I believe things are probably about to get weird in the next couple decades.
There are just too many trends — that could get really weird, that have modest probability of getting weird (like 5%, 10%, 15%), and that are also independent-ish enough — that it feels like it’s adding up…
Ordered sort of by expected weirdness (probability * weirdness):
- AI, just the downstream impact of GPT-4/Claude 3/Llama 3
- VR*, as imagined by Apple for work (* spacial computing)
- Climate, tech transition to energy abundance
- UAPs, whether government psy-op or aliens
- AI, just the downstream impact of say GPT-6
- Geopolitics, mostly US-China
- Population redistribution, remote work + self-driving cars
- AI, with rapid takeoff towards “AGI”
- Crypto, actually disrupting the financial system
Each of these would make it pretty weird! I guess it’s weird that we all walk around glued to our phones now. But still.