Bookpleasures.com is honored to have asour guest today, Dr. Mark van Rijmenam, CSP, GSF. 

Mark is a globallyrecognized strategic futurist, keynote speaker, and authorspecializing in emerging technologies such as ArtificialIntelligence, blockchain, big data, and the metaverse.

Holding a Ph.D. in Management, Mark isacclaimed as one of the world’s top futurists and was named one of16 global AI voices by Salesforce.

Known as “The Digital Speaker,” hesimplifies complex technological concepts for leaders worldwide,inspiring audiences in over 30 countries, including Fortune 500companies and governments.

Mark's innovative work includespioneering virtual reality keynotes, delivering TEDx talks with hisAI digital twin, and authoring six influential books.

His professional talents earned him theCertified Speaking Professional and Global Speaking Fellowaccreditations in 2023.

As founder of Futurwise, he guidesorganizations to leverage AI and blockchain strategically to buildresilient, future-ready businesses.

In our discussion, we will explore his latest book, NowWhat?: How to Ride the Tsunami of Change

Good day Mark and thanks for takingpart in our interview

 Norm: Your book,  Now What?: How to Ride the Tsunami ofChange describes the current pace of technological change as a“tsunami.”

What makes today’s disruptionfundamentally different from past technological shifts?

Mark: This isn’tjust another wave, it’s a convergence tsunami. We’re facingsimultaneous, exponential disruptions in AI, quantum, biotech,climate, and governance.

What makes thisera different isn’t just the speed, but the combinatorialcomplexity,meach new technology reshapes the others in real time.

In the past,change was sequential. Today, it’ssymphonic, and accelerating. You’re not adapting to a single shift;you’re dancing with a dozen revolutions at once.

Norm: How can individuals andorganizations mentally prepare for this overwhelming speed?

Mark: Preparation starts with mentalreprogramming. Linear thinking is obsolete. Organizations must embedexponential literacy into culture and leadership. Individuals? Ditchcontrol.

Embrace curiosity. Reframe uncertaintyas potential. As I argue, “learning how to learn” and “adaptinghow we adapt” are meta-skills.

Read widely, question deeply, prototypeboldly. In a world where change outpaces comprehension, agilitytrumps mastery.

Norm: What mindset shifts arecritical for “riding” rather than being “swept away” by thiswave?

Mark: You either ride the tsunami, orbecome driftwood. This requires cognitive flexibility, scenariothinking, and future fluency. Stop idolizing stability.

The future belongs to those who askbetter questions, not those who hoard better answers. Shift fromprediction to preparation, from efficiency to resilience, and fromexpertise to exploration.

As I write, the era of linearoptimization is dead. Welcome to nonlinear navigation.

Norm: How do you balance the rapidpace of innovation with the ethical considerations that arise fromemerging technologies like AI and synthetic biology?

Mark: Ethics isn’t a brake, it’s anengine of trusted innovation. We must embed value alignment at thearchitecture level.

That means cross-disciplinarygovernance models, ethics-by-design protocols, and an unwaveringcommitment to transparency.

Speed without scrutiny createsunintended harm; scrutiny without speed becomes irrelevant. Thetension isn’t binary, it’s a dynamic dialectic. Move fast, yes,but move wisely.

Norm: Can you share examples whereethics successfully guided innovation?

Mark: The book highlights Singapore’sModel AI Governance Framework, a global blueprint for embeddingethical guardrails without stifling innovation.

Another standout: Estonia’s digitalidentity ecosystem, which merged blockchain and privacy-by-design toempower citizens rather than surveillance.

These are not utopias, but pragmatic,scalable examples of values driving systems, not the reverse.

Norm: What risks do we face ifethics are not prioritized during disruptive change?

Mark: Neglect ethics and you loselegitimacy, and with it, public trust, market access, and socialcohesion. We risk creating tech that alienates, divides, ormanipulates.

