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Megatech: Technology in 2050
In the not-too-distant future, we'll be plugging our brains into the internet, replacing our worn-out body parts, and eating meat grown in a lab. If we're lucky, we'll be living in a world of more productivity, more energy, and more equality—and if we're not, we'll be facing the profound threat of nonexistent privacy, ecological collapse, and nuclear proliferation. Of course, we can't know the future, but Megatech: Technology in 2050 is a mind-clearing guide to the possibilities.
In this bold new book, Daniel Franklin brings together today's most innovative scientists, leaders, thinkers, and writers to imagine how future technology will develop and shape our lives. Nobel Laureate Frank Wilczek expects a rapid acceleration of scientific discovery, and Melinda Gates envisions a smartphone in the hand of every woman. Meanwhile, Benjamin Sutherland warns of military robots, and Leo Mirani sees smart glasses on every person's face. The result is a thought-provoking collection of insight and imagination that will inspire us to make the most of future opportunities just as it motivates us to tackle the environmental, economic, and social challenges ahead.
In this bold new book, Daniel Franklin brings together today's most innovative scientists, leaders, thinkers, and writers to imagine how future technology will develop and shape our lives. Nobel Laureate Frank Wilczek expects a rapid acceleration of scientific discovery, and Melinda Gates envisions a smartphone in the hand of every woman. Meanwhile, Benjamin Sutherland warns of military robots, and Leo Mirani sees smart glasses on every person's face. The result is a thought-provoking collection of insight and imagination that will inspire us to make the most of future opportunities just as it motivates us to tackle the environmental, economic, and social challenges ahead.
256 pages, Paperback
Published March 28, 2017
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738 people want to read
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The Economist
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
February 11, 2017
It's almost impossible to review a book like this without quoting Niels Bohr, who (amongst others) said 'Prediction is very difficult, especially about the future,' so I'm not going to try.
In principle, futurology is the most hilarious part of science writing, as it is so entertaining when unworldly academics get their predictions wonderfully wrong. (Dresses made from paper will be the norm by 2000, Dr Toffler? Really?) Yet strangely, in practice, futurology tends not to be very amusing because the books are almost always unbelievably dull to read.
To an extent, Mega Tech gets over this by having lots of short pieces by different authors. I am often critical of the 'piecemeal appraisal' approach to a topic, because the essays rarely integrate well, but at least here it means there are nuggets of gold amongst the mediocre - notably, for example, Ann Winblad's ideas on computing based on her early experience with Bill Gates and Ryan Avent's take on the socioeconomic impact of technological development and innovation. I was also fascinated by the essay on military technology, which captured me at the start with the remarkable statistic that the current record for a sniper using a rifle is a British soldier who, in Afghanistan in 2009, shot two Taliban machine-gunners from a distance of 2,475 metres. That's further than my walk to the post office.
Even so, some of the suggestions here already seem wide of the mark. A couple of frontrunners mentioned are virtual reality and voice interaction with technology. Both are promising, yet the authors fail to recognise that it's almost always the case that such technologies end up in a very different form to the early versions. They really need to learn the lesson I got from attending the Windows 95 launch over 20 years ago. Microsoft confidently told us in 1995 that the internet would remain a university and military domain, while the commercial future was with the commercial networks of the likes of AOL, Compuserve and Microsoft's newly launched MSN. That went well.
Looking at the two examples I mention, virtual reality will definitely catch on, but I suspect that it will come in two forms. The book simply carries forward current headsets, but those may well only ever have a significant presence in gaming and the short-term use spaces like cinemas, not, as Mega Tech suggests, replacing our general screen use. Look at 3D TV. As I write, manufacturer after manufacturer is pulling out of 3D television production. Very few people wanted it. We're happy to wear 3D glasses to watch a 2 hour movie in the cinema, but not for our mainstream screen use. Apart from anything else, when watching the TV, we talk to others, interact with phones, eat and drink... we don't want something clamped on our face while doing this. Virtual reality in this environment is only likely to become the norm when we can do it without strapping something on.
