While there will be unpredictable developments in the next 50-100 years, progress can still be made in mitigating risks, such as political coordination and horizon scanning by research institutes. However, this is often neglected due to bias against investing in what is not yet known, leading to potentially catastrophic consequences such as the ability to build pathogens that could kill billions.
In order to address global risks such as climate change and pandemics, effective communication and collaboration on a global scale are essential. Heuristic approaches to understanding these complex issues are not sufficient, and the failure to properly communicate the severity of these risks could have catastrophic consequences.
The development of artificial intelligence (AI) is likely to be the most important development of this century and may have both positive and negative consequences. The conversation revolves around the potential impact of AI and the need for policies to mitigate the negative effects.
The advances in technology are ever-evolving in our lives, and we live with more digital intelligence than we would have imagined just three years ago. Despite this, we also face issues related to technological advancements and social divisions.
Although AI and automation may pose existential threats, humans are also optimistic about their potential for solving problems created by these technologies.
The danger of underestimating political threats lies in the possibility of events unfolding in a way that we do not expect, where certain individuals can gain the power and control of resources that can lead to conflict and danger.