Think: biased AI sentencing, syntheticmedia fuelling disinformation, or bioengineering without consent. Thecost isn’t abstract, it’s measurable in lawsuits, unrest, andregression.

As I’ve written, a future withoutethics is not a future, it’s a collapse in disguise.

Norm: You integrate ancient wisdomand Eastern philosophy alongside cutting-edge technology in yourbook. How do these seemingly distinct perspectives complement eachother for shaping the future?

Mark: The future demands integration,not isolation. Ancient wisdom, especially Eastern philosophy, bringsclarity, presence, and long-term vision, the very traits tech cultureoften lacks.

Where technology accelerates,philosophy decelerates. Zen, for example, teaches detachment fromego, a perfect counterweight to AI’s seductive optimization loop.

This fusion cultivates technosapience:not just smart machines, but wise systems guided by timeless humaninsight.

Norm: Can you share a specificphilosophy or practice that readers can apply immediately?

Mark: Absolutely: Shoshin, the Zenconcept of “beginner’s mind.” It’s the antidote to rigidexpertise and the fuel for adaptive learning.

Practice walking into everyconversation, every new technology, every disruption with fresh eyes,free of assumptions, full of curiosity. In an age where yesterday’sknowledge ages in weeks, this isn’t just a mindset; it’s survivalstrategy.

Norm: How does this synthesis helpovercome anxiety about the future?

Mark: When you blend fast tech withdeep philosophy, you unlock a calm sense of agency. You no longerchase the wave, you ride it. The combination grounds you in purposewhile keeping you alert to change.

This is how fear transforms intomomentum. As I stress: it’s not about knowing the future, mit’sabout being future-capable. The anxiety doesn’t vanish, but itbecomes fuel.

Norm: You emphasize that technologyalone will not save us and that humanity must be the focus.

How can organizations foster thishuman-technology synergy effectively?

Mark: It starts with designing forwholeness, not just efficiency. Build systems that recognize peopleas complex, emotional, and adaptive, not cogs in a machine.

Cross-functional AI ethics boards,philosophical offsites, digital wellness metrics, these are notluxuries. They’re strategic imperatives.

Synergy doesn’t emerge by accident;it’s cultivated through intentional structure, culture, andfeedback loops that honor both logic and intuition.

Norm; What are common pitfalls wheretechnology development loses sight of human values?

Mark: Three stand out.

First: optimization at the cost ofdignity, like productivity software that burns out teams.

Second: surveillance masquerading aspersonalization.

Third: black-box systems that erodetrust and accountability. The root cause? Designing for outputs, notoutcomes. When KPIs dominate and ethics are bolted on instead ofbaked in, human values vanish in the noise of metrics.

Norm: How can leaders cultivateethical innovation cultures that serve society broadly?

Mark: This isn’t about installing a“chief ethics officer” and calling it a day. It’s aboutembedding ethical foresight into the innovation DNA. Encouragedissent. Incentivize long-term thinking.

Run red-team ethical simulations, notjust tech tests. Measure impact not just in ROI, but in societalresonance.

As I’ve always insisted: trueleadership is moral imagination in action.

Norm: The book addresses ‘shadow’aspects of the future such as job displacement andhyper-surveillance.

What advice do you give forconfronting and mitigating these challenges proactively?

Mark: Don’t wait, but architectalternatives. Job loss isn’t just a labor issue, it’s an identitydisruption. We must redesign the meaning of work.

Universal reskilling, AI-drivenlifelong learning, and portable reputational capital are key. Forsurveillance and truth decay, the answer is radical transparency anddecentralized trust systems.

Don’t just fix the system, recode it.The future needs architects, not apologists.

Norm: How can workers reskill orpivot in an accelerating job market?

Mark: The market’s not just shifting,it’s redefining skill itself. Functional knowledge depreciatesfast. What holds value? Meta-skills: systems thinking, digitalfluency, collaboration with intelligent machines.

