Edgar Perez is a renowned Artificial Intelligence speaker who advises global businesses on disruptive technologies, digital transformation and the future of innovation. With experience spanning Wall Street, Fortune 500 companies and high-profile conferences, he has become a leading voice on the opportunities and risks that come with rapid technological change.

From the rise of Central Bank Digital Currencies to the evolution of Web3, Perez explains how organisations can adapt, stay competitive and embrace innovation responsibly. His insights offer a rare combination of technical depth and practical guidance, helping leaders navigate shifts in finance, cybersecurity, and beyond.

In this exclusive interview with The Motivational Speakers Agency, Perez shares his perspectives on digital transformation, quantum computing and the new frontiers businesses must prepare for as technology continues to accelerate.

Q: Central Bank Digital Currencies are gaining traction worldwide. What opportunities and risks do you believe they present for organisations?

Edgar Perez: "Let's think about how difficult it is today to transfer money. If you have a relative in another country and you want to send, let's say, 100, how long is it going to take? Days? Hours? How much are you going to pay? One percent? Two percent? And yet we are in the 21st century.

"That is something that is going to change with technology. Today cryptocurrencies are one alternative, but these currencies are decentralised and not backed by any authority. CBDCs come along. CBDCs are Central Bank Digital Currencies backed by central banks all over the world. China, Korea, many different countries are already pursuing this path, offering CBDCs and allowing people to finally eliminate cash.

"That will be extremely helpful when you think about transfers, because this is going to be faster, more efficient, and a great advancement for companies and people. All of us need to send and receive money.

"CBDCs will create opportunities for companies because they will offer faster, cheaper and more secure ways to make and receive payments. They will also enable organisations to access new markets and customers, especially those who are underbanked or who don't have bank accounts. They will enhance the transparency and traceability of transactions.

"Of course, financial services companies face a challenge because they might think that central banks will take over money. But that's not exactly the case. You don't see central banks today offering bank accounts.

"Banks and financial service institutions will still have an important role to play, even though CBDCs will be managed by central banks and will definitely increase visibility in the movement of the monetary system all over the world."

Q: Digital transformation is accelerating across industries. What advice would you give to businesses determined to stay ahead of the curve?

Edgar Perez: "It is important to ask yourself: where am I, which business am I in, and what is my future? When you think about any digital transformation effort, you need to think about a digital strategy, which is basically a roadmap: what's your vision, what are your goals, what are your priorities? That will help define initiatives for digital transformation.

"Your digital transformation strategy should align with your overall business strategy and address the needs and pain points of customers, employees and partners. A digital strategy should be flexible and agile, allowing experimentation.

"Every effort will start from the top. The CEO needs to provide strong support for a successful digital transformation. They should communicate the vision and the value of it, allocate resources and budget, empower employees, support teams, and monitor and celebrate success. This has to be a priority.

"Technology is evolving so fast. Fifteen thousand years ago we didn't have agriculture. Fifteen hundred years ago we didn't have machines. Fifteen decades ago we didn't have ...

A new global study from International Workplace Group (IWG), the world's largest platform for work and provider of flexible workspace, reveals that Gen Z employees are playing a pivotal role in driving AI adoption across the workforce, coaching older colleagues to help unlock productivity and collaboration gains in hybrid working environments.

The study, based on a survey of over 2,000 professionals across the US and UK, shows that AI is becoming a cornerstone of how teams and in particular hybrid teams operate. 80% of workers have experimented with AI tools, and 78% say it has saved them time, averaging 55 minutes of saved time per day, equivalent to almost an extra full working day per week.

Workers report that this time is being reallocated to higher-value activities such as creative or strategic work (41%), learning and development (41%), in-person collaboration (40%), and networking (35%). An overwhelming 86% say AI has helped them complete tasks more efficiently, and 76% report that it is directly accelerating their career advancement, with this figure rising to 87% among Gen Z workers.

Cross-generational collaboration key to unlocking AI gains

Cross-generational collaboration is central to this transformation. Nearly two-thirds (59%) of younger employees are actively helping older, more tenured colleagues adopt and learn to use AI tools, with 80% of Senior Directors reporting that this support lets them focus on higher-value tasks, while 82% of Senior Directors report that AI innovations introduced by younger colleagues have unlocked new business opportunities.

