The Foresight Files
The Foresight Files are fictional stories about the near future of policing — where the boundaries between fiction and reality blur and the outlines of future policing take shape. It is a AI-centric project intended to help police practitioners, policymakers and interested community leaders develop individual and organizational foresight. These stories are created by the authors using large language models like ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot and Claude. The accompanying artwork is also AI-generated. The stories are inspired by real-world events, scientific advances, or forward-leaning discussions. And each include a series of questions to help you reflect on the issues they present and develop your foresight skills.
Storytelling is powerful. Humans have been telling each other stories since they were first able to communicate. Today, we can easily synthesize engaging stories that articulate and stimulate thinking about the near future of policing. We can literally produce stories from tomorrow. And we can do this by harnessing the emerging synthetic creativity between humans and AI.
Fictional short stories about the near future serve as imaginative and creative tools for exploring the predictable and unforeseen challenges policing may face. By crafting scenarios that stretch the boundaries of current experiences, these narratives allow leaders and their followers to grapple with ethical dilemmas, technological advancements, societal shifts, and natural disasters in a controlled, creative environment. This process can equip organizations with a proactive mindset, helping them anticipate possible scenarios and develop adaptive strategies before these situations materialize. These stories not only help prepare officers for the unexpected but also encourage innovative thinking, fostering a culture that is both anticipatory and responsive to change.
Renewable Terrorism
In the year 2037, the weather is no longer an act of God — it’s a weapon of mass profit. "Renewable Terrorism" has arrived, ushered in by the Stormfront Syndicate, a shadowy coalition of rogue climatologists and cybercriminals who have mastered the art of programmable disasters. By hijacking geoengineering tech to steer Category 5 hurricanes into vulnerable coastal hubs, they paralyze law enforcement and force emergency services into humanitarian triage. As cities submerge, The Syndicate isn’t just looting banks; they are playing a lethal game of real estate arbitrage, orchestrating the destruction of the coast to mint a new, inland billionaire class.
While the southern deluge drowns the Gulf Coast, a more insidious wave of white-collar crime crests in its wake. This isn't just about the chaos of flooded streets and compromised data centers; it is a calculated takeover of the very systems meant to rebuild society.
From manipulated insurance markets to "puppeteered" government agencies, The Syndicate ensures that every drop of rain translates to a dollar in their pocket. In a world where the shoreline is moving and the islands are calling, the line between natural catastrophe and corporate conquest has vanished forever.