Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator

Acronym: GESDA

Established: 2013

Address: Chemin des Mines 9, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland

A Swiss foundation with global reach and private-public partnership working from Geneva, GESDA was launched in September 2019 to develop and promote anticipatory science and diplomacy for greater impact and multilateral effectiveness.

GESDA was established to explore how future science breakthroughs can most efficiently be translated and used as tools for the benefit of humanity. GESDA interlinks the digital revolution with other disruptive fields of science and technology, as well as with the diplomatic world.

GESDA was created as a global independent foundation and public partnership in 2019, for an initial start-up phase of three years. In March 2022, the founders – the Swiss Federal Council and the Canton of Geneva, with the City of Geneva – decided to prolong the Foundation for 10 years.

The ultimate objective remains to strengthen the contribution of Switzerland to multilateralism as the host country of the UN in Geneva.

GESDA’s work is guided by three fundamental questions:

Who are we, as humans? What does it mean to be human in the era of robots, gene editing, and augmented reality?
How are we all going to live together? How can technologies reduce inequality and foster inclusive development?
How can we ensure the well-being of humankind and the sustainable future of our planet? How can we supply the world’s population with the necessary food and energy and regenerate our planet?

GESDA’s headquarters are located at the Campus Biotech in Geneva.

Contents

Digital activities

Advanced computational tools, such as AI and high-performance computing, are reshaping all fields of science.

GESDA’s specificity is that it focuses on ‘science anticipation’. Its ambition is to comprehend future digital disruptions and their implications for other fields of science, geopolitics, and mankind.

In 2025, the GESDA Foundation has given priority to two new areas:

The systematic promotion of International Geneva worldwide through the extension of activities linked to its current initiatives, in particular the Geneva Public Portal to Anticipation, which welcomed visitors to the Swiss Pavilion for the duration of the 2025 World Expo in Osaka. In all, GESDA organised major activities in 16 countries, including two in the Americas, three in Africa, eight in Asia and the Middle East, as well as three in Europe.
The preparation of new initiatives similar to the Open Quantum Institute with a view to their gradual launch from July 2026 in some of the other emerging fields covered by the GESDA Science Breakthrough Radar, for instance, neuro-augmentation, eco-augmentation, space, synthetic biology, or the future of peace and war.

Digital policy issues

Capacity development

GESDA brings together an outstanding community of academic, diplomatic, and impact leaders to reflect and act on how to use the future to build the present. Its work is structured around the following flagship instruments:

GESDA Science Breakthrough Radar®

The GESDA Science Breakthrough Radar® is a new tool for multilateralism, informed discussions, and concerted action. It is a single point of entry to catch up with the unprecedented pace of science and technology. Providing a factual basis for eye-opening reflections on the impacts of future scientific discoveries on people, society, and the planet(s), this interactive, evolving instrument is updated once every year.

The GESDA Science Breakthrough Radar® provides a single-entry point for all communities of practice interested in becoming early adopters of scientific advances, whether they are scientists, political authorities, diplomats working in embassies or international organisations, economic actors, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), or citizens from anywhere in the world.

The GESDA Science Breakthrough Radar® provides an overview of the emerging trends in five major fields of science and technology:

This digital platform – updated continuously and released in paper copy on an annual basis – maps impactful emerging topics currently researched in science laboratories across the world and anticipated breakthroughs at 5, 10, and 25 years. It provides descriptions of over 300 breakthrough predictions relevant to the global community. The GESDA Science Breakthrough Radar® is a collective effort of 2,100 scientists around the world who are building the Radar community within the GESDA Academic Forum, chaired by Professor Michael Hengartner, the President of the ETH Board and a member of the GESDA Board of Directors.

The 2024 GESDA Science Breakthrough Radar presents a dynamic landscape of scientific possibilities and challenges. It introduces several significant developments in the work of GESDA. Alongside engaging with the scientific community to capture the latest advancements, the Radar now includes new scientific topics such as robotics, embodied intelligence, behavioural science, digital security, and archaeology. The methodology behind science anticipation has also been refined, focusing on exploring uncertain future scientific trajectories and their transformative effects on both science and society, as well as promoting multilateral action.more difficult to construct long-term solutions: the debates have begun and are creating a hurried atmosphere.

Highlights of the 2024 Radar edition
1. Eco-augmentation: A new platform in the Radar, examining deliberate and strategic interactions with nature to enhance ecosystems. Advances in synthetic biology, stem cell biology, ecosystem sensing, and AI are enabling eco-augmentation—manipulating ecosystems to restore or enhance their functions and increase their resilience. However, our understanding of ecosystems is still limited, and interventions must be carefully designed to avoid unintended consequences.

2. Philosophical lens on eco-augmentation: A panel of philosophers convened by GESDA reflects on how eco-augmentation may change our understanding of humanity’s responsibility toward nature in an era of exponential technological growth.

3. Geopolitical lens: With the collaboration of the GCSP and Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), the geopolitical impact of AI on peace, war, and security is examined. Emerging technologies will shape military and security capabilities, necessitating discussions around their peaceful deployment.

