Trends, popcorn and food for thought from the latest Trendvernissage – Adel & Link, Germany

There’s something special about gathering in person to explore the ideas shaping our future. This year, Adel & Link’s 13^th Trendvernissage brought clients, partners and friends together for an inspiring evening filled with trends, conversations – and delicious food and drinks!

After a quick welcome, attendees were invited to grab a bag of popcorn and move to the cosy cinema next door, where three speakers offered new perspectives on the future of work, culture and technology.

Agentic AI

AI has long dominated the headlines, but now AI agents are all the rage. Working as autonomous agents, AI systems will handle repetitive tasks and even create content. While this holds great potential for work and everyday life, human oversight, ethical safeguards and transparency must stay top of mind.

In his talk, Dr. Matthias Lein, CTO at Alexander Thamm [at], introduced the audience to use cases and future possibilities for AI agents.

Next Chapter

Young readers are rediscovering the magic of books – and the New Adult genre is booming. With themes such as love, identity and belonging, these stories and their authors have built loyal communities on social media. Head over to #BookTok or #Bookstagram to find out what’s trending!

Book blogger Theresa Haubs shared some insights into the world of New Adult literature and why it is so popular with young adults.

Digital Afterlife

AI is also changing how we mourn. Tools that recreate voices or simulate conversations with lost loved ones are already here. But while grief tech might help us cope with loss, it also raises tough questions about data, consent and the emotional boundaries of technology.

Sociologist Matthias Meitzler, University of Tübingen, gave us a glimpse into how AI is shaping the way we grieve and shed a light on risks and opportunities.

Following the three talks, our guests were able to enjoy some canapés, drinks and lively conversations back at the office. But the programme didn’t stop there – for our fourth trend, Life in Sync, we invited attendees to explore an exhibition on the female cycle. Here, they were introduced to cycle-conscious living and how factors such as a balanced diet and modern technology can be used to take full advantage of the different cycle phases.

The evening served as a powerful reminder that trends aren’t just predictions of what may happen in the future – they’re starting points for deeper conversations about the future we’d like to create.

Find out more about Adel & Link’s trends here.