site.btaLongevity Panel Explores Work, Ageing and AI

The Longevity: Who Wants to Work Forever panel brought together molecular biologist Prof. Milena Georgieva and HP Inc. Bulgaria CEO Alexander Bekyarov at the Bulgaria Across Five Oceans career forum in Sofia on Saturday. The forum was organized by Bulgaria Wants You at Inter Expo Center.

The discussion featured Georgieva, a molecular biologist at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS), and Bekyarov. Bulgaria Wants You co-creator Ivan Hristov moderated.

Asked what is driving growing interest in longevity and when it becomes an obsession, Georgieva said the topic has been the subject of serious scientific research for decades. Advances in genetics and deeper understanding of the human body have helped science identify the mechanisms of biological ageing and the body’s capacity to adapt to its environment, she said.

“People must be very careful when developing their own longevity protocols. They must be grounded in science, medicine and knowledge of their own body. A protocol that works for one person will not work for another,” Georgieva said.

She said one of the main challenges is that science is advancing faster than new knowledge can be applied in clinical practice. Modern lifestyles, stress, pandemics and environmental factors affect quality of life and health, creating a gap between what science can offer and actual public health outcomes, she said.

Asked who should drive change, individuals or companies, Bekyarov said: “Everyone. There is no single person. What we discussed this year was that there is no one else. We have to do this. Each of us, individually.”

“We need the same mindset in companies. It is not about waiting for the company to do something for us, nor about pushing ourselves on our own if the company does nothing. We have to meet somewhere in the middle,” he added.

Bekyarov said the pandemic had significantly changed working patterns and created a new balance between employers’ and employees’ expectations. Companies and individuals should act as part of a shared ecosystem, he said.

“If you expect me to give a formula for longevity or eternal life, I have to tell you that this is absolutely impossible. If you hear it from anyone, believe me, it is pure utopia. It is more of a marketing trick. Ageing is a very complex process. It is highly multifactorial. It affects all tissues, cells and molecules differently, even within a single body,” Georgieva said.

She said there is no universal solution for longevity and that healthy, successful ageing requires a comprehensive approach, including physical activity, nutrition, stress management and mental health care.

Georgieva said research shows that lifestyle leaves lasting marks on human biology. She cited studies of identical twins who, despite sharing the same genetic code, age differently depending on their environment and living conditions. New technologies and artificial intelligence can help create personalized models for healthy ageing, she said.

“In preparation for our discussion on Saturday, I asked probably 30 people from different countries what they think about working longevity. They all said they do not want to work longer,” Bekyarov said.

He said the issue is not whether people want to work longer, but whether they will have a choice, depending on technological development, demographic trends and the labour market.

Bekyarov said data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) show that the population of developed countries will decline in the coming decades, while the share of older people will rise. That will leave fewer workers supporting more pensioners.

He outlined three possible responses: reforming social systems, advances in science and medicine that extend healthy and active ageing, and developing artificial intelligence to offset labour shortages.

The event again brings together Bulgarians from the country and abroad, leading companies, visionaries and opinion leaders to present real opportunities for building a career and a life in Bulgaria, the platform told BTA earlier.

BTA is hosting its own booth at the career forum for the second year running. This year, BTA will spotlight BTA School, its internship and career development unit.

The media partners of Bulgaria Across Five Oceans are Nova Broadcasting Group, Darik Radio and BTA.