Dear Readers: Recently, I joined TikTok. I am telling you this because I intend to share more of my “whole self” on the platform. As a futurist, I still believe technology will be a big driver of future change. It will NOT, however, be the only driver of change or even the primary driver. I am increasingly certain that it is matters of the heart, spirit, and soul which will bring about the coming transformation of society. There is more to this world than meets the human eye, and the best way to access this reality is to learn “to listen with the heart,” acknowledge the existence of the soul, and embrace the truth that we are divine, spiritual beings made in God’s image. For some time, I have been sharing various aspects of this side of myself in this newsletter and I will continue to do so but, if you are open to hearing more of my thoughts on spiritual matters including my “Celtic Christianity,” I invite you to follow me on TikTok.
Think: A good friend recently shared this 35-minute presentation on the future of artificial intelligence by Shelly Palmer. I found it absolutely riveting and think you will as well. If you have the time, I encourage you to watch it. If you don’t have the time, here is one big take-a-way: When AI came into the public domain just two years ago, it could do a five-minute task in 5 seconds. (Think of a 5-minute task as using AI to compose an email for you). Two years later, AI can do a five-hour task in five minutes. (The latest iPhone 16 ad showing a woman using a voice prompt to create a customized video is an example of AI doing a 5-hour task in 5 seconds.) But here is what Palmer says is coming within 6 months: AI will soon be able to do 5-month tasks in 5 seconds! Please THINK about this: This will have huge ramifications for you, your business, and society.
Think Again: This past year, I have delivered keynote to a number of community colleges around the country including Wallace State, Mott Community College, Lincoln Land CC, and Harper’s College to name just a few. Among the various trends, I shared with them was the rapid advance in artificial intelligence. If you are in higher education, I encourage you to read and think about this piece: How AI tutors are already changing higher education. One key point: Students who had access to an AI tutor learned twice as much in less time than conventional tutoring methods. If you are in the manufacturing sector, please read and think about this piece: “This is a Glimpse of the Future of AI Robots.”
Think Twice: All of these advances in AI are real and powerful but AI still has three big problems: 1) It consumes a massive amount of energy; 2) The data centers it relies upon use a great deal of water, and 3) AI is generating a deeply troubling amount of electronic waste. In fact, AI is generating the equivalent amount of 13 billion iPhones being thrown into landfills every year. This e-waste leaches lead and mercury into the soil. This is a problem the entire AI industry must begin thinking about–and acting upon–today.
Think Optimistically: Every human-made thing that exists in our world today was first imagined in the human mind. From this truth, you can draw the following conclusion: We are living in–and with–the creations of someone else’s imagination. For the most part, the things which have been imagined into existence have been positive for society–farming, commerce, trade, money, democracy, capitalism, automobiles, skyscrapers, etc. As we contemplate the future, one of the questions we should ask ourselves is this: In whose “image of the future” do we want to live? Do we want to live in the imagination of Elon Musk and his dystopian Tesla cyber trucks or do we prefer visions such as this one from the imagination of architect Lenka Petráková: Majestic “8th Continent” could recycle plastic from the ocean.
Think Visually: I mentioned Shelley Palmer’s talk earlier. For years, I have been sharing with my audiences the power of exponential growth. We are now at the “knee of the curve” which means the advances are now moving vertically. If you are having a hard time grasping the earlier idea of 5-month tasks being done in 5-seconds, please understand AI might soon be able to do 5 year tasks in 5 seconds. This chart will help:
Afterthought: “Prayer is part of the divine plan for making over that which is into that which ought to be.” –Unknown
