Codex of the Future series
The Exponential Technology Codex
Which technologies will shape the next 50 years, and when could each one change your world? Every one explained in plain words.
In short
What is the Exponential Technology Codex?
The Exponential Technology Codex is Matthew Griffin's guide to the emerging technologies that will shape the next 50 years, with hundreds explained across 13 categories from biotech and compute to robotics and user interfaces. The seventh edition, published in January 2024, runs to 495 pages, and every technology sheet rates readiness, impact and weaponisation potential.
Who it is for: It is for CEOs, CTOs, strategy, R&D and innovation teams, investors and governments who need to know which technologies are coming, how mature they are and when to act.
Why it matters
Why do emerging technologies matter to your organisation now?
Where the codex comes to life
Step inside the Starburst.
Every technology in the codex on one living map. Spin it, zoom in, and open any dot to see what it is and when it could change your world.
- Closer to the centre means sooner
- Bigger dots touch more industries
- Triangles could change many industries at once
- Click any dot for its tech sheet
What is inside
Which emerging technologies does the codex cover?
Every technology the codex tracks, by category. The bigger the tile, the more technologies it holds. Click a tile to see them all, including those on the 2025 Starburst.
Shuffle and flip
Five of the technologies on their way.
Every card is a real technology from the latest Starburst, with where it is today, its full lifecycle and when it could be everywhere. Flip a card for what it does and the latest 311 research.
Key findings
What does the codex say about emerging technology trends?
- In the past twenty years humanity made more technological progress than in the previous two thousand, and the codex expects the next fifty years to bring more progress than the previous twenty thousand.
- The 2024 Griffin Emerging Technology Starburst tracks 167 technologies, each with an addressable market of over $500 billion, across 13 categories on a timeline to 2075. That year 35 technologies were promoted and 35 demoted.
- Each technology sheet scores Technology Readiness Level and Manufacturing Readiness Level from 1 to 9 and weaponisation potential from 1 to 10, shows status from idea to mass adoption, and ends with Matthew's recommendation.
- Individual technologies are often useless on their own. The codex argues that it is only when they are combined into new products and services that they disrupt the status quo and change society.
- In 2023 there were fewer technology world firsts than in 2022 but triple the number of new emerging technologies spotted, with biotech, energy and materials seeing the biggest gains.
What leaders say
From the boardrooms Matthew has briefed.
“Extraordinary!”
“Tremendous!”
“Astounding!”
“Inspirational!”
“Simply great!”
“Blown away!”
“World class!”
“Incredible!”
“Exceptional!”
“Phenomenal!”
Bring the codex to your organisation
Want your leadership team ready for the technologies reshaping your sector?
Book a keynote session, executive briefing or foresight workshop session built on the Exponential Technology Codex and focused on the technologies that matter to your sector. Or start with a free 15-minute expert call.
Questions and answers
Questions people ask about emerging technologies
What are emerging technologies?
Emerging technologies are new technologies still on the path from idea to mass adoption. The codex tracks each one through five stages, idea, concept, prototype, productisation and mass adoption, and scores its technology and manufacturing readiness. Many, such as artificial intelligence and synthetic biology, are expected to be as impactful as the discovery of electricity and fire, perhaps more so.
What are exponential technologies?
Exponential technologies are technologies whose power and potential are increasing exponentially, which is why the world is changing faster than ever. The codex notes that societal changes that used to take generations now happen in months or weeks, and covers examples from quantum computing and CRISPR gene editing to swarm robots, fusion and neuromorphic computing.
Which emerging technologies will shape the next 50 years?
The codex covers 13 categories: advanced manufacturing, biotech, compute, connectivity, electronics, energy, geoengineering, intelligence, materials, robotics, security, sensors and user interfaces. Examples range from artificial general intelligence, quantum computing and 6G to CRISPR gene editing, solid state batteries, graphene and neural interfaces, plus far-future ideas such as Dyson Spheres and Stellar Engines.
How can you tell when an emerging technology is ready?
The codex uses Technology Readiness Levels and Manufacturing Readiness Levels, each scored from 1 to 9 where 9 is most mature, to judge how close a technology is to market. Each sheet also shows its status with estimated dates. Living robots, for example, are at the prototype stage, and Matthew recommends companies put them on their radar and revisit them every few years.
How can leaders prepare for emerging technologies?
Start by tracking which technologies affect your sector, how mature they are and how they combine with others, since combinations create the real disruption. 311 Institute runs keynote sessions, executive briefings and foresight workshops that help leadership teams turn emerging technologies into strategy, roadmaps and new products, using the codex and the annual Starburst as the evidence base.
Who wrote the Exponential Technology Codex and how do I get it?
Matthew Griffin, Founder of the 311 Institute, wrote the codex as part of his Codex of the Future series. It is free to download from this page after a short form and is constantly updated. It works alongside the Griffin Emerging Technology Starburst, the annual map that shows how close each technology is to widespread use.
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