Two-thirds of C-suite leaders say younger staff's AI skills have improved their department's productivity, and over 80% of senior directors believe AI innovations introduced by junior colleagues have opened up new business opportunities.

Overall, 86% of those surveyed report AI has made them more efficient, and 76% believe it is advancing their career, rising to 87% among Gen Z respondents. AI's influence on collaboration is also clear: 69% of hybrid workers say it is making teamwork across locations easier, citing benefits such as improved meeting preparation (46%), access to shared insights (36%), and stronger post-meeting follow-ups (36%).

Workers are embracing AI's potential to eliminate time-consuming administrative tasks. The most common areas where employees want AI to step in include drafting emails (43%), taking and summarising meeting notes (42%), organising files (36%), and completing data entry or forms (36%). With these tasks automated, employees are reallocating time to more meaningful work: 55% are now focusing on high-impact projects, 54% are pursuing professional development, and 40% are using the time to build stronger relationships with colleagues and clients or to invest in personal well-being.

Benefits for hybrid workers

The study also found that 69% of hybrid workers say AI is making it easier to collaborate with colleagues across locations. Improvements in meeting preparation (46%), access to shared insights (36%), and more effective follow-ups (36%) are streamlining teamwork, while 40% say AI has freed up time to invest in team-building and communication.

In the hybrid model, AI is also reshaping how office time is used. With automation handling routine work, hybrid professionals now prioritise strategic thinking (41%), learning and development (41%), face-to-face collaboration (40%), and networking (35%) during in-office days. More than half of workers (53%) say AI is helping them achieve better outcomes, and 64% believe it is making hybrid working smoother and more effective.

Workers are aware of the stakes. Two-thirds (63%) worry that not learning AI tools could slow their career progression, and 61% believe those who don't adopt AI risk being left behind. Yet the trend is toward inclusive, shared upskilling: 51% of employees say AI is helping bridge generational divides, and over half regularly share AI knowledge with colleagues, ri...

"Leaders who do not embrace decision intelligence will continue to struggle with fractured data, static reports, and dangerous blind spots," writes Alexander Walsh, Co-Founder and CEO of Oraion

The current business landscape of rapidly changing consumer behavior, heightened global competition, and digital transformation is putting leaders under pressure to make faster, sharper, and more confident decisions. Their challenge is not a lack of data, but quite the opposite. Most organisations are drowning in data scattered across systems, dashboards, and static reports. What leaders need is not more data but decision intelligence: The discipline and technology that turns raw information into clear, actionable insight.

Decision intelligence is becoming the defining capability for modern leadership. It gives executives a single source of truth, moves reporting from static snapshots to living systems, and closes the visibility gaps that stall progress. Without it, decision-making is slower, riskier, and more reactive. With it, leaders move from instinct and partial views to clarity and speed.

Here are the top three reasons why decision intelligence is what leaders need right now.

1. A single source of truth is no longer optional

In most organisations, data lives in silos. Finance has its systems, while marketing has other platforms, and operations run on something different. When every department has its own numbers and definitions, leaders spend as much time reconciling reports as they do acting on them. The result is confusion, wasted time, and decisions based on partial or conflicting information.

This is solved through the addition of an agentic layer within the data stack. Agentic AI and data cataloging create a reliable single source of truth. Instead of chasing down spreadsheets or waiting on manual updates, leaders get one unified view of the business. Every decision starts with shared facts, not disputed data. That changes the conversation in the boardroom. Instead of debating whose numbers are right, leaders can focus on what the numbers mean and what action to take.

For global enterprises, the financial impact is significant. A unified data foundation reduces reporting overhead, accelerates alignment, and ensures every executive is working from the same playbook. In an environment where speed and accuracy are competitive advantages, a single source of truth is not a luxury, it is a requirement.

2. From static reports to dynamic intelligence

Traditional reporting is static. A report shows you what happened last week, last month, or last quarter. By the time it is reviewed, it is already out of date. Leaders who rely only on static reports are flying blind in fast-changing markets.

