Heads of Foresight
Machines can already do 29% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 55%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Heads of Foresight in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 29% of this job's tasks.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2033, and 55% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Contact with people: it scores 70% for contact with people.
- Also called: Head of Foresight, Director of Foresight, Head of Strategic Foresight, Foresight Lead.
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brief the executive team and board on emerging risks, opportunities and scenarios | 15% | 35% to 60% | |
| Set the foresight agenda and priorities in line with organisational strategy | 13% | 20% to 45% | |
| Embed foresight in strategy, investment, innovation and risk processes | 13% | 22% to 47% | |
| Lead and develop a team of foresight analysts and researchers | 11% | 12% to 32% | |
| Commission and review horizon scans, scenarios and trend analyses | 11% | 42% to 65% | |
| Monitor signals and test the organisation's assumptions about the future | 11% | 40% to 70% | |
| Build partnerships with universities, futures networks, governments and start-ups | 8% | 22% to 43% | |
| Train leaders in futures thinking and foresight methods | 8% | 25% to 50% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills heads of foresight use most, most used first.
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Heads of Foresight?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2033. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of heads of foresight?
Machines can do 29% of the tasks of heads of foresight today and 55% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 311-F947 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Heads of Foresight: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/heads-of-foresight/