As for voice interaction, it's brilliant, but Mega Tech doesn't do enough to reflect its limitations. I wouldn't be without my Amazon Echo - but the book claims voice input will soon replace old-fashioned keyboards and mice/trackpads. This is only true for a subset of uses. Firstly, voice struggles outside the commonplace. I spent a hilarious ten minutes trying to get the Echo to play Schoenberg's Verklärte Nacht. I failed. Voice won't cope with this for a long time. And secondly, while many of us might be happy to dictate a tweet, have you ever tried to edit text by voice? Imagine it: 'The word "the", hang on... erm... sixteen, no, seventeen lines down on the current page, the second occurrence on the line, should actually be "thee" with a second "e" at the end of the word' is never going to seem convenient when compared with a click on the mouse and a single keypress.
Overall, this was one of the better futurology books I've read. There were large chunks that needed skim reading to avoid them becoming tedious, but there were some really captivating points too. Indubitably most of it was wrong - but, as the introduction points out, that doesn't stop it being worthwhile speculating... as long as no one takes this as a true picture of the future.
In principle, futurology is the most hilarious part of science writing, as it is so entertaining when unworldly academics get their predictions wonderfully wrong. (Dresses made from paper will be the norm by 2000, Dr Toffler? Really?) Yet strangely, in practice, futurology tends not to be very amusing because the books are almost always unbelievably dull to read.
To an extent, Mega Tech gets over this by having lots of short pieces by different authors. I am often critical of the 'piecemeal appraisal' approach to a topic, because the essays rarely integrate well, but at least here it means there are nuggets of gold amongst the mediocre - notably, for example, Ann Winblad's ideas on computing based on her early experience with Bill Gates and Ryan Avent's take on the socioeconomic impact of technological development and innovation. I was also fascinated by the essay on military technology, which captured me at the start with the remarkable statistic that the current record for a sniper using a rifle is a British soldier who, in Afghanistan in 2009, shot two Taliban machine-gunners from a distance of 2,475 metres. That's further than my walk to the post office.
Even so, some of the suggestions here already seem wide of the mark. A couple of frontrunners mentioned are virtual reality and voice interaction with technology. Both are promising, yet the authors fail to recognise that it's almost always the case that such technologies end up in a very different form to the early versions. They really need to learn the lesson I got from attending the Windows 95 launch over 20 years ago. Microsoft confidently told us in 1995 that the internet would remain a university and military domain, while the commercial future was with the commercial networks of the likes of AOL, Compuserve and Microsoft's newly launched MSN. That went well.
Looking at the two examples I mention, virtual reality will definitely catch on, but I suspect that it will come in two forms. The book simply carries forward current headsets, but those may well only ever have a significant presence in gaming and the short-term use spaces like cinemas, not, as Mega Tech suggests, replacing our general screen use. Look at 3D TV. As I write, manufacturer after manufacturer is pulling out of 3D television production. Very few people wanted it. We're happy to wear 3D glasses to watch a 2 hour movie in the cinema, but not for our mainstream screen use. Apart from anything else, when watching the TV, we talk to others, interact with phones, eat and drink... we don't want something clamped on our face while doing this. Virtual reality in this environment is only likely to become the norm when we can do it without strapping something on.
As for voice interaction, it's brilliant, but Mega Tech doesn't do enough to reflect its limitations. I wouldn't be without my Amazon Echo - but the book claims voice input will soon replace old-fashioned keyboards and mice/trackpads. This is only true for a subset of uses. Firstly, voice struggles outside the commonplace. I spent a hilarious ten minutes trying to get the Echo to play Schoenberg's Verklärte Nacht. I failed. Voice won't cope with this for a long time. And secondly, while many of us might be happy to dictate a tweet, have you ever tried to edit text by voice? Imagine it: 'The word "the", hang on... erm... sixteen, no, seventeen lines down on the current page, the second occurrence on the line, should actually be "thee" with a second "e" at the end of the word' is never going to seem convenient when compared with a click on the mouse and a single keypress.