Decision intelligence replaces static reporting with dynamic intelligence. Instead of waiting for analysts to prepare slides, leaders can ask questions in natural language and receive real-time insights. This results in patterns that emerge instantly with context carried forward across queries. What once took days or weeks can now be achieved in minutes.

This shift matters because business cycles are accelerating. Competitive moves, customer churn, and operational issues appear quickly and often disappear just as fast. Leaders who can interrogate data dynamically move faster than those who wait for a formal report. They go from data to insight to action without delay.

Dynamic intelligence also builds confidence. Leaders can test scenarios, compare outcomes, and validate assumptions in real time. Instead of making a judgment call based on a quarterly PDF, they can make a decision supported by real-time intelligence.

3. Leaders cannot afford gaps in visibility

One of the most dangerous risks in leadership today is the blind spot. Gaps in visibility can mean missed opportunities, undetected risks, or delayed responses. A missed churn signal can cost millions in revenue. A hidden cost overrun can eat into margins. A delayed recognition of a competit...

Munster Technological University (MTU) hosted the Cybersecurity Smart Maritime Challenge 2025 in collaboration with Cyber Innovate, the Irish Naval Service and the National Maritime College of Ireland (NMCI) on Friday, 26th September. The event took place in the Cybersecurity Prototyping Lab in MTU's Bishopstown Campus in Cork, showcasing how Ireland's ports and harbours can be defended against evolving cyber threats.

For centuries, Cork has been a safe harbour from storms, rough seas and pirates. In 2025, the definition of a safe harbour has expanded to include protection from digital attacks. This shift was brought into sharp focus during a live cybersecurity simulation, conducted using MTU's state-of-the-art Cyber Range infrastructure.

The simulation, designed by Airbus, mirrored a real-world cyberattack on a maritime port. In the exercise, a hacker group paralysed a port's IT systems and disabled a ship at its entrance, effectively blocking all traffic. Four teams took part, featuring staff from the Irish Naval Service and the NMCI, alongside MTU researchers and students from Cyber Innovate. They were tasked with identifying the points of attack, regaining control of the vessel, and supporting Europol in apprehending the hacker group's leader.

Irish ports are vital hubs for shipping and trade, making cybersecurity expertise essential to safeguarding national infrastructure. The challenge provided participants with practical, hands-on experience to develop skills that are directly relevant to addressing the growing cyber threats facing the maritime sector.

"This collaboration between the Irish Navy, NMCI, maritime experts and cybersecurity specialists is essential to safeguarding Ireland's national security. This challenge highlights both the scale of the threat and the strength of the talent we are building in Ireland. Preparing for cybersecurity shock events before they happen is the only way to ensure our ports and maritime infrastructure remain resilient in an increasingly uncertain global landscape," said Dr Hazel Murray, Chair of Cybersecurity at Munster Technological University

MTU is recognised as a leader in cybersecurity education, training, research and innovation. The university runs multiple programmes and initiatives, including Cyber Innovate, Cyber Skills, Cyber Explore, Cyber Resilience, Cyber Safety and Cyber Futures. Cork's reputation as Ireland's cybersecurity hub is strengthened by MTU's graduates, which has helped attract many national and international companies to the region.

MTU also hosts the Cyber Range, a cutting-edge platform unique in Ireland. This allows simulated cyberattacks on virtual organisations in a safe environment.

"At MTU, we are dedicated to advancing cybersecurity through cutting-edge education and research," said Dr George O'Mahony of MTU. "This state-of-the-art facility provides invaluable training for students, researchers and industry professionals, allowing them to build critical skills without risking real-world damage or outages."

The Cybersecurity Smart Maritime Challenge underlined the critical importance of protecting Ireland's maritime sector from cyberattacks, particularly as the offshore renewable energy industry becomes a cornerstone of Ireland's energy future and a key enabler of EU climate change targets. To learn more about the Cyber Innovate news and events, visit www.cyberinnovate.ie.

Government and industry delegates from across Northwest Europe share expertise at NORDUK meeting to support zero emission HDVs

Government officials and industry representatives from seven north west European countries - Ireland, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Netherlands and the United Kingdom - came together in Ireland on 18th September 2025 for the 2025 NORDUK meeting.

