Probably, but it’s our fault. Yes, you and me. We are responsible for our uncertain future.
Let me ask you; what do you want in the future? Or, rather more importantly, what do I want? Looking back, did I ask for mobile phones? Was the internet on my “must-have” list? Home computers? Polio eradication? Social media vindictiveness? We, the ordinary people, don’t choose the future. WRONG!!!!!
Most of us world-wide are lucky enough to get a vote. We are responsible for putting people in power, and boy, are we messing up, big time!
Again, in most places, we, the people, are responsible for the government we elect. And most governments, around the globe, are bloody clueless. They are so profoundly disconnected from reality that they have no idea what they are doing, or what future they are creating.
Elected officials in high office? These days they are bought and sold by the highest bidders. No government, ever, took a long-term view of making their country better. That scenario doesn’t win the next election. Only short-term policies are allowed these days, because staying in power is the only requisite of modern government.
Corporate CEOs at multinational companies? All they care about is playing financial incest on each other’s boards, enriching the already-wealthy with golden parachutes and year-end bonuses.
Everyday people? They are just going about their lives, doing what their cultures tell them will lead to a good life. They just want to live and be free. But us ordinary downtrodden folk have a responsibility from which we are constantly shying away.
Just look at America. It’s like Munich 1938. History has warned us what could happen if lunatics like Trump are elected and allowed to run wild. But no, we just let it happen. Israel is committing modern-day genocide, but our weak and ineffective governments just allow it to continue. Our planet is bloody dying, fast. Global warming is running amok and……..nothing. Not our problem.
Why is nobody shooting Trump, Putin and other megalomaniacs? What has happened to common decency among us ordinary folk? We know our politicians are incapable of any meaningful action, but what are we doing about it? Nothing. We are equally useless. We know how shit the future may be, but we are doing nothing about it. And we caused this chaos in the first place. Our fault.
May our gods forgive us.
Are we creating a future that nobody wants?
Leonard Cohen said in one of his most famous songs, “The Future,” long before the age of AI:
I’ve seen the future, brother
It is murder.
Do I share his pessimistic outlook?
Not really. However, some warning road signs are already placed. Today, OpenAI released its GPT-5, its most capable neural network ever. The model works as a system: gpt-5-main is responsible for ‘simple’, ordinary questions, while gpt-5-thinking will cope with ‘sophisticated’ ones.
Among other features, it has advanced tools for coding, which means fewer fails and an increased capability with big data.
So the question is: will AI, at some point, replace programmers in generating code?
Another question is: will AI finally replace copywriters or designers?
As far as I understand, AI may replace programmers because coding is a set of precisely developed technical content. So computers can do it better than humans. Only technical staff might remain hired, in the end. They can do cable connections and other physical works.
As for copywriters, I am not so sure as really great texts require a lot of creativity. However, some companies fire copywriters and use AI instead. Personally, I use AI to generate basic content on the topic; then, I develop it to the ultimate version, making it unique and non-trackable for AI-generated content.
But more and more, I think that, ultimately, we can find ourselves in a weird and not desirable world, where AI rules everything. My only hope is that we can develop ourselves in terms of skills to stay involved as workers because history is full of such examples.
Yes, big changes are coming.
Are we creating a future nobody wants?
I’ve spent a little time thinking about this and I think there are two separate parts to this problem:
- Political: How nations and people treat each other. How do we interact? Our future on a macro scale.
- Social: How do people behave? How will technology change our world? It’s our future on a very personal scale.
I think these issues are connected but not enough to affect the outcome of either.
Political: I tend to be an optimist about most things, but that’s not how I feel about the future anymore. Donald Trump has destroyed America. Notice that’s written in past tense. Masked, secret police roam the streets taking people for the crime of having black hair and brown eyes. No trial, no review, just disappeared. Those who talk about equality or morals are subject to reprisals.
For the first time in my life, I have a foreboding about the planet’s future. So many nations are now being led by corrupt leaders who put inept followers into positions of power. The primary job requirement is blind loyalty. These leaders believe they are the state.
With only a few exceptions, unless you’re hyper-rich, your government has no interest in your future.
Social: In some ways I’m quite fortunate; I have met people from around the world and I’ve lived in several far-away lands. Just because one government doesn’t like another, that doesn’t mean the people from that country are bad.
Let me give you an example. I’m an American and Fox News says that Iranians support terrorism. I know for a fact this is complete bullshit, not just a lie but total bullshit. Every last Iranian I’ve met has been well educated, urbane, deferential to a fault, and (this is sexist but true) the women are gorgeous. My friend Payman wants me to visit; that maybe pushing it because of point 1 above.
Most major multi-nationals view tracking you the same way you view freedom of speech – a basic right. I can prove Google reads your emails (that would take too long here); I can prove Facebook tracks your phone — indeed requires that right if you want to give them money (advertise). I think it’s outrageous these oligarchs view it as a right to know what brand of tampons your spouse uses. If the government were this intrusive there would be people in the streets.
Unless you’re hyper-rich, your government has no interest in your shitty little life. Are we creating a future nobody wants? Too late.