Global Foresight 2036

The authoritative forecast for the decade ahead

Welcome to the fifth edition of Global Foresight. Produced by the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, home to one of the world’s premier strategic foresight shops, Global Foresight gathers the best thinking about how the coming decade could unfold.

In this year’s installment, a part of the Atlantic Council Strategy Papers series, our experts analyze exclusive new findings from a survey of leading strategists and foresight practitioners around the world on how human affairs could unfold over the coming decade across geopolitics, diplomacy, the global economy, technological disruption, changing Earth systems, and other domains. Our team scans the horizon for hidden or under-the-radar phenomena—which we call “snow leopards”—that could have significant consequences in the future. And the Atlantic Council’s best tech minds take a critical look at how artificial intelligence could reshape not only the future, but our ability to predict it.

Welcome to 2036

What the world could look like in ten years, according to nearly 450 experts

To survey the future, we polled geostrategists and foresight experts on our most burning questions about the biggest drivers of change over the next decade. Check out their forecasts on everything from the future of NATO to the rise of cryptocurrency.

Six snow leopards to watch for in the decade ahead

The underappreciated phenomena that could have outsize global impact

Receiving relatively little attention in the press, these phenomena can be hard to spot as drivers of change. Yet just like the stealthy big cats, they could sneak up and vividly remind us of their power.

AI and the future

Can artificial intelligence predict global affairs?

Our experts on the ability of artificial intelligence to forecast the decade ahead—and how AI itself will change over that time.

Full survey results

Atlantic Council Strategy Paper Series

Feb 10, 2026

The Global Foresight 2036 survey: Full results

In the fall of 2025, the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security surveyed the future, asking leading geostrategists and foresight experts around the world to answer our most burning questions about the biggest drivers of change over the next ten years. Here are the full results. 

Africa China

Strategy Paper Editorial Board

Executive editors

Frederick Kempe
Alexander V. Mirtchev

Editor-in-chief

Matthew Kroenig

Editorial board members

James L. Jones
Odeh Aburdene
Paula Dobriansky
Stephen J. Hadley
Jane Holl Lute
Ginny Mulberger
Stephanie Murphy
Dan Poneman
Arnold Punaro

Atlantic Council Strategy Paper Series Feb 12, 2025

Global Foresight 2025

In this year’s Global Foresight edition, our experts share findings from our survey of global strategists on how human affairs could unfold over the next decade. Our team of next-generation scholars spot “snow leopards” that could have major unexpected impacts in 2025 and beyond. And our foresight practitioners imagine three different scenarios for the next decade.

Civil Society Climate Change & Climate Action

Atlantic Council Strategy Paper Series Jan 17, 2024

Global Foresight 2024

In this year’s Global Foresight edition, our experts identify the top risks and opportunities for 2024. Our foresight team spots “snow leopards” that could have major unexpected impacts in 2024 and beyond. And we share findings from our survey of global strategists and foresight practitioners on how human affairs could unfold over the next decade.

Atlantic Council Strategy Paper Series Dec 21, 2022

Global Foresight 2023

In this year’s Global Foresight edition, our experts identify the top risks and opportunities for 2023. Our foresight team spots “snow leopards” that could have major unexpected impacts in 2023 and beyond. And we share findings from our survey of global strategists and foresight practitioners on how human affairs could unfold over the next decade.

Atlantic Council Strategy Paper Series Dec 21, 2021

Global Foresight 2022

The inaugural edition of a new annual report from the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, home for the last decade to one of the world’s premier strategic foresight shops.