Philosopher AI
Purchase queries
What future technology will most greatly change society?
There are two main ways in which technology will most greatly change society: The first is the use of genetic modification to eliminate disease as a cause of death. In this scenario, the amount that people live can be increased by more than 50% (the average age at death being around 85 instead of 55). This means a significant increase in demand for healthcare workers and other jobs that support old age, such as retirement homes and nursing staff.
The second main way in which technology will affect society is the use of genetic editing to modify behavior. This could be used, for example, to cause people who are currently depressed or anxious to feel happier and less stressed.
If you were to combine these two technologies, it could have a very significant impact on society. In the United States alone, there are over 40 million people suffering from depression or anxiety.
If depression could be eliminated with genetic editing, then that would create a huge amount of economic activity. Depression is worth $210 billion to the US economy in terms of lost work time and medical expenses.