Interview with Ray Hammond- The Man Who Predicted internet... in 1984
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Loading...Devastating natural disasters, a DNA-based medicine revolution and new financial crisis: that what the future hold for us, according to Ray Hammond. The famous English writer and futurist talks in Bloomberg meeting.
Which is the most significant prediction that you have made so far?
In 1984 I said the internet was going to change everything. At that time we did not have the World Wide Web nor we did have browsers..We didn`t even have hyperlinks. But it was clear to me that the internet was so important that it is going ti change the way we live. In particular , I said in a book of mine called On-Line Handbook in 1984: " The thing that is the key to the internet is SEARCH." What we will do, whatever it may be. Whether it is a flight, whether it is a film, whether it is a film, whether it is a restaurant- we will SEARCH using Internet and that would be how money is made.
And now Google knows everything about us...
When I said Google knows everything about us, I also meant it`s not just Google. It`s also Apple. And it is Facebook and Instagramand it is YouTube. Basically, every time we interact with these services weare expressing our desires and wishes.
Now even if we want to know what time the flight is, we are expressing desire date.And that data is very useful. Even if we want to know what other people think of a restaurant, we find and we look for reviews at TripAdvisor or Trivago. And the services knows that we are interested in a certain type of food in a certain location . Every time we interact with the Internet or with Apps, we are providing data for ourselves and what we want, and what we fear.
Is it really possible to be that offline?
No, nobody wants to be disconnected. Nobody For me, and probably for you, being connected is almost like having oxygen.It`s very difficult to be without it.
Which is the most important issue we should worry about?
The United Nations has just warned us that with out radical action we may be suffering a crisis by the year 2040. And most governments except Donald Trump`s government, have responded actively to that.For example many governments have already announced that they are banning petrol and diesel vehicles in the coming years, which is a very good thing. It`s going to take more than that
What we are doing is passing on a huge bill to the future generations. Because what will happen is that the extreme weather event will continue and every year there will be millions of dollars of damage done, like the recent hurricane in Florida, or the floods in France. We are causing billions of damages because of climate change.
What about air pollution?
We have discovered recently just how damaging and how dangerous air pollution is. Over the last five years, air pollution in the cities has risen by 8% Not 1 or 2% but 8% in just five years.
What are our options?
We are moving to electric vehicles. It is a simple as that and if the electric vehicles run on the electricity that comes from renewable sources like wind solar and hydro - that is fantastic. It less good if that electricity comes form fossil fuels it means it continues to cause global warming.
How do you see the future of self-driving vehicles?
The self-driving vehicles is here today. But we cannot let it loose because so many of the streets are filled up by human driving vehicles. And there will be serious accidents. So what will happen is that self-driving vehicles will be introduced slowly.
They will be used in small city center areas. Like in Singapore today, in the center , you can already take a self-driving taxi, but just in the center. Because it is reliable. If we use that city like London it will be impossible because this city is build before the motor cars. But by about 2030-2035 we will see highways of self-driving lanes. We will see towns with self-driving cars and by 2040 almost vehicle will be self driving.
What will be next big thing in the medicine?
Well there are four of them. The first is medicine that is based around DNA analysis. So the medicine is tailored by us individually rather that the one-size-fits-all medicine that we have today. The second thing is medicine based on stem cells research. Stem cells growing replacement organs us when we need them.
The third big thing in medicine is nanoscale medicine. Which means we use nanotechnology at very small levels to create better coating for pills. And the fourth big thing that is coming in medicine is digital health: AI begin used to help doctors diagnose patients. and we`ll be wearing sensors to monitor our health. Which will encourage us to be more responsible for keeping an eye on our own health.
Ten years after Lehman Brothers, do you expect other financial crisis?
I think there will be financial problems. Because finance itself - money - does not exist. It is a human construct. And it is magnificent because it is entirely imaginary. It is perhaps the most amazing thing that humans has ever constructed.And because it is imaginary it is subject to human confidence. And human confidence is strange thing. It moves , it swirls and morphs. And changes. And because it is human construct, I am afraid there will be financial crisis again. But it is impossible to say when.
In just a few words , name the NEXT BIG THING?
Robots , automation and revolution in healthcare.
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