How do intelligent systems influence our lives? How will our work change as a result of the new technologies? How will we work in the future?

Digital strategies help improve the day-to-day lives of people and secure social engagement. Dr. Bernd Holtwick, head of exhibitions at DASA (an exhibition center on the world of work based in Dortmund), discusses the topic of “Care”. In his opinion, there is no doubt that robots will play a part in the future of the care sector. They make the organization and design of care services easier. Robots can play a supportive role and yet they will never replace people. The Bertelsmann Stiftung “Smart Country” project researches how digital strategies can mean the megatrends digitization and demographic change ensure everyone is involved.

Smart City and Smart Country are concepts that use intelligent technology and networks to tackle the challenges of the 21st century such as designing demographic change. Gregor Isenbort, the head of DASA in Dortmund (an exhibition center on the world of work), makes a brief statement on the function of robots.

The Transformation Thinkers network is a forum for strategic reflection and cross-regional, interdisciplinary collaboration on good governance and democratic change. In a series of meetings initiated by the Bertelsmann Stiftung and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in 2003, more than 150 young leaders who are shaping change in their countries have enhanced their strategic orientation and problem-solving capacities

A glance at three dynamic cases of democratic reform, socioeconomic development and successful political steering from the perspective of the Bertelsmann Stiftung’s Transformation Index (BTI).