Overall, this was one of the better futurology books I've read. There were large chunks that needed skim reading to avoid them becoming tedious, but there were some really captivating points too. Indubitably most of it was wrong - but, as the introduction points out, that doesn't stop it being worthwhile speculating... as long as no one takes this as a true picture of the future.
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January 30, 2019Research.
April 11, 2017
The concluding chapter in The Economist‘s new book, Megatech: Technology in 2050, highlights “the central role of capitalism” in driving the demand for new technology. The preceding 19 chapters justify that reading, for the most part indirectly. That should be no surprise in a product of The Economist, a London-based weekly “50% owned by the English branch of the Rothschild family and by the Agnelli family.” No Marxists to be found in those precincts!
Like any anthology, Megatech is uneven. Chapter 1, “A toolkit for predicting the future,” sets the scene exceptionally well. Chapters on biotechnology, health care, agriculture, materials science, military technology, and personal technology are all informative and engaging. So is “Visiting Hours,” one of the two science fiction short stories included in the book. Chapters on computer science, energy, the “Physical foundations of future technology,” and the history of innovation are less valuable. In fact, I found the essay on the principles of physics to be impenetrable. It does not appear to have been written for a general audience. By contrast, the essay on materials science includes a fascinating account of how the BMWi3 is manufactured. The “car begins life in a Japanese rayon factory as a spool of polyacrylonitrile,” which is “shipped to the US, where it is baked into carbonised strings only 7 micrometers (millionths of a metre) in diameter,” and, finally, “woven on carpet-like sheets on what appears to be a giant knitting machine” in a factory near Munich.
Virtually any subject is open to debate. The future of technology is particularly susceptible to disagreement, and some of that surfaces in Megatech. For example, a chapter dedicated to “The great innovation debate” views the current obsession with runaway technological change with a jaundiced eye. “Decades of advance in information technology,” the author writes, “have not generated anything like the soaring growth in output per person, adjusting for inflation, that industrialised countries enjoyed in the mid 20th century.” A later chapter strenuously disagrees, arguing that “the pessimists misread the nature of technological change . . .” by underestimating “the cumulative effect of exponential improvement in computing power,” by mistakenly assuming that Moore’s law represents a constraint on further advances in computing, and by failing to understand that “it takes time to learn how to apply powerful new technologies.”
Unfortunately, Megatech doesn’t quite deliver the promise in its subtitle, Technology in 2050. Most of the essays included in the book examine current trends rather than looking 30 years ahead. Some don’t venture far at all into the future.
Unlike most publications, The Economist maintains a large Intelligence Unit that provides forecasting and risk analysis services for corporations and governments. Though the connections don’t appear in print anywhere in the book, it seems obvious that most of the 20 authors whose essays appear in this illuminating anthology are either editors of the magazine or among the “130 full time specialists and economists” employed by the Unit. (One obvious exception is Melinda Gates, who is nobody’s idea of an employee.) The book is edited by Daniel Franklin, Executive Editor of The Economist.
Like any anthology, Megatech is uneven. Chapter 1, “A toolkit for predicting the future,” sets the scene exceptionally well. Chapters on biotechnology, health care, agriculture, materials science, military technology, and personal technology are all informative and engaging. So is “Visiting Hours,” one of the two science fiction short stories included in the book. Chapters on computer science, energy, the “Physical foundations of future technology,” and the history of innovation are less valuable. In fact, I found the essay on the principles of physics to be impenetrable. It does not appear to have been written for a general audience. By contrast, the essay on materials science includes a fascinating account of how the BMWi3 is manufactured. The “car begins life in a Japanese rayon factory as a spool of polyacrylonitrile,” which is “shipped to the US, where it is baked into carbonised strings only 7 micrometers (millionths of a metre) in diameter,” and, finally, “woven on carpet-like sheets on what appears to be a giant knitting machine” in a factory near Munich.
