Although there is plenty of worry about AI, there is also a huge amount of optimism about its near and far potential. The greatest optimism centers around medical breakthroughs with some predicting all diseases will eventually be cured and people will live up to 150 in the future. Will the average worker retire at 90? See
superagency and
AI benefits.
The Possibilities
In his 2026 book "Abundance or Collapse," ex-Tesla program manager Farzad Mesbahi says "Think about what becomes possible when you can deploy robots to build housing at a fraction of current costs. When desalination powered by cheap solar can provide water to any region that needs it. When AI tutors can provide personalized education to every child on the planet. When healthcare diagnostics that currently require expensive specialists become available through AI systems."
Universal Basic Income
Optimists believe that AI will eventually demand a complete restructuring of the global financial system as well as political thinking. For example, if only a fraction of the population needs to work, a minimum income will have to be distributed by each country's government to its citizens, otherwise what will 80% of the world's population do to survive. Although this might take ten, twenty, even forty years, proponents feel this will be a wonderful change for humanity. Contrast with
AI anxiety.