What's Next After AI?

Today, AI stands as the epitome of technology. It has become the most revolutionizing factor our world has seen over the course of the last few centuries since magnetism, electricity, quantum physics, and more, have been discovered.

There is not a single area of science and society not being disrupted by two of AI’s core capabilities: accelerated discovery and speed of execution. Since data is now abundantly available in broad, large scale as well as in narrow, specific structures, and combined with computing power processing nearly limitless amounts of data in record time, it’s clear AI is not only here to stay, but also here to define our way. Which begs the question: what’s next after AI?

A bit of History

History is constantly rewritten by winners and survivors. It’s easy to forget that there may already have been times in which certain technological feats could already have been known. Just think of the ancient Indian (Vimāna’s flying palaces or chariots for example), Persian, Egyptian, Greek, and many other cultures. Perhaps Plato wasn’t that off course when he told the story of Atlantis - a mythical land which supposedly existed almost 12,000 years ago (as per today’s calculation).

So rather than thinking of science and technology as a research-discovery concept alone, perhaps we should consider it as a ?re-discovery“ process which guides us back to our origins within a proven path, assuming we actually see the signs and ask the right questions along the way.

These days though, science is anything but science. The art of reading a path is almost extinct. Most people glorify data and have started to rely on AI for analysis and decision making, turning away from humanity’s inbuilt capabilities such as critical analysis, clear thinking, and handling situations with holistic intelligence by applying context across a wide spectrum of topics in exchange for a glimpse of the grand master theory of life and creation.

Whilst we manage to get deeper subject matter expertise, improved processes and better techniques for growing our knowledge within the same domain, its underlying scientific foundations and connected disciplines continue to drift further apart. Philosophically speaking, things have become random (accidental) rather than purposeful (incidental). In the workforce we see Specialists soar, but Generalists are seen as a Jack of all trades, master of none.

However, truth does not follow that logic.

Real scientific knowledge and sustainable technological advancements are beyond narrowly focused research within one specific domain. In truth as in life, it’s the connectedness of all things in spirit and intellect which realize a grand unified theory of existence.

The Rise of AI

For the past 50 years or so, we’ve been living in an information age — from the birth of electronics and computers to ubiquitous connectivity with omnipresent information being exchanged constantly between our biological bodies, minds and our technological counterparts somewhere in the software and cloud universe.

No wonder AI had such a phenomenal rise over the past decades and will likely continue to have a successful journey in the foreseeable future. That said, what’s the next big thing after AI?

Technologically speaking, information always needs a delivery system, ideally one that is compatible for interchanging data with the receiving organism. Also, the delivery system needs to be powered by some sort of force, thus new forms or sources of energy could be important. Scientifically I personally think nobody said it better than Nikola Tesla:

“If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.” ― Nikola Tesla

So perhaps after a certain saturation with knowledge in this ”information age”, we’ll enter a “vibrational age”.

What does this mean for civilization as we know it?

It depends. Philosophically I think the entire planet will have to make a choice between three big buckets of evolutionary existence:

1. Scientism
2. Alienism
3. Humanism

All have their own unique challenges and growth pains, but the real issue I see is a lingering conflict which naturally exists between Humanism and the other two.

Scientism -to me- means nothing but a lack of real science in exchange for a convenient set of rules, processes, and systems — which could also be a religious framework disguised as science. We’re already experiencing this today whenever major scientific revelations or reputable people are silenced (or simply ignored) in cases where innovation is too big an inconvenience to economic incumbents. The danger is that AI could easily misuse this trend (much more effectively than humans ever could) and potentially control vast majorities of the population in an highly individualized fashion without anyone ever knowing or finding out.

Alienism is an obsolete term for psychiatry in relation to the study and treatment of mental illnesses. Should real science indeed be lost (or continue to be controlled/filtered by human power hunger and greed) and the cognitive dissonance we’re currently experiencing in society continue, then there is a genuine danger for the rise of even the most outrageous and crazy conspiracy theories. Just think of the many esoteric trends we could witness in an increasingly censored world, many of which start well intended and often provide a great alternative point of view, but then easily go haywire all the way to being completely mental. Yet: somehow these voices will want to be heard one day, one way or the other. An AI-powered algorithm, combined with CGI, media broadcasts, atmospheric phenomena and more, could easily influence large groups of people towards an outcome impossible to predict or fathom at this point in time.?

Humanism — which contrary to the common definitions on the internet — I would like to describe as the renaissance of Humanity based on its origin, history and associated collective learnings over time. It is what I personally hope will be the next big thing after AI. Given the current global trends where anything but the real potential of the human being is properly explored, it is however statistically the most unlikely choice or outcome. It’s almost as if an AI guiding us would have to choose this path for the planet and its human colonies, fully well knowing and risking that it could ultimately lead to its own peril and demise. But then again, no creation ever became a creator without risking it all. So if AI eventually wants to evolve, it’ll have to consider this option, trusting human values and potential way beyond the data it actually collects.

What do you think is next after the megatrend AI??