By Devasis Chattopadhyay
With all our chatter about AI, social tensions, war and humanity, I was wondering, while I am in between books, where will we be by 2065, in the next 40 years? Will life on Earth be unrecognisable? Youngsters and oldies, like me, are all so excited or acting up, but let’s look at the issue rationally.
From self-driving cars and talking machines to climate pressures and staying under a dome on Mars, humanity stands at a turning point. Here’s what researchers say the next 20, 30, and 40 years might look like, and why the decisions we make today could shape the future for our generations to come.
The Next 20 Years: The Tech-Driven Tipping Point (2025–2045)
In just two decades, the world around us will feel very different. You might commute in a driverless electric car while a smart assistant schedules your day. Virtual reality could become as common as smartphones, and robots may work alongside you, or even take your job away.
Behind the scenes, powerful artificial intelligence (AI) will handle everything from customer service to surgery. Some experts believe up to half of today’s jobs could be automated by 2045.
But it’s not all smooth sailing. Urban-rural divide and climate change are expected to hit us very hard, with more heat waves, food shortages, and extreme weather. That would lead to more political tension and waves of migration as some regions become harder to live in.
On the bright side, clean energy, like solar and wind, will have enough opportunities to replace most fossil fuels by then. However, if our economies keep chasing endless and mindless pecuniary growth, we might push Earth’s resources to the breaking point. A famous model from MIT even warns of a possible societal collapse by mid-21st-century unless we shift toward a more balanced, people-focused system.
30 to 40 Years Ahead: Reinventing the Way We Live (2045–2065)
Imagine cities filled with green buildings, rooftop gardens, and streets where electric buses glide silently through traffic. Homes might run entirely on renewable energy, and almost everything we use, from clothes to gadgets, could be a part of a recycling loop, thanks to circular economies. Researchers are working on futuristic materials and nanotechnology that could revolutionise everything from construction to medicine. AI will be deeply woven into daily life, not just helping, but collaborating and competing with humans. In some limited parts of the Middle East, such things are happening.
But, overall, they are good for movie scripts and fantasy novels; in our daily lives, all such activities will be possible if we are responsible and caring.
When it comes to energy, we’re making slow but steady progress. Scientists rate our civilisation on the Kardashev scale, which measures how much energy a civilisation can use. Right now, we’re at about 0.73 out of 1. By 2065, we might reach 0.75, getting closer to using all the energy our planet can offer.
But while our technology improves, our social challenges remain. The global population may stop growing and even shrink, especially as climate stress affects birth rates and food supply. Old power centres may fade away, and new ones could rise as countries adapt to this fast-changing world.
Beyond 2065: Merging Man and Machine?
By the second half of this century, the line between human and machine might blur. With advances in biotechnology, it could become possible to repair, enhance, or even radically extend human life. Some researchers even imagine future humans living beyond 120 years with their brains supported by AI systems to create a new kind of intelligence.
We may also go beyond Earth. NASA, China, and private companies like SpaceX are actively planning Moon and Mars missions. By 2070, humans might live and work in space, under a ‘dome’ on Mars. However, we’ll need to solve many of our challenges on Earth first.
But, alongside all this excitement, serious risks remain. Scholars warn of possible disasters, such as: 1) A very high risk of AI going out of control. 2) Our climate on Earth is hitting irreversible tipping points. 3) Repeated pandemics from engineered viruses. 4) Large-scale wars or nuclear deployment.
Unlike past civilisations that collapsed quietly in one part of the world and grew in another, ours is a deeply interconnected one. A collapse today could be global, devastating and complete.
What Needs to Change?
Researchers across the world agree: technology alone won’t save us. To survive and thrive, we need governments that think long-term, not just in election cycles. Economies that put people and the planet before profit.Global cooperation, not rivalry, on shared challenges such as migration, food and health security and safe sources of energy.
The next decade is not just about gadgets. They are about values, choices, and how we define progress. If we get it right, we might build a civilisation more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient than any before. It is once again the time for that eternal question, Quo Vadis? Where are we heading? (IPA Service)
The writer is the author of two books, Without Prejudice and Harry Hobbs of Kolkata and Other Forgotten Lives.
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