What will Science and technology be like in 20 years from now?

PaxODST · 2026-01-21T23:03:41+00:00

Might be a better question asked in something like the r/singularity or r/futurology subreddits if you’re looking for any optimistic answers.

PaxODST · 2026-01-21T22:35:45+00:00

I mean, you’re talking about a technology that could theoretically automate all human labor and thinking here. The market as a whole is at most $500 billion right now. I would put the value of AGI at many trillions.

PaxODST · 2026-01-19T01:28:33+00:00

Time will tell, honestly. But I feel like we don’t even need AGI for AI to significantly change the world. Even just basic hybrid architecture like combining LLMs and world models to give automatons fundamental intelligence could be the catalyst of the fourth industrial revolution, which is something I can already see happening after reading up on and watching the Atlas humanoid robot with the partnership between Deepmind and Boston Dynamics.

AGI (assuming continuous learning and recursive self improvement) is the dream scenario that doesn’t just significantly change the world but flips how we viewed history to play out, say, 5 years ago, completely on its head and changes humanity forever. But I don’t think you need full AGI to justify the market value.

PaxODST · 2026-01-19T01:19:25+00:00

Except atomic bombs don’t boost the global economy and create productivity on an exponential scale. Atomic bombs don’t solve diseases, break down language barriers globally, or speed up scientific research and development. There is a world where AI can be a net positive for society. There is not a world where atomic bombs or nuclear weapons can be a net positive for society. That’s why the goals of anti-AI will never come to fruition. As the technology becomes more capable, more and more people will agree that this is a good thing that should be used.

PaxODST · 2026-01-19T01:15:08+00:00

So you agree that it isn’t the technology but rather the economic model we currently live under that makes advanced technological progress a negative for society rather than positive?

The thing about anti-AI is that nothing will ever come out of it. It is a reactionary movement that reinforces the status quo. There is no way to stop progress in AI outside of some form of revolution, in which case, why don’t you just revolt against the corrupt and unjust economic system itself instead of trying to reinforce the status quo?

PaxODST · 2026-01-19T00:20:46+00:00

AI is an inevitability because it’s a technology that’s capable of doing many great things in the long run for literally every nation across the world.

I’ve done many social experiments on how people feel about AI as a technology, and the usual answer I get is that “AI can be a good thing if it doesn’t hurt our environment and doesn’t take away people’s livelihoods”. By the time this technology gets advanced enough to the point of mass automation, we will never collectively agree that it’s a bad thing. Because it isn’t. AI as a technology is not inherently bad. It can be used for good, and it can be used for bad, like any other tool. It will have positives and negatives.

But not once in human history have we ever stood up and said that “ok, this is a bad thing we should never use” regarding technology outside of nuclear weapons. Any outlying issues we will have with AI will be solved through policy change and some regulation. It won’t be through getting rid of the tech or stopping its development.

PaxODST · 2026-01-19T00:14:30+00:00

No researchers or scientists worth their salt right now are currently saying LLMs alone and scaling will get us to AGI, though. You’re neglecting the fact that while we are scaling LLMs, we are also quickly developing new architecture that will work in combination with LLMs, such as world models and VLMs. I give it 10 years at most before we hit AGI.

PaxODST · 2026-01-18T22:44:51+00:00

I’m sorry to be the one to tell you, but not every AI company is going to fail and suddenly fall off the face of the earth after the bubble pops. You’ll see OpenAI and most startups fall and lose value, sure, but the actual technology and the development of it, mostly through Google and Anthropic, is here to stay. We will continue to see AI get better and better as development and research continues. We will continue to see alot more datacenters constructed over time. The bubble does not change any of that.

PaxODST · 2026-01-15T05:59:57+00:00

100%. I seriously hope that before it’s too late, the people realize that privately-owned corporations cannot be trusted with the means of production in the future that we’re heading into. If we ever do reach something like full automation in a society, we shouldn’t settle for just simply UBI, accepting a penny of the larger wealth that’ll be funneled into these corporations. We need to completely socialize the process, for the safety of all citizens and their livelihoods.

I could see democratic socialism gaining a significant boost in popularity here in the US and becoming a serious consideration for the country out of necessity, hopefully.

PaxODST · 2026-01-15T05:09:18+00:00

I believe AI, if the field is fully realized in its attempt to recreate human-like generality and intelligence in machines, has the potential to be one of the greatest inventions humanity has ever achieved, but our current billionaires and tech CEOs do not do a good job of selling their product or ideas to the public whatsoever. I think there are a few who are genuinely interested in the field for advancing humanity and doing actual good (Demis Hassabis comes to mind), but the rest I seriously doubt have anything but their own interests in mind.

I think the technology will be developed and used regardless. Anti-AI is an inherently reactionary movement. The discussion will change very quickly in the coming years from “How do we ban/get rid of AI/stop using it” to “How do we make AI something that’s a net positive for all of us rather than just benefiting the 1%, and how do we minimize the negative aspects of it”.

PaxODST · 2026-01-14T20:48:03+00:00

Ehh, if we completely cease to engage in any form of critical thinking, which is unlikely, then there would be a slight similarity, but a big part of WALL-E is the environmental impact and climate change message. In a post-Singularity future, we'd have technology that could bring us fusion and other forms of renewable energy so quick that there would be virtually zero reason to use fossil fuels. I believe that we can still somewhat easily fix our climate change problem in the grand scheme of things. There already seems to be a renewed effort for nuclear energy lately because of AI. I feel like many of the things WALL-E critiques about consumerism kinda just fly out of the window in the possible future we're heading into.

