The Coming Wave: Technology, Power, and the Twenty-first Century's Greatest Dilemma

Though technological waves can be destructive, they also usher in benefits that—in Suleyman’s view—humanity cannot afford to ignore. The benefits of the coming wave of technology, as outlined by Suleyman, are multifaceted and far-reaching, promising advancements across various domains that stand to significantly improve human life.

Suleyman describes the vast potential benefits of AI, synthetic biology, robotics, clean energy, and quantum computing. In the near term, advancements in AI offer the promise of increased efficiency, productivity, and convenience in various industries, from healthcare and finance to transportation and entertainment. Synthetic biology holds the potential to revolutionize medicine, agriculture, and environmental sustainability, offering solutions to pressing challenges such as disease eradication, food security, and climate change. Furthermore, robotics and automation offer opportunities for labor-saving and dangerous task automation, enhancing workplace safety and freeing humans to pursue more creative and fulfilling endeavors. Clean energy technologies, including solar, wind, and nuclear power, offer sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels, mitigating environmental degradation and addressing climate change. Suleyman argues that the speculative future benefits of fields like synthetic biology would be revolutionary: “Want to make some washing detergent or a new toy or even grow a house? Just download the ‘recipe’ and hit ‘go’ (115).