Delegates discussed issues facing the Heavy-Duty Vehicle Sector, including driver shortages, decarbonisation and the regulation of the sector.

Aiding the transition to zero emission HDVs

The annual meeting provides an important opportunity for government officials and industry to share experiences and develop collaborative solutions to challenges facing the sector.

On 19 September ATC (part of Arvato) hosted the visiting delegates at their headquarters in Dublin. The visit allowed delegates to hear about ATCs Green Logistics journey and gave delegates the chance to hear details of a real-world case study on the transition to zero emission HDVs.

In September 2024 ATC announced a landmark investment of €22.5 million over five years to support a 'Driving Green Strategy'. Their ongoing transition of their fleet to battery electric power has been supported by the Zero Emission Heavy Duty Vehicle Purchase Grant scheme, funded by the Department of Transport.

Minister of State with responsibility for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports, Séan Canney, said: "The NORDUK meetings provide a space for countries to navigate the complex challenges and opportunities we are facing through open dialogue and sharing our experiences. I'm delighted that my Department hosted the meeting this year as a demonstration of the shared commitment we all hold to advancing sustainable, efficient, and safe transport systems across Europe and beyond.

"The visit to ATC by delegates was an opportunity to learn from industry about the challenges they face in transitioning to zero emission technology. This real-world experience is invaluable for policy makers as we work together to meet our climate goals."

Rainer Hoerbst, Head of Green Logistics at ATC said: "At ATC we are delighted to be able showcase our Green Logistics journey to the NORDUK meeting delegates. Sharing our experiences from the first steps of emission reduction, trialling alternative fuels, investing in and subsequently successfully operating an expansive fleet of zero-tailpipe-emission trucks and vans. We are very proud of the progress which has been made towards accelerating and scaling electrical line-haul lanes across the continent through close collaboration with all relevant stakeholders. We look forward to exploring the next steps of this exciting journey!"

About ATC - Part of Arvato:

ATC Computer Transport & Logistics is a tech-focused Irish company providing highly specialised transport, logistics, and technical services to hyperscale data centre operators, global freight forwarders, co-location providers and Software as a Service (SaaS) companies worldwide. Headquartered in Dublin, ATC has a footprint in Europe and New Zealand. Since January 2025, ATC is Part of Arvato.

For more information about ATC, visit https://www.atc-logistics.com

See more breaking stories here.

Pre-sale begins 10am local time - Wednesday 1st October 2025

General sale from 10am local time - Friday 3rd October 2025

Tour Dates available below:

Briancoxlive.co.uk

After performing his sell-out, record-breaking show 'Horizons' to nearly half a million people across the

world, Professor Brian Cox is back with new tour world tour Emergence. Tickets for shows spanning the

UK & Ireland, Europe, the US, Australia, Asia-Pacific and beyond go on general sale at 10am (local times)

on Friday 3rd October 2025 via briancoxlive.co.uk.

In the winter of 1610 Johannes Kepler was crossing Prague's Charles Bridge when he noticed a snowflake

land on his arm. Why, he asked, are all snowflakes six-cornered? "I do not believe," he wrote, "that even

in a snowflake, this ordered pattern exists at random."

400 years later, we have part of the answer. Snowflakes are made of water molecules, which are made of

atoms, which are made of quarks and electrons - which might be made of superstrings - all held together

by forces of nature described by quantum theory. But how does such delicate beauty emerge from such

abstract simplicity?

Emergence is a celebration of the intricacy of the Universe and an exploration of the laws of nature that

sculpted it. From the largest structures in the known Universe - the rivers and flows of galaxies that trace

the cosmic web - to Earth's interlinked ecosystems and the structure of the human brain - from black

holes to snowflakes - we observe a world of dazzling complexity underpinned by magnificent simplicity.

How did a quarter of a million-year-old species of great apes on one small planet amongst trillions orbiting

around a middle-aged star in an average galaxy figure all this out, guided by curiosity, mathematics and

an aesthetic sense of symmetry and beauty? And what might we become if we can hold onto the ideas of

the enlightenment so successfully developed and deployed by Kepler and his contemporaries and

successors - ideas that have allowed us to begin to read the story of the Universe and carried our

spacecraft to the edge of the solar system and outwards to the stars.