Virtually any subject is open to debate. The future of technology is particularly susceptible to disagreement, and some of that surfaces in Megatech. For example, a chapter dedicated to “The great innovation debate” views the current obsession with runaway technological change with a jaundiced eye. “Decades of advance in information technology,” the author writes, “have not generated anything like the soaring growth in output per person, adjusting for inflation, that industrialised countries enjoyed in the mid 20th century.” A later chapter strenuously disagrees, arguing that “the pessimists misread the nature of technological change . . .” by underestimating “the cumulative effect of exponential improvement in computing power,” by mistakenly assuming that Moore’s law represents a constraint on further advances in computing, and by failing to understand that “it takes time to learn how to apply powerful new technologies.”
Unfortunately, Megatech doesn’t quite deliver the promise in its subtitle, Technology in 2050. Most of the essays included in the book examine current trends rather than looking 30 years ahead. Some don’t venture far at all into the future.
Unlike most publications, The Economist maintains a large Intelligence Unit that provides forecasting and risk analysis services for corporations and governments. Though the connections don’t appear in print anywhere in the book, it seems obvious that most of the 20 authors whose essays appear in this illuminating anthology are either editors of the magazine or among the “130 full time specialists and economists” employed by the Unit. (One obvious exception is Melinda Gates, who is nobody’s idea of an employee.) The book is edited by Daniel Franklin, Executive Editor of The Economist.
March 21, 2018
“At the start of the 20th century heavier-than-air flight was considered impossible. Once it was shown to be feasible, it was considered dangerous. Then, starting in the 1930s, it began to evolve into an industry, initially catering for the rich. By the end of the century air travel had become widely affordable and was considered unremarkable.”
“[N]othing in the nature of matter itself suggests that ageing or disease is intrinsic to humans as physical beings. Our understanding of, and ability to monitor and control, matter at a fundamental level should enable us to overcome these infirmities.”
“Atmospheric carbon pollution accumulates slowly on political timescales, and an appropriate response would require discounting many trillions of dollars in perceived assets... It is an open question whether humanity can muster the maturity and wisdom to address this insidious problem.”
“[E]quality of opportunity is the very essence of a dynamic society. It ensures that people are rewarded according to their contributions and promoted according to their merits.”
“Most machines are indeed there to provide the gift of time – and yet these technologies are the very same that are squeezing out the space for creativity and deep thinking, that invaluable human quality.”
“[N]othing in the nature of matter itself suggests that ageing or disease is intrinsic to humans as physical beings. Our understanding of, and ability to monitor and control, matter at a fundamental level should enable us to overcome these infirmities.”
“Atmospheric carbon pollution accumulates slowly on political timescales, and an appropriate response would require discounting many trillions of dollars in perceived assets... It is an open question whether humanity can muster the maturity and wisdom to address this insidious problem.”
“[E]quality of opportunity is the very essence of a dynamic society. It ensures that people are rewarded according to their contributions and promoted according to their merits.”
“Most machines are indeed there to provide the gift of time – and yet these technologies are the very same that are squeezing out the space for creativity and deep thinking, that invaluable human quality.”
July 8, 2021
There are a lot of dishonest or half-assed takes in this book. While I enjoyed some predictions and discussions around tech, most of them felt like a paid article written for The Economist. I couldn't ignore the feeling that most of the chapters read like recorded transcripts of party gossip and business-men banter. It's easy to predict when you simply just blast off with 2D graphs that don't tell much and just add filler about historical progress. Take it with a huge grain of salt and remember that Bill Gates said in 2004 that spam email will be solved in 2 years.
November 17, 2017
Ancora un altro libro sul futuro questa volta prodotto dallo staff del "The Economist", la rivista inglese che tutti conoscono. Come sarà il mondo nel 2050. Mancano 33 anni alla data e, per quanto mi riguarda, non mi ritengo molto coinvolto in questo interrogativo. Senza dubbio, ogni cosa assumerà una forma quanto mai "mega", specialmente per quanto concerne la tecnologia. L'interrogativo che vorrei pormi riguarda i termini di grandezza "interiori" piuttosto che quelli "esteriori", come dire "interni" o "esterni" a chi questa tecnologia dovrà gestire dopo di averla creata: l'uomo.
