“Predicting the future is challenging but building it is even more. That’s my job, and it is difficult since the technological growth and trends expected in the next decade are staggering. There is a high degree of probability that we have built, by 2035, what I call ‘the last human tool’ or artificial general intelligence (AGI) or more probably E-AGI, a term I coined to include the physical part in it or the ‘embodiment.’ If humanity is able to stand the waves of change that this advanced intelligence will bring, it could be a bright future, if not it will bring a daunting one. Let’s try to focus mostly on the first option.
“Work and Economy: As AIs and E-AGIs takes over most repetitive tasks, the very nature of traditional employment may be rendered obsolete. With the majority of jobs handled by advanced machines, existing economic systems will likely need a radical restructuring that accounts for large-scale automation. In such a future, methods of resource distribution could shift significantly, leading to new models that emphasize shared prosperity over traditional wage labor. These changes will challenge societies to balance the benefits of automation with the potential displacement of human workers, requiring innovative approaches to productivity and the meaning of work.
In an age in which AI can store and access vast amounts of information instantly, the traditional emphasis on knowledge retention could diminish, encouraging humans to focus more on wisdom and interpretation rather than raw data. Creativity, empathy and emotional intelligence may grow in prominence, distinguishing human capabilities from artificial ones. As standardized roles fade into the background, uniqueness and individuality stand to become invaluable assets, potentially reshaping how people view self-expression, personal identity and worth.
“Social Impact: By 2035, education is poised to transform from a system focused primarily on knowledge acquisition to one that values creativity, problem-solving and the cultivation of unique personal skills. AI-driven personalized teaching will likely replace one-size-fits-all schooling, fostering continuous human-AI dialogue that becomes both natural and ubiquitous. Social interactions themselves will be deeply influenced by intelligent systems, as AI becomes integral to communication, community-building and the enhancement of relationships. This development prompts societies to reflect on how technology mediates human connections and the ways individuals learn and grow.
“Core Human Traits: In an age in which AI can store and access vast amounts of information instantly, the traditional emphasis on knowledge retention could diminish, encouraging humans to focus more on wisdom and interpretation rather than raw data. Creativity, empathy and emotional intelligence may grow in prominence, distinguishing human capabilities from artificial ones. As standardized roles fade into the background, uniqueness and individuality stand to become invaluable assets, potentially reshaping how people view self-expression, personal identity and worth.
“Challenges and Opportunities: Individuals will face a stark choice between remaining ‘classic humans,’ who rely on innate biological faculties, or embracing technological augmentation to enhance or replace certain abilities. This may involve surrendering some human traits to machines – raising ethical and existential questions about what it means to be human. On the positive side, AI’s efficiency and capacity for large-scale optimization could reduce inequality by streamlining resource management and potentially offer groundbreaking solutions to major global challenges. This future hinges on how societies navigate the delicate balance between technological progress and safeguarding essential human qualities.
“Critical Considerations: As humans integrate more deeply with AI and even start to live with real ‘intelligent’ E-AGIs, it will become crucial to establish ethical frameworks that ensure fairness and protect human agency, if possible or as much as possible. Our societies and the models that rule them will become obsolete, this is why it is of critical importance to build completely new ones, while it is still possible to do that. They will need to have embedded the critical changes in three dimensions (Intelligence, Work and Time) to face new realities:
- We will most probably not be the most intelligent creatures on the planet, with all of the accompanying somewhat unknown implications.
- Work will be rendered obsolete and so our old societal schemes and self-beliefs.
- We will have to redefine how to leverage our full ‘time’ availability.”
This essay was written in January 2025 in reply to the question: Over the next decade, what is likely to be the impact of AI advances on the experience of being human? How might the expanding interactions between humans and AI affect what many people view today as ‘core human traits and behaviors’? This and nearly 200 additional essay responses are included in the 2025 report “Being Human in 2035.”