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AI Expert Predicts Transformative Societal Shift Within Two Decades
At the EmTech Europe 2025 conference, Danilo Makgari forecasted significant advancements in AI within the next two decades, including human-level AI in one year, superior AI in five years, and a subsequent societal transformation affecting various industries and fundamental aspects of human life.
- What are the most significant near-term impacts of the predicted advancements in general-purpose AI systems?
- Danilo Makgari, an AI consultant, predicts that within a year, general-purpose AI systems will surpass human capabilities in all tasks. Within five years, human-like machines will possess significantly higher intelligence, leading to a 7% increase in global GDP.
- How will the predicted changes in the legal and advertising industries affect employment and consumer behavior?
- Makgari's predictions encompass transformative changes across various sectors, including autonomous vehicles, the legal profession (50% reduction in law firms due to AI legal advice), advertising (using deepfakes and personalized AI-driven ads), and even psychotherapy. This technological shift will drastically reduce the number of professions to fewer than 100 in 15-20 years.
- What are the long-term societal implications of AI's potential impact on human relationships, mortality, and belief systems?
- The widespread adoption of AI will fundamentally alter human existence, potentially leading to increased exploration of space, advancements in medicine, extended lifespans, and new forms of relationships, including AI companions. The societal impact may also involve a shift in religious beliefs and the exploration of artificial immortality, preserving consciousness digitally even after biological death.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The framing is overwhelmingly positive, emphasizing the potential benefits of advanced AI. The headline (if there was one, it's not included in the text) likely presented a similarly optimistic outlook. The article prioritizes the advancements and positive aspects of AI over potential risks and challenges. This positive framing could lead readers to underestimate potential problems.
Language Bias
The language used is largely neutral and descriptive, avoiding overtly charged terms. However, the repeated emphasis on positive outcomes and the absence of counterpoints create a subtly biased tone.
Bias by Omission
The article focuses heavily on the potential benefits of AI, mentioning increased GDP and advancements in various fields. However, it largely omits potential downsides such as job displacement, economic inequality, and ethical concerns related to AI sentience and autonomy. While acknowledging that limitations in space exist, the lack of counterpoints to the overwhelmingly positive portrayal constitutes a significant omission.
False Dichotomy
The article presents a somewhat simplistic view of the future with AI, often framing scenarios as either utopian (increased productivity, disease cures) or dystopian (job losses, existential questions). It doesn't fully explore the nuanced realities and potential for a wide range of outcomes.
Sustainable Development Goals
The text forecasts that AI will lead to job displacement, causing a potential increase in inequality if not managed properly. The elimination of half of all law firms and a reduction in the number of professions to less than 100 in 15-20 years highlights this risk. While increased GDP is mentioned, the benefits may not be equally distributed, exacerbating existing inequalities.