Triumph of Big Data, AI and office building of 2040's
A little more than 10 years have passed since the appearance of the iPhone—just over 10 years—and the world has changed dramatically. Universal "digitalization", "gadgetization" and "apps economics" influence all aspects of human activity, including the labor market. There were new professions: marketers and analysts of social networks, content managers, and, of course, app developers. Google and Facebook are building ultramodern offices that are more reminiscent of some hipster town's utopia. Quantum computers, augmented and virtual reality, and the triumph of Big Data are on the way. Well, let's try to guess how our world would transform in 40 years and how (extremely presumably) the workplace of a generation S (Singularity) would look like. Despite the fact that we are a professional architectural firm, our work will be descriptive. Beautiful pictures of flying skyscrapers often greatly distract the public from the main theme of the competition.
THE CORE
As convinced transhumanists, we believe that cardinal changes will occur 5 to 10 years before 2040. So, those technologies that will be available to use with the advent of quantum computers and the improvement of Big Data 1. Avatarization or digital copying of the person 2. Digitization of the brain or enhancement of cognitive abilities with the help of technology Imagine that you are an engineer working for Lockheed Martin. You are designing the first spacecraft of the Earth-SSolar System class for Singapore. Even if you are working remotely, a similar project will take a lot of time and effort from you (even in 2040). Now imagine that all your work (reading of drawings, calculations, and control of robots on the construction site) is performed by your digital copy. You are working on improving the serial spacecraft of the Earth-SSolar System class for NASA. Or lecture at CALTECH. Or MIT. Wait, this is not you, but your copies! Where is our mystic? "ghost engineer"? Sitting comfortably in his chair, wearing a special helmet on his head. NEURONET is connected. The other situation is that you are an engineer from Singapore working on the creation of a pulse engine for a 7th generation aircraft for the Air Force of his country. Although not, this is your avatar. And you yourself go through an internship at Boeing or SpaceX. Both of them came to work on unmanned vehicles and entered the office building of the 2040s. What would it look like outside and inside? 1. Zero emission The facades are covered by transparent solar panels. 2. Paper-free. Paper is not used. 3. Chemical-free. No printers or similar devices 4. Part of the interior is a vertical farm. 5. RIT (Rapid Inner Transport): a combination of horizontal and vertical lifts that allows you to reach every part of the complex within minutes. 6. Convenient personal cells instead of big offices for saving space 7. QUANTUM CORE The "brains" of building Of course, we are interested in imagining what architects will be like in 2040. Most likely, only the aesthetic function will remain for the architects. Traditional buildings will be built using robots and Big Data. In addition, there will appear what we call "inhuman architecture—the buildings constructed by robots for automatic factories, warehouses, and so on.
GLOBAL IMPACT
For evaluation, we decided to apply a simple SWOT analysis Society S. Free from routine, primitive and monotonous work (as a result of robotization). Erasing social boundaries. The opportunity to devote more time to creativity, family, and computer games (ha ha) W. Escape in virtual reality (surrogate life). Digital depression. The rejection of radical technological change by various groups of people (the first stage of religious) or the creation of the "Digital Gods" and their worship. O. Development of cognitive and creative abilities, the discovery of new facets of the human personality. The onset of Technological Singularity. T. More sophisticated cybercrimes, extremism, and cyber-terrorism. Business.S. An unprecedented increase in labor productivity. Corporations worth trillions of dollars with hundreds of employees in the state are commonplace. W. Large costs of cyber security. Hacker attacks are more sophisticated and lead to serious trouble. O. Infinite. The knowledge economy becomes the economy of singularity. T. A new level of corporate wars, cyber espionage using avatars, the overall complexity of the system. Government. First of all, we want to note that such revolutionary technological changes will lead to the erasure of "national" borders. Under the government here (2040) we mean a functioning World Government or World Parliament. We do not create illusions about the "uselessness" of governments at this level of technology development. You do not need bureaucracy, but not a manager. Super-global tasks, such as terraforming, extraction of minerals in space, colonization of other planets are beyond the power of "national" governments. The political model on Earth 2040 is the old good American meritocracy + blockchain + Big Data S. The decision of planetary (and extra-planetary) issues at a new level. W. Residual phenomena of the "human factor" O. "Digital Democracy" will allow everyone on our Planet to participate in decisions that shape the future T. Rejection and resistance from various political movements, nationalists, and radical parties ("digital anarchy" and "breakchain")
THE CONCLUSION
Will the world of 2040 be the world of the "Matrix", and we be the only batteries that feed the machines? We really would not want to. Are we a toy—an imitation in the hands of some kind of super civilization (as Elon Musk believes)—and, if so, what are the true goals of this game? The game is over—and all over again—or are we being tested for something more? Maybe. Will AI cause death to mankind by getting into the wrong hands (and such hands on the planet are now unfortunately not few), or will it become our faithful ally and helper? Maybe. The main thing is that we can prepare for the onset of such a future now. The first workplace for each person is the school desk. At the school desk, as a rule, we understand who we want to be and become. And it is at the school desk that poverty and ignorance can be defeated.