Futureproofing Humanity: Existential Risk and the Technomyths of Human Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, and Our Future among the Stars

by Robert M. Geraci

Asteroids and nuclear war, climate change and artificial intelligence…the universe is a dangerous place. In response to these and other “existential risks,” 21st century futurists claim that only extraordinary investment in technology can save humanity from extinction. Thanks to advances in genetic engineering, artificial intelligence, urban design, and spaceflight, futurists hope that we will transcend earthly life, becoming immortal and traveling to distant stars.

Futureproofing Humanity offers a provocative new reading on this narrative of existential risk and the modern hope for technological salvation. We do, indeed, need a mythical view for our modern world. But to futureproof our species – to ensure we live for centuries and millennia to come – requires a responsible myth, one committed to our shared human (and possibly posthuman) civilization.

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Robert M Geraci is the Knight Distinguished Chair for the Study of Religion and Culture at Knox College and is one of the world’s leading experts on religion and technology. He is the author of Apocalyptic AI: Visions of Heaven in Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, and Virtual Reality (Oxford University Press 2010); Virtually Sacred: Myth and Meaning in World of Warcraft and Second Life (Oxford 2014); and Futures of Artificial Intelligence: Perspectives from India and the U.S. (Oxford 2022).

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 27, 2026

About the author

After 19 years in NY, I'm now the Knight Distinguished Chair in the Study of Religion and Culture at Knox College.

I'm pretty sure that everyone loves robots, which is why I've written a book about them. People love games too, so I wrote another book. I'm also interested in the toadstool circles, the ancient temples, the soaring cathedrals of our religious imagination. Likewise, the dark tunnels of mining and rapid transit. I visit mountains, deserts, temples, laboratories, factories, virtual realities...the places where magic enters the world.

I grew up playing Dungeons & Dragons, and my generation conquered American culture. I take considerable pride in the fact that the games we played as kids were the seminal influence upon so much of modern entertainment and so many of today's most influential thinkers, writers, and innovators. I'm grateful to be a part of that tradition.

Reviews

[Graeme Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Futureproofing Humanity is a thought-provoking and intellectually rigorous exploration of how modern narratives around existential risk and technological salvation are shaped as much by myth as by science. Robert M. Geraci brings a rare interdisciplinary perspective, blending insights from religion, culture, and emerging technologies to challenge the assumptions underlying today’s futurist thinking.

Rather than simply accepting the dominant narrative that advanced technology will inevitably “save” humanity, the book carefully interrogates the belief systems driving that optimism. Topics such as artificial intelligence, genetic engineering, and space colonization are reframed not just as technical pursuits, but as expressions of deeper cultural and philosophical aspirations. This shift in perspective gives the work a unique depth that goes beyond standard discussions of risk and innovation.

One of the book’s strongest contributions is its argument that humanity does, in fact, require a guiding narrative or “myth” for the future, but that this narrative must be grounded in responsibility, ethics, and a shared vision of civilization. This idea elevates the discussion from speculative futurism into a more meaningful reflection on collective human purpose.

Insightful, challenging, and deeply reflective, Futureproofing Humanity is best suited for readers interested in the intersection of technology, philosophy, and cultural analysis. It does not offer easy answers, but instead invites readers to rethink the stories we tell about our future and the values that will shape it.

[Giulio Prisco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite some minor (or perhaps not so minor) disagreements, I highly recommend reading this book.

In his previous books, the author described cultural and social trends without taking sides. But here he wants to be more involved.

He argues that 21st-century futurism has become a secular religion. A tech elite has transferred humanity's oldest religious longings - immortality, resurrection, cosmic purpose - into a transcendent myth built around science and technologies like genetic engineering, artificial intelligence (AI), urban design, and spaceflight.

Geraci’s position can be summarized as “yes, but…” He neither fully debunks nor fully celebrates this vision. Instead, he asks: is this transcendent myth the right one for our present and future? And if not, how to make it right?

See my full review here:
https://magazine.mindplex.ai/post/fut...