Technologies such as AI, humanoid robots, quantum computing… are advancing rapidly and may disrupt human life in the future.
Top 8 Future Technologies That Could Significantly Impact Humanity
“The Singularity of AI”
The hypothesis of “AI Singularity” has gained attention recently, referring to a future when AI becomes significantly smarter than human intelligence and may pose a threat to humanity’s safety. In fact, 2022 was the year that ChatGPT, Lensa AI, and others made remarkable advancements thanks to powerful AI algorithms, surpassing humans in certain aspects.
Experts predict that 80-90% of current jobs will be supported by AI, and many of those may become completely obsolete. Therefore, humans are advised to consider ways to prepare for this future.
A prototype robot with human-like shape and size. (Photo: Reuters)
Human “Modification”
Thanks to CRISPR-Cas9 technology, humans can alter genetic traits in plants, animals, and even their own bodies. To date, gene editing technology has provided significant benefits, such as combating diseases, correcting gene mutations that cause dangerous illnesses, eliminating food allergies, and ensuring sufficient food supply to sustain the planet.
On the other hand, many people are also concerned about the idea of permanently modifying genetic traits. For instance, CRISPR currently has the capability to control genes that will be permanently integrated and passed down from generation to generation. Several countries, mostly in Europe, have banned gene editing due to the unknown impacts, although this technology is legal in China and the USA. Many scientific groups are now starting to discuss the implications and ethics of this technology more openly.
Merging Humans and Machines
So far, the application of machinery to humans has been carried out at a basic level, such as attaching new limbs to lost arms and legs, implanting artificial hearts, or simply using glasses integrated with computers and AI for better long-distance and night vision. At a higher level, the U.S. military is equipped with exoskeleton suits that assist in movement and alert about enemy threats.
Some companies, like Neuralink founded by Elon Musk, have been able to implant chips in animals to perform specific tasks. Synchron’s neural technology solution has even successfully implanted chips in an American patient with ALS, a neurodegenerative disease affecting movement and speech.
According to some experts, as technology advances to higher levels, it may be abused. The emergence of a Terminator-like being, as depicted in the film of the same name, could very well become a reality.
The Ability to Print Anything
3D printing technology allows for the creation of any real-world 3D object, but it can also be exploited in harmful ways. As 3D printers become affordable and widespread, controlling the printing of prohibited items such as weapons will be challenging, as anyone can download blueprints and print whatever they want at home.
According to Forbes, regulating and controlling 3D-printed guns is very difficult since they lack serial numbers. Last October, British police seized a large quantity of 3D-printed gun parts at a weapons factory in London.
Quantum Computing
Quantum computers are machines with computational power thousands of times greater than existing supercomputers. This could bring enormous benefits but will also enable hackers to quickly decrypt and breach current security systems with ease.
So far, corporations and governments are beginning to take this threat seriously and are allocating resources towards “post-quantum cryptography” to protect the most sensitive data.
Autonomous Robots
Robots are becoming increasingly intelligent and have already been able to replace humans in certain work environments, such as self-driving cars, baking robots, grocery order takers, coffee makers, and food servers…
However, with the combination of AI, robots are becoming smarter. Advances in humanoid robot manufacturing and recent breakthroughs in AI are making the threat of a type of robot that can make its own decisions gradually become a reality.
Killer Drones
Drones, when operating in groups and with the assistance of AI, can identify, track, and eliminate targets. At Zhejiang University in China, scientists have developed a system of multiple integrated drones capable of tracking human movements in dense bamboo forests without guidance or control from behind.
Halcon, a subsidiary of the Edge Group in the UAE, recently revealed their Hunter 2-S drone system that can share information to track and interact with targets. Furthermore, autonomous drones have begun to appear in conflict zones in Ukraine.
Drones are seen as an effective, low-cost solution that does not require putting soldiers in danger. According to experts, the impact of this technology will be frightening in the future.
Nanobots
Scientists have successfully developed nanobots—tiny robots capable of infiltrating the bloodstream to perform certain tasks, even crossing the blood-brain barrier. This technology is considered to have enormous potential benefits, such as sampling, collecting, transmitting data, and distributing medication within the human body.
However, the potential for this technology to be abused is also very high. In the future, nanobots could be used to transmit human thoughts. Experts even predict the possibility of weaponized nanobots that could kill or rewrite a person’s memories. Additionally, there are serious concerns about privacy in the modern world as device cells become connected and transmit data at high speeds.
