Whether you realize it or not, you are living through the beginning of a new era of history. It used to be said that we were living in the “information age” with the birth of the internet. Now that ChatGPT and the other types of artificial intelligence have been released, I think that it’s safe to say that the information age has transitioned into the AI age.
What comes next with all this? AI is about to change the world and it’s not necessarily for the better.
Here are a few of my thoughts.
“Super” AI will keep getting smarter
I differentiate this from the concept of superintelligence. When I say “Super AI” what I mean is that you’re going to see a host of different AI abilities being combined. Picture what you would have if you combined ChatGPT, Midjourney, Grammarly, financial guru AI, facial recognition, “counseling AI,” and so on other types of AIs together, and think about what you would have. What’s more, AI learns and adapts incredibly quickly – far more quickly than humans are capable of learning.
It would be something reminiscent of Jarvis from Iron Man. You would end up with this AI that was very much something of a genie in a bottle. Just about anything you would want that AI to do (that didn’t necessarily need to be done in the real world), that AI could do.
Want to talk with somebody about how your day went, what you’re thinking, the advice you need, or how you want to make money trading stocks? A “super AI” would be able to do it and more. This would be somewhat akin to the movie Her. You have this very smart AI that is just about as capable as a human. AI could easily begin to replace human relationships because AI understands you.
As far as superintelligence goes, I think we may have a bit of time there yet. The very idea of superintelligence is somewhat difficult to come to terms with, but Nick Bostrom’s book on the subject (Superintelligence) and The Singularity Is Near are both books that I think will help you to understand the concept better.
“Soldier” AIs in the military
You’re most certainly going to see AI be something of an arms race amongst nations. People are going to do everything they can to figure out how they can weaponize this so that it can be used to protect their people and attack others.
Initially, this will probably be used for cyberwarfare in the form of hacking and coding new viruses that, like Stuxnet, will be capable of causing damage to actual hardware. You’ll also see it used for “financial warfare.” AI is incredibly good at pattern recognition. It will be used to create AIs that are used to manipulate financial markets to cause economic damage to enemy nations or people groups. It could quite literally be used to cause a financial depression in a targeted nation and could even be set up so that it only impacts that nation (or at least predominantly that nation). That AI would be able to understand what stocks and companies a nation needs most, and then go after those.
But it won’t just be in the cyber realm. You’re going to see wild advancements in AI and robotics as well. We’re already seeing ChatGPT being put into robot dogs. This is literally just the beginning. If you’ll remember back in 2020, there was widespread use of AI, drones, and temperature-reading cameras to gather information and enforce mandates. What comes next with AI is that on steroids.
Do I think you’ll see autonomous robotics that are fully capable of making their own decisions and acting of their own volition? Not really. What I think you’ll see instead are robots that have been programmed by police and military units to accomplish X goal without needing human oversight and those robots will go out and accomplish that goal. There are going to be a lot of hurdles in the initial stages of this, but Elysium-style police robots are truly not that far off of an idea within the next 20 years (if not sooner).
The death of a myriad of jobs
We’re already seeing widespread job impact as a direct result of companies replacing human beings with AI. Exhibit A here would be IBM. They’re even geared up to replace their human resources department with AI.
Think back towards the creation of the loom or just about any other technological tool throughout history. They cause job loss. Read up on the history of the Luddites to see what I mean here. Much like Gutenberg put scribes out of business, the introduction of next-level AI into the world is very much going to do the same thing to people across the globe. There will be new jobs that are created out of the birth of this technology (if we’re using history as a guide), but a lot of things are going to change.
Personally, I think manual labor is one of the safest options at the moment due to robotic technology and price-point not being at the level it would need to be to cause plumbers, electricians, and carpenters to be out of a job. If you do just about anything with computers, I think that you do have cause for concern. (Once upon a time, I thought that comedians would be one of the only people safe from robots stealing their jobs. Considering that AI has already done a pretty good job making jokes of its own accord now though, I don’t think this anymore.) If you are worried about AI taking your job, check out this article.
AI is going to change the world.
I don’t think that the above is an exhaustive list of the ways in which you’re going to see changes in the near future, but I do think that it’s a good place to start. As time progresses, keep your ear to the road, and I think that you’ll find that you’re going to see quite a bit of the above. Most of it is not good for humanity.
What are some of your thoughts here, however? Do you think there are going to be other areas that are impacted? Do you think I’m off base with the above? Are you concerned about the rise of AI? Either way, let us know in the comment section.
About Aden
Aden Tate is a regular contributor to TheOrganicPrepper.com and TheFrugalite.com. Aden runs a micro-farm where he raises dairy goats, a pig, honeybees, meat chickens, laying chickens, tomatoes, mushrooms, and greens. Aden has four published books, What School Should Have Taught You, The Faithful Prepper, An Arm and a Leg, The Prepper’s Guide to Post-Disaster Communications, and Zombie Choices. You can find his podcast The Last American on Preppers’ Broadcasting Network.
Article cross-poste from The Organic Prepper.
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Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
