“Artificial Intelligence(AI)will touch every profession,every classroom, every hospital, every laboratory, every person and every relationship you have.” —Eric Schmidt(1955- ), former Google CEO, in a keynote address to University of Arizona graduates, that was booed by students, Friday, May 15, 2026.

“Artificial Intelligence(AI)is probably the most important thinghumanity has ever worked on. I think of it as something more profound than electricity or fire.” —Sundar Pichai(1972- ), Chief executive officer (CEO) of Alphabet Inc. and of its subsidiary Google. (Statement made in 2018, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland).

“The development of full Artificial Intelligence(AI)could spell the end of the human race…it would take off on its own and redesign itself at an ever-increasing rate. Humans who are limited by slow biological evolution, couldn’t compete and would be superseded.” —Stephen Hawking(1942- 2018),British physicist, in an interview with the BBC, December 2, 2014.

“Any technology that facilitates attackswithout seeing the face of human beings lowers the moral threshold of conflict.” —Pope Leo XIV(1955- ), in his first encyclical ‘Magnifica Humanitas’ (or Magnificent Humanity), May 25, 2026.

The development ofArtificial Intelligence(AI) and ofwork-automationisprogressing rapidlywith many potential applications and benefits in many areas. It is going to define the economic future.

However, there are important risk, threats and disruptions that could result from a blind and too-rapid adoption of all the features of the new technology. Its ‘creative destruction’ could become increasingly powerful and detrimental, especially for workers, but also forwritersand artists, for businesses and, finally, for the entire economy and society.

In the emergingpost-human world, humanity could face unprecedented challenges in an economic context where humans are no longer the primary focus. (There is already a growing market forNEO humanoid robotsto be used in a variety of ways!)

The world could see some economic sectors where humans are relegated to a secondary role and even completely sidelined. For this reason, AI brings about technological transformations, but a number of these will drastically alter living standards and influence how humans perceive work, income, and life in society.

For the present, the fast-growing robotic technology is making work more productive andmore complexin many industries, which could increase economic growth. Furthermore, a surge in investment in data centers and electric power plants is also likely to stimulate economic growth.

For workers, however, AI is replacing more routine white-collarlow-skilland freelance work in numerous sectors, although there are other areas wherespecial skillwork would be more AI-proof.

Source: Global Research