4. Science lens: Examines how scientific breakthroughs may transform the practice of research itself. For instance, AI’s impact on research methodologies, the breakdown of scientific disciplines, and the advent of automated laboratories may drastically change how science is conducted.

Top 8 anticipated scientific trends

1. Revolution in computing: Advances in AI and unconventional computing approaches are reshaping expectations of what computers can do. Neuromorphic machines, quantum computing, and photonic computing could bring about revolutionary changes in computational power, with applications in scientific discovery and industry within the next few years.

2. Expanding consciousness, healthspan, and lifespan: Technologies that modulate consciousness and cognition, like pharmaceutical interventions and electrical stimulation, are advancing. These innovations may allow us to probe mental states, improve brain function, and restore lost neural functions. Moreover, developments in genetic modification, including epigenome editing and metagenomics, are enabling the extension of healthspan and lifespan through precise biological modifications.

3. Eco-augmentation — reshaping the environment: The concept of eco-augmentation involves intentional interventions in ecosystems to improve their sustainability and resilience. Technologies such as synthetic biology and AI are helping shape ecosystems, but interventions must be carefully controlled due to the complexity of natural systems and the risks of unintended consequences. Advances in ocean science and space-based technologies also require careful attention for peaceful management.

4. Datafication of society: The role of digital technology in shaping societies, particularly through AI and quantum computing, is becoming more prominent. As digital technologies like biometrics and AI-powered bots redefine interactions and privacy, new challenges arise in securing data, ensuring trust, and managing digital identities. Moreover, behavioural science uses granular data to understand and address issues like conflict and extremism.

5. Synthetic biology and transformative technologies: Synthetic biology offers transformative potential by allowing for precise genetic modifications and the creation of entirely new organisms. While applications in medicine are already emerging, synthetic biology could also provide sustainable materials, foods, and energy sources. However, ethical concerns and the regulation of these powerful technologies are crucial. These advances extend to archaeology, with molecular-level analysis of archaeological remains offering new insights into our ancestors, the environment, and ancient societies.

6. AI and its role in society: The development of AI and its ability to revolutionise diverse sectors continues to accelerate. AI’s potential to transform industries and influence geopolitics is immense. However, as AI systems evolve, so do the ethical and social implications that need to be carefully considered to ensure that they benefit society.

7. Quantum computing: Although still in its nascent stages, quantum computing promises to revolutionise the way information is processed using quantum mechanics. Quantum systems could solve complex problems that are currently impossible for traditional computers, with applications ranging from materials science to cryptography.

8. Future of research: The role of AI in scientific research is growing, changing how data is analysed, and enabling new avenues of discovery. Future research will involve larger interdisciplinary collaborations and greater reliance on intelligent data mining and automated laboratories.

For three days every year in October, the GESDA Foundation gathers representatives of communities of practice interested in discussing and using the emerging scientific trends depicted in the Radar. This Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipation Summit is where the new annual edition of the Radar is officially presented and released. The Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipation Summit accelerates the science diplomacy nexus. Bringing science to the table of multilateralism, it engages diplomacy leaders to examine the impact of future breakthroughs on people, society, and the planet, as well as their implications for future global governance and geopolitics.

For example, the possible development of ‘conscious’ machines requires us to reflect on our purported uniqueness as humans, and which properties we may wish to actively preserve as the sole remit of human beings. Additionally, the group of philosophers considers how emerging digital technologies can impact fundamental aspects of society, from trust and privacy to democracy and justice. It also addresses the challenges posed by climate engineering technologies and how we perceive our control over nature in the face of environmental disruptions.

2. GESDA Solution Accelerator

GESDA’s instrument to co-construct science diplomacy solutions with relevant transdisciplinary and cross-community task forces.

GESDA structures its anticipation, acceleration, and translation work across five thematic platforms addressing potential future science and technology advances, as well as their related challenges:

Quantum revolution and advanced AI, with, for instance, the challenge of privacy.
Human augmentation, with, for instance, the challenge of advanced gene editing or neuroenhancement.
Eco-regeneration and geo-engineering, with, for instance, the challenges of synthetic biology, decarbonisation, and regenerative agriculture.
Science and diplomacy, with, for instance, the challenge of future world geopolitics, including multilateral conflict modelling, forecasting, and prevention.
Knowledge foundations with, for instance, the challenge of the future of work and labour, including rising inequalities and inclusive growth.

GESDA Villars Anticipation Workshops

In the spring of 2024, GESDA hosted the second Villars Anticipation Workshop focused on eco-augmentation. This workshop followed the inaugural one on neuro-augmentation in 2023. Planetarised Humanity was the title of the third Villars Anticipation Workshop held in March 2025. As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, emerging technologies such as AI, digital platforms, and virtual reality are reshaping human identity, social relations, and governance structures. This transformation was at the heart of the third Villars Anticipation Workshop, organised by GESDA.

These workshops have cemented themselves as vital platforms for transdisciplinary, multinational science anticipation.