What if AI could become not just a tool, but a scientific partner — capable of tackling humanity’s biggest crises faster than ever before? Ahead of World Summit AI 2025 (October 08–09, Amsterdam), Frank Herrman, Investment Manager at RVO, dares to imagine that future while keeping a sharp eye on the risks that could undo it all.
What’s your most compelling dream scenario for AI — a breakthrough that would fundamentally improve life on a global scale?
The world is facing enormous challenges: climate change, energy access, healthcare and prevention, and geopolitical instability. Right now, AI often makes these problems worse. Social media algorithms fuel division and hatred, while generative AI consumes vast amounts of energy without helping the climate crisis.
But there is another side. AI is already proving valuable in areas like drug development and medical diagnostics. If we can develop AI that not only analyzes data but is also capable of conducting its own scientific research, by generating hypotheses, running simulations, validating results, and improving its models, then it could accelerate solutions to humanity’s toughest problems.
My dream scenario is that such an AI could help solve climate change, healthcare, energy and other challenges in record time, giving us tools for a more sustainable and stable future.
What’s a recent project or breakthrough you're especially proud of — and what kind of impact do you hope it will have in the real world?
Being Dutch, I’m proud of startups like Cradle and Dayrize, which are using AI to tackle real-world challenges in biotech and sustainability. I also admire the work coming from big tech, with breakthroughs like Google’s MedLM, DeepMind’s AlphaFold, and Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab.
Large language models are impressive and useful on a broad scale, but I believe these more focused initiatives show the true potential of AI to make a lasting difference in people’s lives and in the world around us.
What’s a use case for AI that you think more people should know about — something positive that’s flying under the radar?
One that I think deserves much more attention is AI in materials discovery for sustainability.
While most people think of AI in terms of chatbots or image generation, researchers are quietly using it to discover new materials that could be game changers: ultra-efficient batteries, biodegradable plastics, carbon-capturing compounds, or catalysts for clean hydrogen production. Traditionally, developing a new material can take decades of trial and error in the lab. AI models can now predict the properties of millions of possible compounds, simulate their performance, and narrow the field to the most promising candidates in a fraction of the time.
If you had to choose one nightmare scenario that keeps you up at night — whether realistic or speculative — what would it be, and what warning signs should we be watching for today?
If I had to choose one, it would be AI accelerating disinformation to the point where society loses its grip on shared reality.
The nightmare is not killer robots or some sudden “takeover,” but a slow erosion of truth. With generative AI, it’s already possible to produce convincing fake videos, audio, articles, and even scientific papers at scale. Combine that with recommendation algorithms optimized for engagement, and you get an environment where falsehood spreads faster than fact, trust in institutions collapses, and entire populations can be manipulated into conflict.
Who or what do you think has the power to prevent your nightmare scenario above?
Big tech, but they won't regulate themselves. As long as people in power benefit from spreading misinformation we have a though challenge ahead.
What are we not talking about enough in the AI conversation today — something you believe could be hugely important five years from now?
A lot of the current discussion around AI focuses on energy usage and the impact on jobs. What I think we’re not talking about enough is the growing power we’re handing over to AI in critical systems. Our energy grids, food production, transport networks, even the way we access news and information — all of these are increasingly run or optimized by AI.
That raises important questions: are we still in control, and are we building too much dependence on a single layer of technology? We already know how disruptive it is when the internet or electricity goes down. If we over-rely on AI without the right safeguards, the risks could be much greater.
Handled responsibly, this shift could make our infrastructure far more resilient and sustainable. But without foresight, we risk creating systems that are efficient on paper yet fragile in practice.
If you look ahead 10 years, what do you think will be the biggest change in our daily lives?
It’s hard to predict exactly, since we’re still at the early stages of this technology boom. I think AI will become more like a common utility, quietly running in the background. Just as electricity is something we take for granted in daily life, AI could power many aspects of our world without us even noticing — seamlessly supporting everything from work and transport to healthcare and communication.eases.
Do you think AGI is near? When will we have AGI?
I used to be an entrepreneur, and now I work for the Dutch government. Back then, I often joked that governments don’t know how to run a business and that regulations only get in the way. That tension is very visible in AI today: the US is removing barriers for big tech, while Europe is being criticized for the AI Act.
Over time, I’ve realized that regulation isn’t the enemy. Beyond being entrepreneurs, we are also citizens: we rely on rules to protect us from unsafe airplanes, bad food, untested drugs, or rogue AI.
At the summit, I want to inspire startups to see regulation differently: as a tool that creates a level playing field, ensures safety, and allows innovation to thrive responsibly. Europe can be a place where you don’t have to choose between growth and ethics, you can have both.
World Summit AI global Summit series
World Summit AI
08 - 09 October 2025
Taets Art & Event Park, Amsterdam
World Summit AI Qatar
09 – 10 December 2025
Doha Exhibition & Convention Center