The Machine Stops

“But Humanity, in its desire for comfort, had over-reached itself. It had exploited the riches of nature too far.”

Reading The Machine Stops made me uncomfortable because the future it describes does not feel like a far-fetched probability in the age of rapid digitalization. Humanity will soon develop very powerful artificial intelligence that will control most aspects of our lives, and in our desire for comfort, our actions will widely differ. What we see valuable and enjoy right now (walking outside, seeing scenery, in-person interactions) will radically change hundred years from now.

AI will lead to hyper-personalized contents that physical world can’t compete anymore. The real-world might feel numb, slow, and unnecessary. Moving in physical space won’t be a need and will get shadowed by what digital world can offer. We might end up spending our lives in tiny cells.

Do we want that future? I don’t think anyone will say yes to that right now. We don’t want humanity to move into a vegetative state.

But the desire for comfort, the willingness to choose passiveness over tiring our brain, might make such future reality.