C'è il rischio che tutti gli effetti non avranno mai una conclusione, com'è logico che sia. La ricerca non potrà essere mai arrestata, bloccata, impedita nella corsa verso il futuro. La storia non potrà mai essere impedita di procedere in avanti e non ci potrà essere un percorso a ritroso contro se stessa. I venti esperti chiamati a pronunziarsi nel libro, saranno anche da Nobel, ma non saranno mai in grado di dire con precisione quello che avverrà. Se per quella data il mondo sarà più o meno "brave", lo sapremo soltanto vivendo.
C'è il rischio che tutti gli effetti non avranno mai una conclusione, com'è logico che sia. La ricerca non potrà essere mai arrestata, bloccata, impedita nella corsa verso il futuro. La storia non potrà mai essere impedita di procedere in avanti e non ci potrà essere un percorso a ritroso contro se stessa. I venti esperti chiamati a pronunziarsi nel libro, saranno anche da Nobel, ma non saranno mai in grado di dire con precisione quello che avverrà. Se per quella data il mondo sarà più o meno "brave", lo sapremo soltanto vivendo.
July 30, 2017
Perhaps ironically, the part I found most captivating was about technology's past and present.
The book is a collection of essays penned by distinguished researchers, scientists, industry leaders, sci-fi writers, etc. about the future of technology. One essay I enjoyed a lot explores the relationship between capitalism and the industrial revolution — does technology change society, or does society determine what technology should be developed? (Perhaps both?) The essays about inequality and military technology & warfare were also interesting.
The book is a collection of essays penned by distinguished researchers, scientists, industry leaders, sci-fi writers, etc. about the future of technology. One essay I enjoyed a lot explores the relationship between capitalism and the industrial revolution — does technology change society, or does society determine what technology should be developed? (Perhaps both?) The essays about inequality and military technology & warfare were also interesting.
May 6, 2019
Um livro interessante sobre a actualidade tecnológica, com reflexões para o futuro. Dividido em capítulos mais científicos e com detalhes em gráficos e percentuais. Como um final de 2 contos de ficção científica. Considero de boa leitura mas algumas áreas da vida humana que ficaram por explorar.
August 6, 2019
More like 3.5 stars. Some of the essays are much better than others and there is definitely some interesting stuff awaiting us in the future.
February 13, 2017
I'm not one to usually delve into books on futurology, but Megatech was one that caught my eye. With a stellar cast of current tech industry players, and an interesting list of topics, I decided I'd give it a go. For a good portion, the book did not disappoint.
It starts off with the premise for the arguments being made, and the admission that accurately predicting what 2050 will look like is a very far-fetched idea. Whether that was done to downplay the claims being made in the book or not, by following that idea it made the book a far more interesting read. I appreciated this book not so much as a prediction for what 2050 will look like, but instead what the industry of today values for the world of tomorrow.
In particular, I found that Tim Cross' portion on Moore's Law was fascinating, as he interweaved both the technology with a brief history of processing powers. Anne Schukat's portion on the rise of renewables gave us a brief glimpse of the industry today and the economics driving it towards tomorrow. A few more parts caught my eye.
But aside from these engaging bits of information, the book was not a smooth read. It's structure as a compilation of essays made it highly disjointed throughout, often sounding quite repetitive and dull- particularly in Part 3. Especially astounding to me was the short stories at the end. Not only did they have no introduction whatsoever, but they also completely broke off from the many arguments in the book. If at all, they should have been included after having closed the conclusion, as an afterthought.
Overall the book is brilliant for a snapshot of what current tech industry leaders see as the future of their domains. Treating each essay as a depiction of where we are today, and what the trends are currently pointing us towards, makes it an easier and more interesting read. But much like the future many of them are proclaiming, do not hope for all the insights to come together in this book with time.
