Futurologists – those allegedly able to predict the future – are in high demand from newspapers and major companies keen to see into the coming years. Yet the vast majority of predictions are wrong. What's the appeal of future-gazing? And what might mobilise our visions into the present?

As our lives become more automated, the consumer robotics industry is only set to grow. But something is holding the market back – people find it difficult to trust these machines, especially in their homes and offices. Why do they make us uneasy, and what will convince people to trust robots?

Adidas is moving some of its manufacturing back to Germany in a bid to increase output. But rather than having humans working in its factories, production will be led by robots. Will the ‘made in Germany’ tag lose its appeal if the brand's goods are made by robots?

With AI filtering into the workplace, the 'Shared Economy 2.0' anticipates the intelligent merging of tech and human services. Beyond producing companies that are more efficient than their exclusively bot or human-led counterparts, the prospect is making AI in the workforce seem less threatening.