On May 1, 2025, the World Academy of Art & Science brought together leading voices to examine the root causes of today’s global instability hosted by Arizona State University.
Lawrence Ford, Founder & CEO of Conscious Capital Foundation and Fellow of the World Academy, shared the following messages:
We are Entering a New Age – this moment in history is a transition from the Knowledge Age to the Age of Wisdom, where AI shifts how we define value.
“AI is not just another tool—it’s fundamentally shifting the source of value.”
“We are entering an age of absolute capability—without evolving our consciousness to match it.”
We are Living Through a ‘Third Season’ – likening our collective moment to a global Third Season—a period of collapse, awakening, and redefinition.
“What if this isn’t a breakdown, but a breakthrough in disguise?”
We have an opportunity to Redefine Meaning Itself – calling for a reinvention of our economic model through GDPurpose™, a move from measuring what we produce to why we produce it.
“What if we evolved from GDP to GDPurpose™—a metric that doesn’t just count, but cares?”
The Panel, moderated by Dr. Isabella Bunn – Professor, Regent’s Park College, University of Oxford, included the following esteemed members:
- Lawrence Ford – Founder & CEO, Conscious Capital Foundation; Fellow, WAAS
- Garry Jacobs – President & CEO, WAAS
- Grant Schreiber – General Manager, WAAS
- Ketan Patel – Chair, Force for Good; Executive Director, WAAS
- Francis O’Donnell – Ambassador & UN Resident Coordinator, Ukraine 2004–2009
- Peter Schlosser – Vice President & Vice Provost, Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Lab, ASU
- Iveta Silova – Professor & Associate Dean of Global Engagement, Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Lab, ASU
- Eden Mamut – Secretary General, Black Sea University Network
- Mila Popovich – Director General, Directorate for Interculturalism, Montenegro
- Ralph Wolff – President, World University Consortium
- Steven Hartman – Executive Director, UNESCO BRIDGES
- Amanda Ellis – Senior Director, Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Lab, ASU
Together, they discussed how outdated systems, market imbalances, and the weaponization of technology are creating a perfect storm of global challenges — and what must change to build resilience.
📺 Watch the full discussion of the Root Causes and Deep Drivers panel here:
👉 https://youtu.be/Q6Hko8sAOvo?t=1495