It starts off with the premise for the arguments being made, and the admission that accurately predicting what 2050 will look like is a very far-fetched idea. Whether that was done to downplay the claims being made in the book or not, by following that idea it made the book a far more interesting read. I appreciated this book not so much as a prediction for what 2050 will look like, but instead what the industry of today values for the world of tomorrow.
In particular, I found that Tim Cross' portion on Moore's Law was fascinating, as he interweaved both the technology with a brief history of processing powers. Anne Schukat's portion on the rise of renewables gave us a brief glimpse of the industry today and the economics driving it towards tomorrow. A few more parts caught my eye.
But aside from these engaging bits of information, the book was not a smooth read. It's structure as a compilation of essays made it highly disjointed throughout, often sounding quite repetitive and dull- particularly in Part 3. Especially astounding to me was the short stories at the end. Not only did they have no introduction whatsoever, but they also completely broke off from the many arguments in the book. If at all, they should have been included after having closed the conclusion, as an afterthought.
Overall the book is brilliant for a snapshot of what current tech industry leaders see as the future of their domains. Treating each essay as a depiction of where we are today, and what the trends are currently pointing us towards, makes it an easier and more interesting read. But much like the future many of them are proclaiming, do not hope for all the insights to come together in this book with time.
August 22, 2017
A fascinating look at where the technology we currently use may lead us to by 2050, this book is a compilation of articles from the Economist, brought together by Daniel Franklin. While speculation about the state of technology in 2050 is obviously guesswork, here it is educated guesswork. Using models from the past, such as the industrial revolution to divine the paths of progress over the next 30 or so years , the book also uses currently existing and rapidly evolving technologies and even some speculative science fiction. Various sectors of the industry are examined, ranging from technological advances in agriculture and medicine to the rise of artificial intelligence. Each topic is tackled in a manner that makes it readily digestible and understandable to the layman. I was particularly interested in the predictions of medical advances , but found the chapters on AI and ethics fascinating too, and the one on military advances quite scary.
March 23, 2018
An interesting gallop through the implications of key technologies and the way they may impact us over the next thirty-forty years. I was pleased that the authors share my scepticism on the dangers of AI, and dismiss the prophets of doom that predict the demise of the human race after the "singularity". Much of the rest of the book has been well trailed - the positive implications for health care from genome technology, how the planet will easily feed itself following use of new agricultural techniques, and how the suggested slow down in growth won't occur because of the limits of Moore's Law. Some caution about how military weapons sophistication and progress will benefit not just well regulated nation states, but also rogues and terrorists. In many ways I was disappointed about how conservative it all was - nothing startling or revolutionary - just better life expectancy, quality of life, wealth and equality. The quote "the future is already here, just not evenly distributed" is in many ways a summary of this book.
November 9, 2024
First of all, it's a bit outdated (it was published in 2017, back when it was still cool to praise Elon Musk as a visionary).
It's a collection of essays by various authors. Some of them are really, really informative and well written. Others, not so much. Melinda Gates' two-page chapter literally seemed like a paid editorial.
The short stories at the end, gave a Black Mirror vibe. I kinda liked them, but they really disrupted the whole rhythm of the book.
Some of these predictions were ridiculous, they just look at the best-case scenario of technological innovation. Whereas in my experience, half of my interactions with tech are just a reenactment of the "computer says noooo" Little Britain sketch.
It's a collection of essays by various authors. Some of them are really, really informative and well written. Others, not so much. Melinda Gates' two-page chapter literally seemed like a paid editorial.
The short stories at the end, gave a Black Mirror vibe. I kinda liked them, but they really disrupted the whole rhythm of the book.
Some of these predictions were ridiculous, they just look at the best-case scenario of technological innovation. Whereas in my experience, half of my interactions with tech are just a reenactment of the "computer says noooo" Little Britain sketch.
