AI in Strategic Foresight 2025

When it comes to the integration of AI into strategic foresight processes in general, practice varies. 1 Level one: AI for analysis augmentation Those who have not experimented with a variety of tools or do not have customized solutions tend to use AI for simpler tasks in the research phase (synthesis of data, initial scanning, sensemaking, etc.). This is true for the majority of strategic foresight experts surveyed. Here, AI tools are particularly useful for gathering, organizing and synthesizing large amounts of information on a case-by-case basis, providing a base layer of insights that can later be deepened and contextualized by human experts. AI tools are seen as complementary but stand-alone solutions, which mainly contribute to human-centred workflows. AI tools are purely supplemental; they help speed the workflow by about 10-15%, but they require careful analysis and existing expertise. 2 Level two: AI as creative sparring partner The next reported level of maturity tends to be using AI as a sparring partner and idea generator, wind-tunnelling ideas and stress-testing human- generated content. At this point, AI tools help to systematize and summarize signals, offer ideas for the structure of the study, suggest scenarios based on the uploaded data, help to compare the collected signals with other factual data and help to speed up the search for relevant information. Here, survey respondents reported direct efficiency and productivity increases, such as increased throughput of scenarios developed, wider wind-tunnelling activities and increased scalability of outputs. AI tools are a useful support to scan horizons and work on environmental scanning, engage in megatrend analysis and simulation, speculate futures and prepare visualizations for leadership with short notice. While AI helps to increase speed and provides (in many cases) analytical depth, it has to be considered as a complement to human expertise and experience, not as a substitute. 3 Level three: AI integrated and customized into workflow The third level is currently very rare and denotes the integration of AI into the entire strategic foresight process, with various fit-for-purpose tools developed for horizon scanning, options and combinations of methods, scoping the research question, testing it and communicating it externally. For these cases, more tailored tools are utilized that allow for complexity mapping, pattern detection, etc. Here, strategic foresight experts are actively experimenting with AI applications (including AI agents) on a continuous basis, including actively automating different parts of the strategic foresight process such as signal detection, trends analysis, scenario development, simulations and stress testing, visualization of alternative futures and other outputs. AI is integrated as a significant component of the foresight process. Experts are actively experimenting with AI applications that enable capabilities previously infeasible, including automated document collection, automated signal collection and automatic analysis of documents as inputs for scenario development and other foresight outputs. AI in Strategic Foresight: Reshaping Anticipatory Governance 9