general-purpose-technologies
Technologies like artificial intelligence and synthetic biology that have broad applications across multiple domains and industries.
4 chapters across 1 book
The Coming Wave: Technology, Power, and the Twenty-first Century's Greatest Dilemma (2023)Mustafa Suleyman; Michael Bhaskar
This chapter explores the transformative potential and risks of two general-purpose technologies: artificial intelligence and synthetic biology, emphasizing their underestimated impact. It highlights the complex interplay with related technologies such as robotics and quantum computing, and outlines four defining characteristics—omni-use, hyper-evolution, asymmetric impacts, and increasing autonomy—that make these technologies difficult to control. The chapter also discusses the powerful incentives driving rapid development, including geopolitical competition and financial rewards, which challenge regulatory efforts.
Chapter 2 traces the evolution of personal transportation from walking and animal-drawn conveyances to the revolutionary internal combustion engine and mass-produced automobiles, highlighting key inventors and innovations that enabled widespread mobility. It situates this technological progression within the broader framework of general-purpose technologies, describing how waves of innovation—from stone tools and fire to agriculture and the industrial revolution—have shaped human society, population growth, and civilization. The chapter emphasizes the symbiotic relationship between humans and technology, illustrating how technological waves drive societal transformation and become foundational yet often invisible elements of daily life.
Chapter 2 traces humanity's progressive mastery over atoms, bits, and genes, culminating in a transformative technological wave driven by artificial intelligence and synthetic biology. It highlights the evolution from material-based technologies to information-centric innovations and the accelerating, interconnected growth of multiple advanced technologies. The chapter also details the breakthrough of deep learning in AI, exemplified by AlexNet, which revolutionized computer vision and catalyzed widespread real-world applications.
Chapter 6 explores the concept of technological waves as clusters of interrelated technologies centered around general-purpose technologies like AI and biotechnology. It highlights robotics as a key component of this wider wave, detailing its evolution from simple tools to sophisticated autonomous machines transforming industries such as agriculture, manufacturing, and law enforcement. The chapter also emphasizes the increasing integration of robots in everyday life, their growing autonomy, and the societal implications of their deployment.