Experts Predict Fairly Rosey Internet Future, But…
Pew Internet & American Life Project releases report analyzing surveyed opinions of more than 700 experts in its report entitled: The Future of the Internet II
Its subhead gives quick a overview of the 104-page report:
A survey of technology thinkers and stakeholders shows they believe the internet will continue to spread in a “flattening” and improving world. There are many, though, who think major problems will accompany technology advances by 2020
Here is my favorite reaction from one of the experts:
“Fear of enslavement by our creations is an old fear, and a literary tritism. But I fear something worse and much more likely – that sometime after 2020 our machines will become intelligent, evolve rapidly, and end up treating us as pets. We can at least take comfort that there is one worse fate – becoming food – that mercifully is highly unlikely.” - Paul Saffo, forecaster and director of The Institute for the Future