Q&A with Paola Cecchi-Dimeglio

 

 

 

 

Paola Cecchi-Dimeglio is the author of the new book Building a Thriving Future: Navigating the Metaverse and Multiverse. Her other books include Diversity Dividend. She is an attorney and scholar affiliated with Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and Harvard Law School.

 

Q: What inspired you to write Building a Thriving Future?

 

A: I was inspired by a gap I kept seeing in conversations about technology and leadership. AI, virtual worlds, and digital systems are already shaping how decisions are made, yet many discussions were either overly optimistic or overly alarmist.

 

I wanted to offer a more grounded perspective, one that acknowledges both opportunity and risk, and help leaders think clearly about how to act responsibly in a world that is already here, not one that might arrive someday.

 

Q: How would you define the metaverse and the multiverse?

 

A: The metaverse is a set of interconnected digital environments where people, organizations, and institutions interact in new ways, often blending physical and virtual experiences.

 

The multiverse goes a step further; it reflects the reality that we operate across multiple, overlapping digital and physical systems simultaneously. What matters less than the labels are how these environments shape behavior, power, and decision-making.

 

Q: What do you see looking ahead when it comes to the effect of AI on the business community?

 

A: AI will increasingly influence not just efficiency, but judgment, how decisions are framed, who has authority, and what gets optimized.

 

The biggest challenge for businesses won’t be adoption, but governance: knowing when to rely on AI, when to slow down, and how to preserve accountability as systems become more complex.

 

Q: What do you hope readers take away from the book?

 

A: I hope readers come away with clarity rather than answers. The book is intended to help leaders ask better questions, recognize trade-offs, and design environments that support sound judgment Ultimately, it’s about making more deliberate choices in uncertain conditions.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I’m continuing to work with organizations and institutions on leadership, decision-making, and the responsible use of AI, while also developing new projects focused on how emerging technologies reshape governance and collaboration at scale.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

A: This book isn’t about predicting the future; it’s about preparing for it. We’re already living with the consequences of these technologies, and the choices leaders make now will shape outcomes for years to come.

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Paola Cecchi-Dimeglio.