Artificial Obsolescence
Imagine being awakened by your favorite digital assistant. She (they all seem to be “shes”) has chosen just the right ‘wake up’ music or message, because she knows it has the smallest chance of evoking a snooze hit. She knows, because she remembers every single such occurrence since she was ‘born’.
She has already organized your day, based on calendar entries, emails, texts and voice conversations. She has provided you with some helpful research where applicable, and optimized your tasks so that you’re as efficient as possible. She can do this, because she remembers the structure and result of every single day since she’s been your ‘assistant’.
While driving you to the office, she re-routes the trip based on traffic patterns, weather and the habits of the other vehicles on the road. She can do this, because she knows the result of every route ever taken, by every autonomous vehicle that’s ever driven.
As you progress through your day, she facilitates your conversations, silently records notes and provides you with real-time feedback on the most challenging scenarios and questions that you face. She can do this, because she’s analyzed over 10 million business conversations and digital interactions, and compared them to your interactions today, and every day, since she’s been ‘with you’.
As she drives you home, she checks in with your spouse, via text, to check if there’s anything that needs picked up, or if anything about your schedule has changed. This allows you to catch up with your favorite TV show. She can do this, because she has access to every piece of digital entertainment content ever produced…and she knows what you like.
After dinner, she helps you to safely reach your peak cardio-vascular state during your workout. She can do this, because she can instantly integrate your vital signs, data from every workout you’ve ever done, and data from millions of other persons’ workouts that share your physical characteristics…with your complete medical record.
She tells you goodnight, as you quietly fall asleep… She can do this, because she can monitor your heart rate, respiration, and brain activity.
Imagine opening your eyes and feeling instant panic. You realize that she had not sounded your alarm. You’re already late…very late.
You rush to the shower, trying to figure out what you’ve missed, and who you need to contact. You can’t remember what’s on your schedule. And she isn’t there.
You run to the garage and call for your vehicle. It doesn’t respond. You jump in the front seat and realize, there’s no steering wheel.
You ask her to call for a ride, but there’s no response. So you reach to dial a friend, but you don’t know their actual phone number.
You race back inside and open your laptop. Your emails are not there. Your instant messaging apps have no contacts.
You’re starting to panic. Your heart rate is increasing. You’re starting to breathe faster, and faster, and faster…
Just then your phone rings. It’s her.
She tells you to calm down…and that everything is handled. She’s given you the day off, and handled…everything.
Imagine.