Professor Brian Cox said: "I've loved creating Emergence - it's the most ambitious live show I've ever

written. I've been very lucky to collaborate with a wonderful group of scientists, musicians, filmmakers

and graphic artists to bring cosmology, biology, philosophy and history to the largest and most advanced

LED screens available, with the best sound and lights I could find. I hope the show is an all-encompassing

experience, and I hope it leaves everyone, whether they love science or music or history, or simply

contemplating the beauty of Nature, with something new to think about."

Brian has worked with a world-leading team of creatives for Emergence. Graphics and visual effects have

been created in collaboration with Emmy Award winning director Nic Stacey and digital artist Erik

Wernquist, and branding is by Peter Saville CBE, the renowned art director known for his original work

with Factory Records.

Brian has appeared in many landmark science programmes over the last 15 years, from the Peabody

Award-winning Wonders of the Solar System to worldwide hit series The Planets to his most recent

landmark series Solar System, which has become one of the best watched science series of the last decade.

You can learn more about Professor Brian Cox by following him on social media @ProfBrianCox

ABOUT PROFESSOR BRIAN COX CBE FRS

Brian is widely recognized as the foremost communicator for science, cosmology and astronomy in the

world. He is Professor of Particle Physics at the University of Manchester, The Royal Society Professor

for Public Engagement in Science and a Fellow of the Royal Society. In September 2025 he was

appointed as The Francis Crick Institute's first-ever Crick Scholar.

Brian has presented a number of highly acclaimed, award-winning science programmes for the BBC

watched by billions around the world including 'Adventures in Space a...

By David Stephen

There is a recent [September 19, 2025] book review in The Atlantic, The Useful Idiots of AI Doomsaying, stating that, "The authors' basic claim is that AI will continue to improve, getting smarter and smarter, until it either achieves superintelligence or designs something that will. Without careful training, they argue, the goals of this supreme being would be incompatible with human life. Their larger argument is that if humans build something that eclipses human intelligence, it will be able to outsmart us however it chooses, for its own self-serving goals. The risks are so grave, the authors argue, that the only solution is a complete shutdown of AI research."

Superintelligence : If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies

"This line of thinking takes as a given that intelligence is a discrete, measurable concept, and that increasing it is a matter of resources and processing power. But intelligence doesn't work like that. The human ability to predict and steer situations is not a single, broadly applicable skill or trait - someone may be brilliant in one area and trash in another. Einstein wasn't a great novelist; the chess champion Bobby Fischer was a paranoid conspiracy theorist. We even see this across species: Most humans can do many cognitive tasks that bats can't, but no human can naturally match a bat's ability to hunt for prey by quickly integrating complex echolocation data."

"They give no citation to the scientific literature for this claim, because there isn't a consensus on it. This is just one of many unwarranted logical and factual leaps in If Anyone Builds It. Along the way to such drastic conclusions, Yudkowsky and Soares fail to make an evidence-based scientific case for their claims. Instead, they rely on flat assertions and shaky analogies, leaving massive holes in their logic. The largest of these is the idea of superintelligence itself, which the authors define as "a mind much more capable than any human at almost every sort of steering and prediction problem.""

What is the 'evidence-based scientific case' for human intelligence?

If there is no known science of the mechanism of human intelligence and there is no general definition for human intelligence, then it is probably meritless to disdain predictions of risks - of an emerging non-biological intelligence.

It is possible to have an issue with the extremisms of 'AI will solve everything' and that 'AI will kill everyone', but to do so without proposing what exactly human intelligence is or how it works, is also 'unwarranted logical and factual leap'. What is ahead, if AI improves, may remain unknown, but what large language models [LLMs] currently are, should frighten those who are seeking out human intelligence.

In the human brain, assuming chair is a memory, intelligence is the use of that chair. While it appears that knowing things and using them sometimes go together, intelligence can be defined as the use of what is known for expected, desired or advantageous outcomes. Although planning, creativity, innovation and so forth intersect with this definition, intelligence can be broadly assumed to be how knowledge is used.

