The Big Picture
“The Big Picture” – a cartoon that illustrates how people are tending to see the opportunities of AI through a limited lens when the changes are likely going to be transformational across their lives.
Bill Gates remarked, “we always overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years and underestimate the change that will occur in the next ten.“
Today, at the foothills of AI, much breathless coverage highlights issues in today’s context such as whether it will take many of our jobs and whether humanity is facing enslavement by sentient machines like in The Matrix movie.
For example, the World Economic Forum anticipates that AI and other technologies may lead to the displacement of approximately 83 million jobs globally by 2027.
Yet, it always takes longer for change to work its way through to mass adoption. For example Yahoo created the first directory on the internet in 1994, but it was not until the mid-2000s that the full potential of web-based applications and then transformative events like COVID till the majority of businesses changed work habits.
In 2035, we should expect our current lives to be viewed somewhat quaintly, with puzzled discussions as to why we spent so much time driving or eating the same generic processed food.
Already we can see some of this with AI-powered virtual health assistants, like Scotland’s “Kirsty“, that will help us lead longer, healthier lives by providing timely medical advice, managing chronic conditions, and reducing healthcare bottlenecks.
Also, AI’s ability to boost productivity will unlock intelligence and innovation from a broader pool of people globally, democratizing access to scientific discovery and creative problem-solving.
