What Will the World Be Like in 20 Years’ Time?

Cast your thoughts back to 20 years ago – 2001 – now think how far technology has come since then. Look at the graphics on the films made that year and compare that to the present day. What phone did you have back then? Compare that to your advanced smartphone now. What about your game consoles? Your cars? Your laptops? Your TVs? 

We have come a long way in 20 years with technology getting smarter, faster and more efficient every day. Now have a think what life might be like in 20 years’ time…

This question really excites me and I am eager to see what ground-breaking advancements in technology are to come. Here’s five key areas that I think we will see significant breakthroughs in…

TRANSPORT ??

I have no doubt that transport as we know it will be totally different in 20 years’ time. 

Say goodbye to driving yourself to work – I believe that all cars will be autonomous (and electric). Perhaps these vehicles may not even have a steering wheel in! Even today companies like Waymo, Cruise, Tesla and Zoox are taking on this challenge and are starting to test their autonomous vehicles on the roads. Of course, there is a lot of red tape and legal/safety precautions to get through first, but I am confident that this will be the norm by 2041. 

Not only cars, but we will also be riding in air-taxis. Lilium, Volocopter, Airbus and a number of other organisations are making great progress in making this a reality. Volocopter aim to make air travel affordable and safe for all! 

Finally, I suspect drones will be used absolutely everywhere! I’m regularly speaking with drone organisations and they’re already doing some awesome work. I am confident that drones will be widely used for delivering packages to your door, transporting vaccines to remote areas, as security guards, for entertainment purposes e.g. firework show, for agriculture and also as first responders to emergencies. 

ROBOTS ??

I believe robots will be everywhere in 2041. As technology gets smarter the human race gets lazier. 

Robots will be doing the cooking (see Moley Robotics), they’ll clean the house and attend to their owner’s needs. 

Robotic pets may become normal – a lot easier to look after than a real dog/cat and less mess. 

We are likely to see robots acting as police officers or security guards. In fact, this is already the case in some parts of China!

Maybe we might even be supporting our local robot sports team? I wouldn’t be surprised to see robots being used for entertainment in sports. 

HEALTHCARE ??

A big positive is that healthcare is certainly going to get better too – so more people can live happier and healthier lives. 

Prosthetic limbs will be more advanced than what they are now, plus I am sure they’ll look super realistic!

You might also be seeing a very different doctor to perform your surgery – I reckon it would be a robot! I’ve already seen a number of videos showing robots performing very delicate surgery on things like grapes (see below). Albeit, the surgeon is controlling the robot remotely at the moment. However, I do not think that it is so hard to believe that in 20 years’ time that grape would be a person having heart or brain surgery - and that robot would run autonomously!

I also feel that instead of taking blood tests or having MRI scans, we will have a number of sensors attached to us that can perform real-time ‘check-ups’ and test for any anomalies or diseases. 

Furthermore, scientists will be able to create working organs in the lab to provide for those needing transplants. Of course these will be created with minimal risk of the body rejecting them. 

FOOD ??

What are you having for dinner today?

I bet your plate will look very different in 20 years’ time – or perhaps it won’t look too different but it will definitely BE different.

Firstly, we will no longer be eating meat. Quorn and plant based alternatives to meat are already widely eaten today, but I am sure this will become far more widespread. You will be eating steaks that have been 3D printed or created in the lab!

Plus, vertical farming will most definitely be how we grow our crops. Compared to traditional fields of crops - 99% less water used, 99% less space taken up, no chemicals needed and crops are not affected by climate change or weather conditions. Vertical farming is literally a no brainer and is something I am extremely confident on. Check out InFarm in Berlin who are doing an awesome job with this already!

SHOPPING ??

The shopping experience will be totally transformed. 

I am sure you probably won’t even need to leave the house to “try on” new clothes. Artificial intelligence and augmented reality technology will mean that you can try on outfits before buying them in the comfort of your own home.

Even today there are a number of fantastic apps you can download on your phone which incorporate some of this e.g. Warby Parker where you can try on glasses before buying. 

Supermarkets will also be a very different place – again with the use of AI I reckon we wouldn’t even need to go queue up to buy things. It can automatically charge you once you leave the store with the items. 

Plus, as I mentioned before drones will likely be delivery your parcels to your door. I think that we would be able to order products and receive them in a matter of hours, potentially minutes...

CONCLUSION

Overall, I predict that the world will be a much different place with technology significantly advancing. I’m very keen to hear your thoughts on what I’ve said above, and also what other things you think will be different in 20 years’ time?