New technologies revolving around the use of artificial intelligence in nano-sized robots will change our lives profoundly. It will become increasingly important that we understand the impending changes so that humanity is not overwhelmed by machines in the long-term, and in the shorter term we are ready for a massive shift in employment as millions of jobs are lost forever. As a young nation, the UAE is well placed to handle this shift and maybe take a leading role in thinking about how to cope.
Nanotechnology, artificial intelligence and robotics have yet to make much of an impression on us. At a simple level, it might mean that as you drive home your intelligent wristwatch notices that your blood pressure is higher than normal, so it alerts your intelligent house to switch on the kettle to prepare a soothing drink to be ready on arrival, while also sorting out some music and messaging your family to give you 20 minutes of peace. All without your intervention. The same ability of small markers to communicate about their hosts’ activities would transform a production line in a factory, and also create new and terrible weapons of war.
After recognising the scale of the changes heading our way there are several steps to take. The first is to be ready for change. It is hard to think that regular and steady employment will be possible, so people need to be ready to change careers, and social services and government support need to be ready for that.
Second, education needs to prepare young people for this and technical colleges and scientific institutes will become more important, but we also need people ready to govern this process.
Finally, this transformation need not be as frightening as some of the dystopian robotic futures of science fiction. Over this century the total human population is set to peak at around 11 billion and is then set to fall for some generations. The new and smaller human race will have a great chance to get things right, as we have done so often in the past.