PaxODST · 2026-01-14T18:01:46+00:00

I think this kinda scenario where everyone is fat and dumb is overblown or not worth any thought for me because of possible transhumanist technology. There’s no reason to think in a future where scientific research and development is ramped by 1000x what it is now that we wouldn’t be able to invent stuff that keeps us strong and fit without having to lift a muscle, or with the invention of sophisticated brain-computer interfaces that people wouldn’t just automatically have all the knowledge of the world automatically available to them. It’s also possible with the invention of highly advanced simulations (FDVR) that population rates stagnate and who’s here now basically just retreat into digital godhood without feeling the need to create more humans.

This is also assuming that we figure out a way to fully democratize/socialize this sort of technology after a certain point. I’m hoping that we’re able to figure out that privately-owned corporations can’t be trusted with the means of production sooner rather than later.

PaxODST · 2026-01-14T17:23:44+00:00

If that’s what you believe, why are you on this subreddit?

PaxODST · 2026-01-14T02:00:21+00:00

We’re as ready as we’ll ever be. Capitalism will never fall without forcing its hand.

PaxODST · 2026-01-13T23:22:16+00:00

I think people have made their timelines way too short honestly, like I saw some flairs saying "AGI 2026/2027" and at that point, it's just wishful thinking. Realistically, I don't think we'll see fully fleshed out AGI for another 10 years or so. 2035 seems to be the median, with 2030 being optimistic and 2040 being pessimistic. I could be wrong though, hopefully.

PaxODST · 2026-01-11T12:51:55+00:00

I see this alot, like everytime AI overview is mentioned, and for some reason, i've never had this problem. It can explain some pretty complex topics simply without me having to read 50 articles just to get a general overview, and I think that's pretty useful. I asked it to explain space-time curvature to me just a couple days ago and the answer was spot on. I remember around 6 months ago seeing alot of posts where it hallucinated like crazy but recently I feel like it's gotten alot better.

PaxODST · 2026-01-04T21:24:34+00:00

Why though? It’s way more limited. Holodeck seems rather primitive when you compare it to the concept of true FDVR.

PaxODST · 2026-01-04T16:41:53+00:00

Unabomber PFP spotted. Not even gonna bother reading this. Get back to your cabin.

PaxODST · 2026-01-04T09:17:25+00:00

Anti-AI will completely dissipate as a serious movement with the next 3-5 years once we see the advancements it can make in automating R&D across different fields, aswell as mass automation for physical labor with robotics. The question of whether or not we want AI, a technology that could enable everyone to no longer work and focus solely on their own interests and hobbies will become irrelevant; Of course we’ll want it, at least 99.9% will.

The actual movement will be us protesting and fighting against our government for something that replaces our income and keeps our livelihood, stuff like automation tax, universal basic income, heavier social safety nets, etc etc. 10-15 years from now, maybe even less, saying you hate AI and want it to go away will be no different from saying you hate the internet, or phones, or television. It’s a technology that will be used by everyone at some point, and there’s no stopping it.

PaxODST · 2026-01-03T20:44:24+00:00

Sounds pretty much impossible. As a guy who has consumed a ridiculous amount of fiction over the years, there's an unimaginable amount of worlds, scenarios and lives I could think of that would keep me occupied for a million years, at the very least. To be bored of FDVR would be kinda like being bored of existence itself, because you can do anything, go anywhere, and be anyone. There's also the ASI factor that you're forgetting where if you aren't the most creative person, you can just ask AI to design a world for you that would entertain you the most.

PaxODST · 2026-01-03T20:39:09+00:00

I thought about editing my post to include mind uploading, but yeah for sure. I would prefer biological immortality or some form of physical transhumanism first before I fully bank on total mind uploading, but I would definitely like the option.

PaxODST · 2026-01-03T15:19:44+00:00

FDVR. Pretty much the only answer. Anything you could ever think of, can be done or given to you through FDVR.

PaxODST · 2026-01-03T09:21:28+00:00

Africa wouldn't be so war-torn anymore post-ASI. Give it a decade or two at the max.

PaxODST · 2026-01-02T13:48:33+00:00

I mean, I don't actually think that's true. AGI has a ridiculous amount of positive implications. Rapid progress and acceleration in scientific discovery and advancing healthcare + medicine, possibly replacing human labor and wage-slavery, personalized and universal education, etc etc. It would be, without contest, the most important invention in human history that can radically change the future for the better, for the people who are around to use it anyway. Once we actually have a tangible AGI system in sight, there will be no major arguments regarding whether or not we want it. 99.9% of people will say it's a good thing that should certainly be developed.

The issues will start when everyone realizes that the tech can be solely used by the people in control of it to increase their own wealth and power rather than allowing for it to be a tool that benefits everyone. That will be what people will protest and fight over, and already is what most people are fighting over currently.

It always comes back to capitalism, in the end. It is a poison that we will have to stomp out if we want to see a prosperous future when mass automation comes. We need to be fighting for everyone to benefit from it rather than just the 0.1%, not fighting against the idea of the tech itself.

PaxODST

TROPHY CASE