2030: AI revolution or ominous sign for mankind?

Is human life moving towards servitude to machines? There was once considerable debate among sociologists and even some skepticism among scientists, but the blink of an eye has seen a transformation. The Earth of the year 2000 and today's Earth are worlds apart. While economic and social equality may not have been achieved, in a literal sense, the world has now transformed into a global village. And this seemingly insurmountable change has been driven by the small device called the smartphone. Those who once scoffed at the idea of robots taking over the world now find themselves grappling with different concerns. Instead of giant mechanical beings or robotic overlords, the fear today revolves around artificial intelligence. What was once the stuff of science fiction is now in the palm of our hands. Previous science fiction writers portrayed artificial intelligence as the embodiment of evil, often in the form of robotic beings, but now they too are alarmed by the proliferation of foreign AI entities permeating the internet. However, as much as we may fear AI, is it inherently sinister? If so, why then are tech giants worldwide investing in AI? Are they truly pouring money into a self-destructive endeavor?

By 2030, the entire world will be heavily reliant on digital marketing. Already, platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram dominate product or business promotion. The concept of selling products or services in physical stores or shops is beginning to break down. Consequently, the largest superstores in the world have emerged as digital platforms such as Amazon and Alibaba – with Uber taking over the majority of the world's rental transport services. Even in developing countries like ours, platforms like Daraz, Rakuten, and Pathao are thriving in various business sectors. The demand for content and graphic design for marketing is skyrocketing globally. With each passing day, the demand is increasing. It's becoming increasingly impossible to meet this demand solely relying on human capabilities. Thus, it's best to educate and train machines – what we've coined as Artificial Intelligence. Contrary to what researchers believed a decade ago, artificial intelligence now has no boundaries – machines can function even without being actual physical entities; a sophisticated software like ChatGPT or Medium's AI can suffice as proof. Our next target is IoT – the Internet of Things. It's a system where you won't need to lift a finger for anything in your home. Eventually, even mundane tasks like turning off the fan or paying utility bills using digital services, monitoring pets, or opening/closing windows and doors will be done without human intervention. In the future, tasks like cooking, cleaning, or even escorting children to school will be controlled by robots. The certainty of what humans will do then is still uncertain.

This AI system will be controlled by a sophisticated app, but instead of residing on your PC or smartphone as previously imagined, the app will be embedded within your body through a microchip. This microchip will control the entire IoT system. Alongside your daily life management, it will also monitor your health. It will alert you if any harmful bacteria enter your body, or if cancer cells start proliferating unnoticed. It will also monitor levels of blood sugar, cholesterol, hormones, etc. If any irregularities are detected, the microchip will notify you and, if necessary, suggest solutions using artificial intelligence. If the situation becomes serious, AI will communicate with your doctor online, inform them of the situation, and based on their advice, order medication. You might contemplate your decisions, but before you make any, you might find a robot or delivery drone delivering your medication. While it may sound like a sci-fi scenario, it's actually what's unfolding, perhaps in the next decade. So, it is natural that the tech giants will enter the field first.

The renowned British magazine Forbes has brought forward some significant information on this matter. The influential magazine has indicated that alongside apps, human-like interactions with humanoid robots will become increasingly common as we move towards 2030. While humanoid robots are already available in the market, the emergence of artificial intelligence is expected to significantly accelerate their integration into human society by 2030.

The landscape of the market for artificial intelligence has been depicted by the magazine. OpenAI's ChatGPT, not Google, is currently leading the race in creating AI chips. The American company NVIDIA, with a capital of 2 trillion dollars, is at the forefront of creating artificial intelligence chips, although in 2022, the company's capital was only 300 billion dollars. Hence, it may not be accurate to assume that NVIDIA will maintain its position, as others are expected to challenge them. Indeed, intense competition has already begun. Another prominent tech giant, Intel, has swiftly entered the competition, and it's possible that Intel might surpass NVIDIA soon. Not only that, but companies like Amazon, Microsoft, AMD, Alphabet, and Meta (Facebook-Instagram-WhatsApp) have also set their sights on this competition.

Currently, AI functions by typing or issuing voice commands, and it performs tasks accordingly. By 2023, the way we communicate with each other as humans will resemble how we communicate with AI or robots. It's possible that in the true sense, there won't be a need for teachers, consultants, personal secretaries, lawyers, or accountants. AI will then be capable of handling all tasks.

Although humanoid robots may resemble humans in appearance, they cannot perform as many diverse tasks or exhibit such intricate thoughts or creativity as humans. The robots seen in restaurants in advanced societies today can only perform the duties of hotel waiters. They are incapable of doing much more than serving food or beverages. Robotic cars operate more like intelligent machines or workhorses, and massive robotic arms in factories are limited to factory applications; it's challenging to utilize them for other tasks. However, in the decade leading up to 2030, the intelligence of these robots will be governed by AI technology. Their brains will be filled with online data from around the world. As a result, these robots will be able to make decisions at the right time by themselves, without much need for time management. So, while humans take time to perform tasks day by day, humanoid robots may take only a few seconds. At that point, human civilization may reach supersonic speeds.

Already, Elon Musk's Tesla company has begun work on creating a type of robot called Optimus, which is slated to enter the market not much later than 2030, possibly by 2025.

So, it seems that by 2030, humanity is heading towards a major upheaval. However, whether the outcome of this upheaval will be self-destructive is not yet clear. Forbes' report suggests that most people will lose their jobs due to the AI revolution. If we sacrifice ourselves for the sake of simplifying life, will the very fabric of humanity not be compromised?

The answer to this question is not in our hands. But if technologists, sociologists, psychologists, scientists, and researchers cannot soon come up with a solution while sitting together, then AI could become a threat to the existence of humanity.

Author: Science Writer