June 9, 2017
Gave predictions on what technology will be like in 2050, not necessarily accurate, and the predictions are mostly based on technology today, or science fiction. Covers a lot of fields like farming, healthcare, and military tech and also talks about how AI will affect society etc. Good book but once again they're mostly just predictions and just raises questions for you on what the future will be like, based on the past and today. Didn't understand the purpose of the two short story sections though.
April 6, 2021
An interesting perspective
I liked this book as it briefly explored the role of data and some of the sciences in creating the future. I feel that many of the topics were a little superficial and hopeful, without exploring the negative consequences. I would also have liked to have seen some pages dedicated to blockchain protocols and the potential disruptive nature of that technology; however, I can appreciate that this might not have been at the forefront of the authors mind in 2016/2017.
I liked this book as it briefly explored the role of data and some of the sciences in creating the future. I feel that many of the topics were a little superficial and hopeful, without exploring the negative consequences. I would also have liked to have seen some pages dedicated to blockchain protocols and the potential disruptive nature of that technology; however, I can appreciate that this might not have been at the forefront of the authors mind in 2016/2017.
October 12, 2017
Near-exhaustive in scope, this is a collection of essays from leading scientists speculating on the future of technology. Baffling at times, but a comprehensible and important informative foundation for those who are interested or even fearful of technology's hold on society. There are optimists and pessimists from start to finish, but ultimately, only time will tell which of these predictions come true.
January 22, 2018
A refreshing approach of foretelling the future: reflecting on the past technological disruption; showing a mirror on human behaviour through two short Sci-fi; and the commentary from a group of professionals from diverse fields. I certainly think it is a must read. The book provides reader a diverse perspectives to understand the impact of human desires fuel by technological advancement and capitalism. The concluding chapter put all the discussions into a great argument.
March 2, 2018
Um conjunto de ensaios que reúne cientistas, futuristas, empreendedores, filósofos, analistas, tecnólogos e autores de ficção científica que tenta extrair sentidos e caminhos num futuro próximo marcado pela aceleração tecnológica. Parte dos textos mantém-se no optimismo acrítico que caracteriza este tipo de livros. Outros focam-se no impacto social das previsões sobre avanço da tecnologia. Alguns mostram pontos de vista interessantes, que contrariam o discurso alarmista sobre inteligência artifical e automação, temperado a especulação com dados sobre os seus potenciais e limites.
June 15, 2018
Together with The Inevitable by Kevin Kelly, this book is a beautifully written piece on future of technology (or well, Technologies of our future). Love about 60-70% of essays, together with the 2 short stories as bonus at the end of the book as they all draw a very clear and foreseeable future of humankind with regards to all other aspects rather than just IT. Impressed the most by the parts about Biology, Material, Environment and Military science though.
December 9, 2018
這種收錄不同人討論某一個主題的書通常良莠不齊，有些文章提供獨特的見解，當然也會有濫竽充數的。本書整體來說還不錯! 只是有時候這類介紹未來趨勢的書可以讀起來很吸引人，但很可惜這一本並不屬於這種類型。它讀起來非常的枯燥乏味，除了那些真的用心想把內容吸收的人，一般讀者應該看個前面幾章就不想再看了。
所謂的未來學，就是基於現實的某種預測，假如你把二三十前年寫的同種類書籍拿出來比較，有人的確這麼研究過，他們發現很多專家的預測錯的一蹋糊塗，甚至能說荒腔走板。但儘管未來不可知，未來學大方向的觀點還是很值得參考。
如果你平常就有在閱讀商業雜誌，書中的很多資訊你應該都多少接觸過。過去這三天我也同時在讀麻省理工出版社的Essential Knowledge系列的"機器人"這本書(P.S 這個系列真的讚!)，加上過去讀過幾本類似的科技類書籍，很多內容真的大同小異，科技帶來的機遇與挑戰令人期待又怕受傷害。
如果你已經對科技議題有涉獵，本書大可快速瀏覽即可。大致上了解各個領域的發展趨勢，也是很受用。假如你對科技的發展很陌生，花點時間消化一下本書的內容，也會帶來不一樣的視野。
所謂的未來學，就是基於現實的某種預測，假如你把二三十前年寫的同種類書籍拿出來比較，有人的確這麼研究過，他們發現很多專家的預測錯的一蹋糊塗，甚至能說荒腔走板。但儘管未來不可知，未來學大方向的觀點還是很值得參考。
