Written on December 11th, 2023
A little over a year ago, ChatGPT became the fastest-growing consumer app on the internet, hitting 100 million active users in less than 2 months.
That’s impressive. I’m equally impressed by how useful it is. Earlier this week I found myself wondering, what will this whole AI thing look like in ten years?
So, just as Neil deGrass Tyson did in his book Starry Messenger Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization predicting ten things humanity will do by 2050, I’d like to take a swing at predicting AI events and use cases by 2033.
As we know, predictions don’t always come true, and I’m risking looking like an idiot as some of these predictions are ultra-specific.
I share these predictions for two reasons.
One, because it will be fun to look back and see what was correct.
Two, for you as a reader to envision a future where you can do less of the boring work and more of the work you enjoy. Perhaps you’ve got a self-starting mindset and want to contribute to making these ideas come to life. That’s up to you!
For those reading this in 2033 and laughing at the inaccuracies, “AI” in this context refers to software and hardware that deliver a result by relying on what it’s learned through various training methods. Perhaps in the future, there will be different ways AI comes to deliver the result, growing the scope of AI’s capabilities beyond what my 2023 brain could dream up.
Here are 38
Ambitious AI Predictions For 2033
An individual under the age of 21, with minimal prior programming experience, will use AI assistance to develop an iPhone app that ranks in the top 10 of the App Store's charts.
A developing country will officially attribute a significant portion of its GDP growth to AI-driven innovations.
AI will play a crucial role in the planning, execution, or operation of at least one commercial mission aimed at mining asteroids for resources.
Personal devices will feature localized AI assistants, capable of turning everything that was on your screen into a searchable database, enabling you to search for something you vaguely remember reading.
AI will find the cure for one of the top 10 causes of death.
At least one city will conduct a trial run with an AI system acting as 'mayor', autonomously making decisions on the city's resource allocation.
30% of the American population will regularly engage in platonic or romantic conversations with an AI entity through digital devices, considering it a meaningful relationship.
At least 10% of cars in America will drive completely autonomously.
A small percentage of wealthy households will have integrated at least one robot capable of performing major household tasks such as cooking, cleaning, or nannying.
An individual will successfully receive an AI-powered microchip implant in their brain, enhancing their brain’s function.
An AI system will solve a problem in physics that went unsolved by scientists.
It will be common for at-home tinkerers to start a project by instructing AI to analyze a problem (my iPhone charger is damaged) and create a solution (it designs a 3D print for a custom repair part) based on visual inputs.
AI will be able to accurately analyze videos and respond with the understanding level of a four-year-old.
The world's ten most valuable companies will be in the computer hardware and software sectors, driven by AI-enhanced efficiencies and global internet accessibility.
AI chatbots will become commonplace in classrooms worldwide, allowing students to pursue individual learning interests under the teacher’s guidance, fostering excitement to learn and a self-starter mentality.
Reasonable AI Predictions For 2033
A short film using mostly text-to-video prompts will get 10,000,000 views on YouTube (or the YouTube equivalent of 2033).
A song using an AI-generated beat will reach #1 on the Billboard 100.
Phones will have perfect translation for the top 25 languages built in, effectively eliminating language barriers online.
AI-generated videos will become indistinguishable from real footage, leading to the implementation of AI-detecting software, human fact-checkers, and blockchain technology to verify authenticity.
The majority of a nation's population will be deceived by a fake video of their leader, prompting a formal address by the leader to denounce the video and announce measures against AI deepfakes.
The widespread creation of deceptive AI videos will lead to a temporary decrease in the happiness of social media users.
Social media platforms will offer users more control over their in-feed content, allowing preferences for more educational content, and less (or more) thirst traps.
The primary income source for most online creators will be driven by their storytelling content, as opposed to information-based content, as most informational content will be easily accessible for free.
AI-scripted video content, with assistance from a human creator, will become a standard practice in the media industry.
A significant number of companies will use AI to analyze internal databases for inefficiencies and consumer insights, leading to the release of a new product adjacent to the customer base they already serve.
A company will enter the S&P 100 by marketing itself as “Resource management software using AI”. Their valuation, while slightly overhyped, will increase the efficiency of a branch of the U.S. government.
Major companies will prioritize creating a high volume of ultra-niche content for AI platforms like ChatGPT as part of their new customer acquisition strategy, surpassing traditional SEO tactics.
There will be an investor gold rush of companies whose main purpose is to source and format data for training industry-specific AI insights.
Hundreds of cryptocurrency tokens will be built around the Artificial Intelligence craze. Most of them will be worth -99% of their all-time highs within 5 years.
30% of Americans will experience at least one instance where they mistake an AI chatbot for a human during a conversation.
AI will use personal health data to develop patient-tailored drugs with reduced side effects.
AI will accurately predict the location of a formerly extinct species.
It will be common to get complete nutritional information, recipe suggestions, and freshness of food by simply showing the food to your phone.
A major AAA video game will feature environments primarily created with AI-generated assets, and players will hardly notice.
You’ll commonly run the majority of important personal emails and texts through AI-based 'charisma filters' before being sent.
AI will be utilized to automate the vast majority of repetitive digital tasks, including emails, report generation, inventory management, file organization, and customer service.
Individuals will routinely provide personal information to AI systems, information they typically withhold from friends, to seek advice and improve their quality of life.
I’ll use an AI to track news and confirm when one (or all) of these predictions come true.
And those, my friends, are the 38 predictions I think could come true by December 11th, 2033. If any of them stick out to you, leave a comment!
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