This means that knowing is one layer, then using that knowledge for outcomes is another. In general, humans are trained both for knowledge and intelligence, since it is possible to have knowledge but not the intelligence for it. Across organisms, survival is mostly a play of using what is known. Avoiding predators, catching prey, other necessities for life are knowing and using. Bats can use 'echolocation data' and humans can't, naturally, while humans can use complex languages but bats, cannot. [Knowing and using.] While knowing can be basic sensory interpretation in memory, using can be aligned with ability. So, there are abilities to use what is known. For humans, abilities to use memory, including with language, exceed other organisms. LLMs have a wider memory use capability now - with data, algorithms and compute.

...

High Tech, High Touch: Kingsley Aikins discusses Networking, AI and the Dublin Leadership Summit 2025

As we adjust to a time dominated by artificial intelligence, automation and digital-first models, one question looms large for tech leaders: how do you build trust and meaning in human relationships while riding the wave of technological change?

That is one of the central themes Kingsley Aikins, known as the "guru of global philanthropy", renowned expert networker and CEO of The Networking Institute, addressed in his recent interview. He'll be sharing more in person at the upcoming Dublin Leadership Summit, to be held on October 2, 2025 at Leopardstown Racecourse, Dublin.

Kingsley Aikins, The paradox: embrace tech without losing touch

Aikins draws on a vivid metaphor when talking about modern leadership:

"Leaders have to be high tech and high touch. They must understand the potential, the power of technology, but they've got to understand that at the end of the day we're human animals. We crave social contact."

He worries that while technology was meant to bring us together, in many ways it is doing the opposite. There is plentiful evidence of how attention spans are fragmenting, social spontaneity is reducing and networks are shrinking.

For tech professionals especially, this calls for intentional balance. You cannot ignore the power of AI, data analytics and automation, and nor should you, but don't underestimate the key role connection, trust and serendipity play in scaling companies.

"It's like King Canute holding back the tide. You can't stop what's hurtling toward us, AI, automation, etc., but you can choose how you respond," says Kingsley.

Why networking is core to scaling tech

Aikins warns that many founders and engineers focus exclusively on product and funding and neglect what he calls the "soft skills side". Yet, he argues, those are often harder than writing code or building infrastructure.

He cites lessons from Google's internal research (Project Oxygen and Project Aristotle) which found that technical ability was the least of the essential leadership traits. The rest; listening, emotional intelligence, team dynamics, all mattered far more.

To frame this, Aikins leans into the PIE theory of networking.

The PIE theory (Performance, Image, Exposure) was developed by Harvey Coleman, an American author and career development expert.

P = Performance: the work you do. This is what gets you on the ladder.

I = Image: reputation; what people say about you when you're not there.

E = Exposure: the visibility you cultivate; speaking, being seen, bridging networks. This is how you climb the ladder.

He cautions founders that doing stellar work is only the starting point. To truly progress, you also need to build a strong reputation and maintain visibility so that others think of you and trust you when opportunities emerge. Just as importantly, he reframes networking itself, acknowledging that networking has a somewhat grubby reputation. It is not about what you can get, but about what you can give. In every conversation, Aikins recommends asking:

1. What can I do for you?

2. If you were me, what would you do?

3. Who do you know who … ?

These questions shift dynamics, build goodwill and move relationships beyond cold outreach to warm introductions.

The Summit as a proving ground

The Dublin Leadership Summit 2025 (DLS25) offers a unique chance to see Aikins' philosophy in action. Hosted by AAB and The Dublin Network, the Summit runs from 10:30 am to 2 pm, concluding with a networking lunch.

Aikins, as MC and host, will guide a panel of Irish leaders in business, sport, science and innovation. Expect real conversations about leadership, growth, purpose and resilience in turbulent times.

For tech-oriented attendees, DLS25 offers more than presentations and speeches. It's a live laboratory for connection. You'll have access to senior peers, emerging leaders and cross-sector voices in a compact, high-intensity format. The networki...