如果你平常就有在閱讀商業雜誌，書中的很多資訊你應該都多少接觸過。過去這三天我也同時在讀麻省理工出版社的Essential Knowledge系列的"機器人"這本書(P.S 這個系列真的讚!)，加上過去讀過幾本類似的科技類書籍，很多內容真的大同小異，科技帶來的機遇與挑戰令人期待又怕受傷害。
如果你已經對科技議題有涉獵，本書大可快速瀏覽即可。大致上了解各個領域的發展趨勢，也是很受用。假如你對科技的發展很陌生，花點時間消化一下本書的內容，也會帶來不一樣的視野。
January 8, 2019
Curated by Economist Executive Editor Daniel Franklin, “Megatech” offers a series of short articles outlining trends in technology, both in general and sectors like healthcare and military technology, with the year 2050 as a signpost. While I found some of the discussion repetitive-particularly most authors’ calls to chill out about changes wrought by emerging tech—the book helped me, a liberal arts softy, feel better informed about tech stuff.
July 11, 2020
Не принесла больших откровений. Так как каждая глава написана разными авторами, то качество непостоянное. Но некоторое представление о ближайшем будущем получить можно. Книга также учит смотреть в прошлое для осознания движения в будущем.
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Didn't bring much revelation. Since each chapter is written by different authors, the quality is not consistent. But you can get some insight into the near future. The book also teaches us to look to the past for an awareness of future movements.
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Didn't bring much revelation. Since each chapter is written by different authors, the quality is not consistent. But you can get some insight into the near future. The book also teaches us to look to the past for an awareness of future movements.
June 27, 2018
I am so glad that I picked this book up from an ocean of books in the library. Technology, advanced or super advanced, is far more interesting than economics books I borrowed at the same time. There maybe no limit for imagination, as I read along Samuel Chao Chung Ding’s introductions on his two experiments about researching into the unknown. I think I got inspired.
May 1, 2021
I had picked up this book years ago and then forgotten and picked up again.
Brilliant book. Futuristic. Written by some of the best writers.
Fascinating and hopeful at places and despairing and heartbreaking at others based on the prediction of future.
You will see certainly see things differently after reading it.
Brilliant book. Futuristic. Written by some of the best writers.
Fascinating and hopeful at places and despairing and heartbreaking at others based on the prediction of future.
You will see certainly see things differently after reading it.
February 8, 2024
A good book, but some of the sections are a bit vague. Some of the sections also have to do more with the author's opinions (such as that on future tech, the impact of social media on kids, etc). I found it an enjoyable read and worth provoking thoughts in me about what to look for when I think about the future, without necessarily having to agree with the author on most of the conclusions.
June 18, 2017
A nice quick easy read but it doesn't deliver a great deal of value or depth. Most concepts are already familiar but there are some nice storytelling segments. I would imagine there are much better books that give us a glimpse of the future.
January 3, 2018
Less than inspiring book. This is a collection of lightweight essays lacking structure and depth. The perspectives on software were so bad that it makes me wonder how (in)accurate and off the essays on energy and healthcare may be.
January 12, 2019
Great overview of how technology has evolved over time and the author does a great job depicting where we are heading. Although some disruptions, in my opinion, might not see the daylight by 2050. But I have certainly enjoyed reading this book. Recommend.
August 4, 2019
This book tells in various essays how life in future could evolve. The future is scary to be honest. I enjoyed the essays and it makes you think on that what was once fiction is now realty and the cycle is about to repeat again.
July 31, 2017
Fairly tepid
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