Ford’s Chief Futurist imagines how AI could grow the relationship between drivers and their cars

Ford Motor Company’s Jennifer Brace might just have one of the coolest titles at any brand. She’s the 120-year-old company’s chief futurist and her “Trends and Futuring” team is tasked with tracking things outside of the automotive industry that could impact Ford’s business in the future. By tracking consumer trends and economic predictions, Brace’s team often have their eyes on four different types of futures at once. Her team’s motto is “We don’t predict, we prepare.”

Brace joins The Current Podcast to discuss how preparing for the future is important for marketing the brand, what makes a trend and the types of technology that could impact the future for Ford.

Take AI, for instance. Brace envisions a time when cars with AI technology will be able to anticipate the needs of the driver. Brace gives an example: If a driver gets up and starts driving an hour earlier than usual, the car might order Starbucks for the driver.

“That is the type of thing I would expect it be able to do, to have a stronger relationship. For the car to be able to understand — not only what you’re asking of it, but also to anticipate what your needs might be as it learns your habits and behaviors and starts to get smarter,” Brace says on this episode of The Current Podcast.