In the latest episode of Future Bytes, Columbus’ podcast on AI in business, host Magnus Oxwenwaldt speaks with entrepreneur and investor Lars Tvede. He shares the thinking behind Supertrends, a platform that uses AI to help companies anticipate future developments, and reflects on how AI-powered news and insights will shape the way businesses make decisions.
Identifying the need for Supertrends
Supertrends was created to fill a gap Tvede repeatedly faced as an investor. Platforms like Bloomberg made it easy to track financial markets, but no equivalent existed for scientific and technological developments and their impact on industries. “There wasn’t a system where you could easily get a complete overview of what’s going to happen with a specific industry,” he says.
Early versions of Supertrends relied on literature reviews and input from expert panels. Today the platform uses advanced AI to scan thousands of publications in several languages every day, update predictions and connect emerging trends to real companies and markets. This gives businesses one unified view of how new technologies could affect demand, supply chains or competition. Human involvement is still needed in the platform, although Tvede expects this to change in the near future. “Right now humans have to look at the predictions, but within a few years AI will be capable of doing that entirely,” he says.
Technology drives disruption
Tvede argues that companies can no longer treat technology as a separate part of their core strategy. In the past, share prices were mainly affected by familiar economic indicators such as unemployment, interest rates or money supply. Today, technological shifts often move markets faster and with wider impact.
Tvede highlights the rise of lab grown diamonds that are produced at a fraction of the cost of natural ones, which have already driven global prices down. Businesses need to be on top of these changes so they can react accordingly. “Technology is becoming an increasingly important part of a company’s decision basis. If you don’t understand what it does, you can be completely blindsided,” he says.
Implications for leaders moving forward
For Tvede, the effects are clear. Technology now shapes workflows, industry structure, financial performance and even political and regulatory priorities. AI plays a huge role here. Business leaders need tools that help them understand how these shifts will affect their own organisation, helping them act early and make confident informed decisions.
Previously when a disrupter entered the market, the instinct was often to wait and see. Today, disruption is continuous and companies must adapt quickly. “The impact of technology on companies’ workflows, finance, politics, is fascinating,” says Tvede. As AI accelerates the pace of change, his message to leaders is straightforward: those who understand the trends reshaping their industries will stay ahead, and those who don’t will be overtaken. Supertrends, he argues, is built to give companies that advantage.
Stay ahead of what’s next in AI for business. Subscribe to Future Bytes and never miss an episode.
Future Bytes is your go-to podcast for practical insights on AI. Hosted by digital transformation and AI expert Magnus Oxenwaldt, each episode offers deep-dive guest interviews or weekly AI news, delivered in concise 5 – 10 minute episodes.
Join the Future Bytes conversation
We value your input. If you have questions, topic suggestions, or would like to recommend a guest, feel free to reach out directly to Magnus.
