Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) today published a special edition of its flagship report designed to explore innovative solutions that empower young people and help design a better future for the next generations.

Youth and Future Generations” coincides with the United Nations Summit of the Future in New York, where world leaders gather to address challenges and opportunities of today and for years to come.

Bringing together insights from international and UAE-based experts, the report highlights how the world can better support its youth today and future generations through innovative actions.

The Future Opportunities Report: The Global 50, an annual publication by DFF, traditionally identifies 50 opportunities for growth, prosperity, and well-being across various sectors such as energy, health, education, governance, ecology, and business. This special edition, however, highlights opportunities from The Global 50’s previous editions that align with focus areas in the draft UN Pact for the Future, support principles within the draft Declaration on Future Generations and the Global Digital Compact, key documents under discussion at the summit.

These opportunities can empower societies, offer solutions to complex and universal needs, enable individuals and communities to innovate, and aid the transformation of humanity to new realities, improved economies, better health and cleaner air.

The report also draws attention to significant demographic trends and insights from research carried out by DFF, noting that young people aged 15-24 currently constitute 16% of the global population – around 1.2 billion individuals. By 2100, this demographic is expected to drop to just 11.5% due to forecasted declining fertility rates, underscoring the urgency for innovative strategies that address the evolving needs of youth and future generations.

Contributions in the report come from a diverse group of thought leaders, including Dr. Ameena Al-Sumaiti, Associate Professor at Khalifa University, UAE, who responds to the opportunity of self-sufficient homes. She explores how AI-powered smart homes can intuitively adapt to human needs, transforming urban living for future generations. Meanwhile, Lambert Hogenhout, Chief Data and AI, Office of Information Technology at the United Nations Secretariat, reflects on the concept of Public AI, asking, “What if part of AI was a public good?”

Also among the contributors, Dr. Farah Al Marzooq, Assistant Professor in Microbiology and Immunology at UAE University, shares innovative concepts in response to the “Petri Dish on the Go” opportunity, answering, “What if we knew about infections in seconds?” Dr. Eddy Ng, Professor of Equity and Inclusion in Business at Queen’s University, Canada, adds his perspective on “Flipping the Career Ladder,” considering, “What if young people were paid to explore careers and retirees never retired?”