Future 100 KC Recap: What It Means to Be Human in an AI World

Welcome to The Future

On Wednesday, April 8th at VML Kansas City a packed audience of clients and colleagues, future thinkers and brand visionaries, joined together for a deep exploration of leading trends from our Future 100 report that will impact business and culture in the year ahead.

Setting an inspiring tone, VML Global Chief Communications Officer and CEO of Kansas City, Beth Wade, opened the event, revealing how VML's Future 100 fuels her personal and professional vision.

Beth was followed by report co-author and Global Director of VML Intelligence, Emma Chiu, joined by Howard Laubscher, Chief Strategy Officer of Kansas City, to deliver an honest assessment of the powerful forces led by AI shaping our future – distilling them into four macro movements that will define 2026:

Resilience rising: In challenging times, people are building emotional elasticity through mental wellness, joyspans, and affordable treats that provide comfort. It's about moving forward with purpose, not just bouncing back.
Dysoptimism: Despite dystopic times, optimism prevails. We're finding beauty in decay, innovation in breakdown, and breakthrough in the cocoon. Brands must lean into radical honesty to rebuild trust.
Metamorphic lives: We're in a transformation phase – seeking meaningful experiences that change us. People want growth, connection to something bigger, and experiences that leave them feeling different.
Storyworlds: AI is transforming storytelling, creating synthetic companions and personalized narratives. The synthetic generation is here – a new audience for marketers to consider.

Bringing the trends to reality were our exceptional guest panelists, and we'd like to give a big thanks to Brian Mirakian, Senior Principal, Director of Activate for the Americas; Chris Hann, Business Development Manager-Data Centers & Semiconductors, United Rentals; and Tony Snethen, Chief Marketing Officer-Senior Vice President, Kansas City Royals.

Led by moderator Brian Yamada, VML Chief Innovation Officer, our diverse voices explored the "messy middle" – an unresolved, honest conversation about what it means to be a creative, a professional and, ultimately, human in an AI world.

Here are our top actionable insights from The Future 100 Kansas City:

Address essential needs, minimize complications: Help people save money and simplify their lives. Cost of living remains the top concern globally, and consumers' expectations of brands are to help alleviate this.
Create micro-upgrades: Offer premium value without big price tags. Think mood-boosting add-ons and customizable experiences.
Build brand bastions: Combat skepticism with radical honesty and transparency. Trust is a competitive advantage.
Design formative experiences: Move beyond entertainment to create transformative experiences that inspire wonder and personal growth.
Embrace heritage: Your brand's unique story is a superpower that competitors cannot replicate. Mine your archives.
Consider synthetic audiences: AI companions are a billion-dollar industry. The synthetic generation is a critical audience to consider.
Harness AI to expand creative narratives: Focus on directing AI with clear human intent to conjure new, personalized, and immersive storyworlds previously unimaginable.

Let's talk

The aim of the Future 100 is to move beyond just inspiration to real-world application, helping you turn pivotal insights into intentional actions for your brand or organization.

To action trends and technologies shared in the report and at our Future 100 events through bespoke presentations and workshops for your brand or business, please contact Emma Chiu and Marie Stafford, Global Directors, VML Intelligence:

Welcome to the Future

At VML, no matter what level of technology and humanity we're using, we never lose sight of who we're doing it for – human beings. That's the lens through which we view every trend, every innovation, and every brand challenge.

You can download your complimentary copy of The Future 100: 2026 report here.

You can also download our Future 100 vertical cuts including industry versions of the report for brands that operate in Retail, B2B, Electronics, Finance, Technology, Automotive, FMCG and many more sectors here.