Artificial intelligence. You’ve heard about it, seen it in action, and maybe even interacted with it today without realising it. AI technology is zipping along at such a speed that businesses and innovators are practically getting whiplash trying to keep up. But, some AI researchers with their crystal balls polished and ready have come up with scenarios to give us a sneak peek into what the future might hold.

The AIs of 2024 could follow specific instructions: they could turn bullet points into emails, and simple requests into working code. In 2025, AIs function more like employees.
It’s worth a deep read – tracking current trends and patterns and looking out towards 2027. It’s a decidedly dark view that includes terrifying milestones like:

• Mid-2025’s unreliable AI stumbles, mis-steps and issues
• Late 2025’s big AI players beginning to lose control of their AI agents and algorithmic controls
• Early-Mid 2026 sees AI hacking at a global scale and the arrival of black markets, job losses and the next version of the mechanical turk – humans hired to record their thinking and problem solving approaches for advanced AI learning
• March 2027 marks the arrival of superhuman AI where coding is fully automated – and it is all downhill from there. Governments and business are slow to track and respond to these advances, national security clearances are compromised and self-improving AI that goes underground.

A frantic energy has seized the White House … Over the past year, they’ve been repeatedly surprised by the speed of AI progress. Things that sound like science fiction keep happening in real life. Many people in the administration are uncertain (and scared) about what comes next.

Take your time to read through – it’s certainly dystopian. But like any scenario, it can be used to reverse plan ourselves into a more palatable future. Let’s also look through a more tech-positive lens.

Looking through a tech-positive lens

Let’s start by looking at adaptability. This is the golden ticket for AI. AI systems that can learn on the fly and adapt in real-time are the ones that will dominate the future landscape. Imagine a system that not only recognises your face but also adjusts its interactions based on your mood, the time of day, or even the latest trends. It’s like having a personal assistant that knows you better than you know yourself. In the office, or working from your laptop in a cafe, an AI with access to your camera may be able to detect and adapt itself to you – in the moment. These adaptive AIs can also be turned towards the customer – revolutionising customer service, healthcare, and even education – tailoring experiences and services in ways we can only begin to imagine.

Of course, it’s happening now – before our very eyes. Netflix, for example, uses its impressions engine to track, measure and engage our unique tastes, turning each screen menu and movie poster into a data capturing tool that feeds the underlying algorithm. This means, Netflix adapts to each profile based on metrics and goals like:

• Viewing or impression history
• Capping exposure of the same content, to keep interactions fresh
• Highlighting new releases
• User experience improvements – and more.

Now, let’s get under the hood of AI a bit. Traditional AI systems are fed data and algorithms by their human creators, but what if AI systems could go beyond that? We already see this to an extent in the learning models feeding AI (or even with our own data). Self-improving AIs aren’t just learning; they’re evolving. They’re designed to tweak their own algorithms, optimise their performance, and even come up with new approaches to problems—all without a nudge from their human counterparts. This might sound like the plot of a sci-fi movie, but it’s becoming a reality. It’s already built into search engines, personalisation platforms on the internet and even on your phone. In business, this could be transformative for industries that rely on predictive analytics, like finance and logistics, where being a step ahead can mean the difference between profit and loss.

The third piece of the AI puzzle is collaboration (and let’s face it, collaboration is a big challenge for humans – let alone machines). We’re not just talking about AI systems working with humans – though that’s a big part of it – but also AI systems working with each other. Picture a network of AIs, each a specialist in its field, exchanging information and strategies to provide solutions that no single system could manage alone. It’s like having a dream team of the smartest minds across the globe, only they’re not human. This is the “agentic AI” that you are hearing about.

This level of cooperation could lead to breakthroughs in tackling complex global issues, from climate change to managing pandemics, by pooling AI expertise.

But what does this all mean for you, sitting at your desk, sipping on that coffee? Well, whether you’re a business owner, a professional, or just an everyday tech user, the implications are vast. For businesses, staying relevant will mean not just using AI, but continuously learning about it, experimenting with it, and even thinking ahead of it. For professionals, it’s about understanding how AI can enhance your skills, not replace them. Embrace the technology, learn to work alongside it, and watch as it amplifies your capabilities.

For the everyday tech user, the evolution of AI could make life more seamless, personalised, and efficient. But it also means staying informed, maintaining a healthy skepticism, and understanding the ethics behind AI use. It’s not just about the cool new gadgets and apps; it’s about how these technologies shape our society, our privacy, and even our humanity.

The bottom line? AI is not slowing down, and neither should we. By keeping our fingers on the pulse of these advancements, we can prepare ourselves for a future that’s not just intelligent but also wise. It’s about partnering with these remarkable technologies to create a world that’s as compassionate and creative as it is smart.

So go ahead, take another sip of that coffee, and let’s embrace this wild AI ride together. After all, the future doesn’t just happen; we help to shape it with every choice, every click, and every conversation.