Embrace micro-certifications, on-demandlearning, human+AI teaming. Think of yourself as a software stack,constantly updated, continuously deployed. If you’re not learning,you’re lagging.

Norm: What role should governmentsand companies play in protecting individual rights?

Mark: They must become stewards ofsovereignty, not just regulators of data. Governments shouldlegislate data dignity, algorithmic accountability, and rights toexplanation.

Companies must lead with ethical designand consent-by-default models. As I argue, individual agency isnon-negotiable in a digital society.

This is not about compliance, it’sabout legitimacy in the Intelligence Age.

Norm: The book encourages movingfrom anxiety about change to proactive action.

What practical first steps cansomeone overwhelmed by current disruptions take to start “ridingthe tsunami”?

Mark: Step one: get curious, notfurious. Start with a personal future audit, map your skills, values,and learning gaps. Then pick one domain (e.g., AI, climate tech,synthetic biology) and go deep for 30 days.

Build your future literacy. Join acommunity. Prototype a habit. Small actions compound into capability.

You ride the wave by building yourbalance first.

Norm: How important is community ornetwork-building in this process?

Mark: Community isn’t optional, it’sa core resilience engine. The lone genius is a myth. We needcollective intelligence, diverse networks, and mutual aid ecosystemsto adapt at scale.

Your network is your sensor, soundingboard, and safety net. In an era of exponential change, belongingbecomes a superpower. Build with others, or be built over by change.

Norm: How can individuals balancestaying informed without becoming paralyzed by information overload?

Mark: Curate like your mental healthdepends on it, because it does. Swap doomscrolling for intentionalfeeds. Use AI copilots to filter noise, but not replace thinking.

Practice digital sabbaths, setcognitive boundaries, and prioritize deep signal over constant noise.

Information is fuel, but only if youcontrol the flow. Discipline, not data, drives clarity.

Norm: Real-world success stories area key feature in your book. Could you share one example that standsout where exponential technology was harnessed to create abundancerather than division?

Mark: Kenya’s M-Pesa is a shiningexample. It leapfrogged traditional banking by using mobile phones toprovide financial services to millions.

It didn’t just digitize payments, itunlocked agency for people previously excluded from formal systems.

This wasn’t just tech deployed; itwas tech democratized. It scaled inclusion, built trust, andcatalyzed local economies. Abundance born from access.

Norm: What lessons do you see astransferable from that case?

Mark: The key lesson? Design forleapfrogging, not legacy. M-Pesa succeeded because it didn’t try toreplicate Western infrastructure, it built for real local needs,using what people already had.

It’s a call to solve backwards fromhuman friction, not forward from technical fascination.

And it proves that simple, scalabletech can yield exponential impact when anchored in context.

Norm: How might smallerorganizations or communities replicate this success?

Mark: Start by embracingconstraint-driven innovation. Don’t try to outspend giants,outlearn them. Tap into local wisdom, open-source tools, and modulartech stacks.

Use edge technologies like blockchain,solar, or AI to amplify local value, not import foreign blueprints.Small isn’t a weakness, it’s a strategic advantage in a worldwhere agility beats scale.

Norm: Given so much disruptioncenters on digital information and AI, how do you suggest we verifytruth and combat disinformation effectively in the Intelligence Age?

Mark:Truth is no longer a static fact, mit’s a dynamic signal. Weneed both technological verification (like blockchain-based contenttracing, AI-assisted fact-checking) and human discernment.

Think algorithmic accountability meetsmedia literacy. As I emphasize, every citizen must become a criticalthinker with digital fluency.

The weapon against disinformation? Apopulation that’s unmanipulable.

Norm:  Are there simple frameworksfor everyday critical thinking in a world of deepfakes andalgorithmic bias?

Mark:Yes,and I created the WAVE framework precisely for this challenge. It’sa strategic lens for navigating today’s tsunami of noise,manipulation, and bias:

W – Watch for Signals: Stay attunedto weak signals and early shifts in tech, society, and systems.Pattern recognition is the superpower of future-ready thinkers.

