality—a “Bad Future” defined by tech-feudalism, ruthless surveillance, and the outsourcing of human agency to algorithms. I am telling you plainly: Europe must deliberately disengage from this path. We must stop relying on the United States and refuse to be passive bystanders in our own digital colonization.

2. Building the “United States of Europe”

Survival in an era of geopolitical shifts and climate emergencies demands radical, deep continental integration—not fragmented hesitation. We need a unified front. This means building pan-European infrastructure (like a high-speed rail system spanning from Zurich to Madrid), establishing a unified cybersecurity force and military, and aggressively advancing the Digital Euro.

3. Exporting Values, Not Importing Ideologies

For too long, Europe has been a consumer of foreign digital ideologies that clash with our societal norms. This must end. We must, again, first decide to innovate dramatically, and then leverage our unmatched regulatory muscle—pioneered by frameworks like the EU AI Act—to lead as far was global tech and ethical standard are concerned.

4. Redefining What Progress Means

Measuring a 21st-century society by outdated 20th-century metrics like GDP is an absolute failure of imagination. I am calling for us to abandon blind growth in favour of holistic well-being. We must champion a new model of social capitalism where companies and economies are judged strictly by their purpose, sustainability, and contribution to the human spirit.

The bottom line: Technology is not the destination; it is merely the driver. Humanity is the destination. It’s time for Europe to take the wheel.