Reviewed Date: November 21st, 2021
Anyone who had read Sapiens would have high expectations when a new book comes from the author. Like many, I was too disappointed with the book’s content.
I had read numerous blog posts on topics that the author had covered before picking up the book. There are, however, a few concepts I liked, and I will talk about them now.
AI will indeed be a superpower in the future. It will take most of our jobs and push us out of the market. But there is a counterargument to this point.
Although AI may grab our jobs, it will create new ones. We shouldn’t cross out the possibility that these new ones will also get automated within a 10-year lifespan.
This brings us to the conclusion: to survive in the future, a person needs to learn and unlearn several skills in his lifetime. If the person crosses 40 years, it would be difficult to allot time for learning, as he/she has a family now. What would he/she do then?
There is where governments step in and announce Universal Basic Income, a small amount of money given to an unemployed person every month. These unemployable people, the author called, would become the ‘useless’ class.
Another interesting concept I liked is that biometric sensors could help us take better life and financial decisions. In the future, biometric sensors will be installed in our bodies, and these sensors will track our emotions, feelings, and opinions.
In a situation, sensors tell us what the best course of action is after analyzing our thoughts and emotions. (Sounds scary)
I disagree with the author on one point. He mentioned, in the future, humans will build brains that fully function as humans’ brains. It’s like saying you know everything about the ocean by knowing its facts. There are still undiscovered territories.
If you are not up-to-date with contemporary issues, give this book a try.
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