KINTO Join, the leading sustainable mobility solutions company, has revealed its own data which shows that the company has saved over 760,500km worth of transport emissions across Europe. This equates to over 122,200kg of CO2 or 25 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

In Ireland specifically, KINTO Join has helped its customers to reduce transport emissions to the equivalent of 918kg of CO2 or almost 8,000km.

Across Ireland, the UK, Italy, Serbia, and Belgium, KINTO Join has facilitated almost 50,000 sustainable commuting journeys for businesses and universities, averaging savings of 5,200 kg of CO? for each organisation using its solutions. In practical terms, a company would need to grow 250 trees for at least a year to absorb these emissions.

Patrizia Niehaus, CEO, KINTO Join, said: "Our data underscores the real-world value of sustainable mobility solutions in terms of reducing transport emissions. As well as enabling people to commute more sustainably, these tools empower organisations to achieve their ESG goals.

"They also help countries like Ireland to take steps towards its climate targets and benefit the planet as a whole. Of course, global action is required to tackle the climate crisis, but it's important to remember that micro-level changes can collectively have a macro-level impact."

Kinto Join recently launched its 'Ireland on the Move' Report to gauge commuter journeys, preferences, experiences and challenges across Ireland.

See more stories here.

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This article has been adapted from Saving Ourselves from Big Car by David Obst (Columbia University Press/Columbia Business School Publishing, September 16, 2025) It is provided courtesy of the publisher. https://cup.columbia.edu/book/saving-ourselves-from-big-car/9780231210423/

How Big Car Took Over The World (Part One)

In The Beginning…

In 1885, no human being had ever seen an automobile. The number of cars on the planet was zero. In 2024, the one billionth car will join our earth's traffic jams. The most amazing thing about that number is that nobody planned it. We all just let it happen. We quickly and happily adjusted to the world that Big Car created for us. They caused us to move into cities, then leave our cities and move to the suburbs. They became a world-accepted method of showing one's status. We began caring as much about our cars as we did our families. With very little resistance, we allowed Big Car to take over our economies and our lives. In the name of mobility, we changed how humans lived. We became addicted.

Here's how it happened.

It started around 3500 BCE when some genius invented the wheel. The fact that humans had existed for hundreds of thousands of years without the wheel is often forgotten. One of the most interesting things about humans is how long it took us to come up with the modern standards we now use to meet our transportation needs. For most of the time humans have spent on the planet, we were able to live without needing to roll.

The entire concept of time and distance we now live by would be incomprehensible for most humans who lived in that pre-wheel world. The distances between peoples, although not at all geographically great, were still vast. Spending generations within the confines of your own immediate space was how most humans lived. Travel was expensive, time-consuming, and most importantly, dangerous. People traveled sometimes because they were pulled by the lure of easier and more profitable ways of living. More often, they traveled because they were pushed and pulled by disease, natural disasters, or - most likely - other humans wanting to take their stuff.

Another distinctive trait of humans is that they like their own spaces. To find those spaces often necessitated going to new uninhabited territories. That meant having to travel. At first, all travel was done on foot. If you were lucky enough to own a horse,then you traveled on horseback. Later, another genius figured out that horses and wheels could work together. He invented the buggy, which evolved into the carriage.

The carriage became the must-have vehicle for the privileged few. By the sixteenth century, it was the status symbol of the ruling classes. Every European city was soon brimming with ornate, opulently decorated vehicles. The traffic jam had been invented, especially in bad weather.

These early carriages were on four wheels and were drawn by two to four horses. Short-distance travel became cheap and convenient for much of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.You could buy your two-wheeled buggy for between $25 and $50 in today's dollars. Buggies could easily be hitched and driven by untrained men, women, and even children. Hundreds of different buggy companies competed for market share. The wide use of buggies led to the grading and graveling of main rural roads and the paving of streets in many cities.

All of this continued until the start of the twentieth century. More and more of the world's population was moving into metropolitan centers, except they now all faced the same daunting problem: transportation was dominated by horses, and horses relieve themselves whenever and wherever they feel the urge.

This had always been a problem for cities, but with population growth came an increase in the number of horses needed.

By the end of the nineteenth century, London had over 300,000 horses a day coming into town. New York City had 150,000, and these beasts produced more than two thousand tons of manur...