A – Adapt with Long-Term Purpose:Don’t just react. Align your actions with a north star, yourvalues, your mission, your long game. Strategic adaptation beatsshort-term survival.

V – Verify All Your Data: In an ageof hallucinating AI and synthetic media, trust must be earned. Demandprovenance. Cross-check. Train your bullshit detector.

E – Empower All Stakeholders: Makedecisions that include, uplift, and consider everyone impacted,because inclusive systems are more resilient, innovative, and just.

WAVE isn’t just a cognitiveframework—it’s a daily practice of digital and ethical fluency.Use it consistently, and you’ll do more than discern truth—you’llhelp shape it.

Norm: What role will technologyitself play in restoring trust?

Mark: Ironically, trust in tech will berebuilt through more tech, but designed for transparency, notcontrol. Zero-knowledge proofs, decentralized identity, open-sourcemodels, these are trust technologies.

We’ll increasingly see AI thatexplains itself, blockchains that trace provenance, and platformsthat reward truthfulness. But only if we demand them. Trust isn’t afeature, it’s an outcome of intentional design.

Norm: You offer real-time coachingvia your AI digital twin alongside the book. How does this technologyenrich the learning experience and reader engagement?

Mark: The AI twin doesn’t just extendthe book, it activates it. It turns passive reading into dynamicconversation. Readers can ask questions, challenge concepts, orpersonalize insights in real time. 

This interactivity transformsknowledge into applied learning. As I’ve always insisted: wisdommust scale. 

The twin is my way of being present; anytime, anywhere,for anyone willing to step into the future.

Norm: Do you see AI companionsbecoming a standard part of education and self-improvement?

Mark:Withoutquestion. We are witnessing the rise of hyper-personalized mentorshipat scale. 

AI companions will soon be embedded in learning platforms,corporate upskilling programs, even wellness apps, tailoring content,prompting critical thinking, and nurturing self-awareness. 

The keyisn’t whether they will be used. It’s how they’re designed,because these aren’t just tools. They’re co-evolvingintelligence.

Norm: What limitations or concernsdo you have about relying on AI for guidance?

Mark: The danger lies in delegatingdiscernment. AI can assist, but it must never replace human agency ormoral reasoning.

The moment we surrender curiosity forconvenience, we risk becoming passive consumers of machine logic. Mydigital twin is a co-pilot, not a compass. The map is still yours todraw. Augment, don’t abdicate.

Norm: Where can our readers find out more about you and NowWhat?: How to Ride the Tsunami of Change

Mark:On my WEBSITE: 

:Norm: As we wrap up our interview,looking ahead, what gives you hope about humanity’s ability tobuild a future of abundance rather than scarcity and division amidthis “tsunami” of change?

Mark: What gives me hope is ourcapacity to imagine boldly and act wisely. Time and again, humanshave turned crisis into catalyst.

What’s different now is we haveexponential tools and global consciousness aligned for the first timein history. The tsunami is real, but so is our collective potentialto shape it, together, toward justice, joy, and generational renewal.

Norm: How can readers contributemeaningfully to shaping a just and inclusive future?

Mark:Start where you are, but refuse to stay there. Whether you’rea founder, a parent, a policymaker, or a freelancer, ask: Whose voiceis missing?

What system am Ireinforcing? Then build better. Join open-source movements, mentoracross boundaries, invest in regenerative tech. The future isn’tsomething that happens to us, it’s something we co-create. Daily.

A planetary future requires planetarythinking. The siloed model of progress is dead. Climate, pandemics,AI governance, they demand shared intelligence, pooled ethics, andborderless coordination.

Think data cooperatives, global AItreaties, intergenerational wisdom councils.

This is not idealism, it’sinfrastructure. And it’s why ancient wisdom and modern tech mustconverge, not collide. Only together do we stand a chance.

Norm: Thanks once again and good luck with all of your future endeavors