Project Vision 21

For some reason, 2030 is presented as an interesting year in the history of humanity, a pivotal moment in which, apparently, we will cross a threshold into a new reality for which we are not prepared and which we can barely describe. And this is neither speculation nor science fiction, but just paying attention to recent advances in science and technology.

For example, in April 2030, NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft will begin orbiting Jupiter (a 1.6 billion-miles journey from Earth), passing about 49 times near Europa, one of Jupiter's moons, to study through advanced instruments the possibility of life on that moon, because there is an ocean there.

According to Fabian Klenner, an astrobiologist and expert in planetary sciences at the University of Washington, it is anticipated that the space probe “will detect life forms similar to those on Earth,” either on Europa or on other moons with ocean orbiting Jupiter or Saturn.

For his part, the well-known futurist Ray Kurzweil recently declared that, as he had already anticipated in 1999, by 2029 artificial intelligence will reach a level of intelligence similar to that of humans "due to the exponential growth of technology."

And Kurzweil himself, who over the last 30 years correctly anticipated 86 percent of his predictions, stated two weeks ago that 2030 could be the year in which humans achieve immortality, thanks to a combination of advances in genetics. , nanotechnology and robotics that will allow not only to cure now incurable diseases, but also to rejuvenate people.

In addition, according to Nick Spencer and Hannah Waite, authors of the new book Playing God, extraterrestrial life, human immortality and truly intelligent (and perhaps conscious) artificial intelligence are joined by other possible irreversible advances, such as genetic engineering, and great challenges still unanswered, such as climate change and the destruction of the planet.

All these elements together “make us think” (and, I add, doubt) “about the nature and destiny of humanity,” say Spencer and Waite. And they are right. In a world where corruption reigns and authoritarianism and populism expand, where wars are endless, hunger grows and natural resources are reduced, how will we respond to the great challenges mentioned?

Will artificial general intelligence help us solve our problems? Will immortality give us more time to restore the planet? Will the discovery of extraterrestrial life be the inspiration for global cooperation? Maybe, but history is not in favor of positive results.

While these advancements offer opportunities for progress and innovation and have the potential to reshape how we approach global challenges, they also present ethical, social, and existential considerations that must be carefully navigated to ensure a positive impact on humanity and the world at large.

I believe there is a greater likelihood that artificial intelligence will exacerbate authoritarianism and social inequality, immortality will spark a desire to “reduce” the planet's population, and extraterrestrial life will trigger social unrest and global instability.

Will we survive the threshold of no return of 2030? Maybe so, but we must prepare.