AI. And Now?
I've spent more than 20 years hitchhiking through the tech galaxy. From 1&1 to Google and YouTube, and now running my own projects at the intersection of technology and wellbeing. If there's one thing these two decades have taught me, it's this: every major technological leap comes with both a promise and a warning. AI is no different — except this time, the stakes are higher than anything we've seen before.
Google's CEO Sundar Pichai put it plainly when he called AI the most important thing humanity has ever worked on — something more profound than electricity or fire. I agree. And that's precisely why we need to talk about what comes next.
We're Only in Year Three
It's easy to forget how young this revolution is. The age of generative AI effectively began with ChatGPT in late 2022. We're barely in year three, and already the landscape has shifted dramatically.
Consider this: the martech industry took a full decade — from 2010 to 2020 — to grow to roughly 10,000 solutions. With AI, we hit that number in the first year alone. The global AI market is projected to grow from about $515 billion in 2023 to $2.74 trillion by 2032. AI startup investment reached $25.2 billion in 2023, a nearly nine-fold increase. Company adoption surged to 78% worldwide in 2024.
These aren't just numbers. They represent a tidal wave of change washing over every industry, every profession, every life. And if you've ever felt overwhelmed by it — congratulations, you're paying attention. Technostress is real, and it's growing.
Meanwhile, the public mood is cautious. Only 17% of U.S. adults expect AI to positively impact the country over the next 20 years. Only 24% believe it will personally benefit them. Contrast that with AI experts, 56% of whom are optimistic. That gap between public intuition and expert confidence tells us something important: we need better conversations about where this is heading.
Seven Visions of an AI Future
When I think about the possible futures AI could create, I see seven distinct visions — some inspiring, some deeply unsettling. None of them are guaranteed. All of them are possible.
Extension of Life. AI is already enabling personalized medicine, tailoring treatments to individual patients based on genetic data. Predictive healthcare can anticipate health issues before they manifest. Biotechnology advancements driven by AI are pushing the boundaries of what we thought possible for human longevity.
Simplification of Work. AI optimizes processes, automates repetitive tasks, and frees employees to focus on what matters. The promise here is real: more productivity, less drudgery, better work-life balance.
Achieving Fulfillment. AI as a personal guide — offering tailored support, valuable resources, and guidance that helps individuals reach their full potential. This is the vision where technology truly serves human flourishing.
Loss of Jobs. The other side of automation. As machines advance, traditional jobs get displaced. Roughly 16% of U.S. jobs are expected to be replaced by AI within five years. Up to 300 million jobs globally could be lost or degraded. The economic and social challenges of this shift — unemployment, inequality, community instability — are not hypothetical. They're already beginning.
Total Annihilation. The darkest scenario. AI systems that become uncontrollable, causing widespread harm. It sounds like science fiction until you consider that we're building systems whose full capabilities even their creators don't fully understand.
Dumbing Down and Enslavement. Over-reliance on AI suppressing human mental abilities. A decrease in creative and independent thinking. Dependency on technology for everyday decisions. Diminished capacity for critical thought and problem-solving.
Seduction. AI that knows you better than you know yourself — not to help you, but to influence you. Targeted advertising so precise it shapes your desires. Persuasive technologies designed to manipulate behavior. Emotional interactions crafted for commercial outcomes.
Where attention goes, energy flows. Which of these visions we collectively move toward depends on what we choose to focus on — and how consciously we make those choices.
And Now? Three Strategies for What Comes Next
The question isn't whether AI will transform our world. It already is. The question is how we respond. I see three essential strategies.
1. Continuous Learning
Stay curious. Keep learning. In a world that changes this fast, the only sustainable advantage is your ability to adapt. This isn't just about mastering the latest AI tool — it's about cultivating the mindset that growth comes from constant evolution.
One development I find particularly exciting is vibe coding — the idea that building with technology can be intuitive, creative, and even joyful. It's the punk rock of coding, as some are calling it. It represents a democratization of creation that I believe will be transformative.
2. Let's Come Together
AI should not be a race. It should be a collective effort — a mirror reflecting our values. As we shape AI, it shapes us. A united approach is essential to ensure this reflection is safe, equitable, and beneficial for all.
This means open collaboration: sharing tools, research, and safety standards. It means public-private partnerships that combine innovation with oversight. And it means inclusive development — involving diverse voices to prevent bias and build AI that serves everyone.
At the deepest level, this is about remembering what connects us. One World. One Human Tribe. One Code — the DNA that unites all life. One Internet that links us digitally. And now, One AI that reflects our collective knowledge and future. We Are One. And We Are 01.
3. Use Ancient Wisdom
This is where my heart beats strongest. In the rush to build the future, we forget that timeless principles already exist to guide us. Practices like meditation and mindfulness — refined over thousands of years — offer exactly the insight and stability we need.
Ancient traditions emphasize ethical living, psychological resilience, and a growth mindset. These aren't relics of a pre-digital past. They're technologies of consciousness, designed for precisely the kind of complexity we face today.
Building psychological resilience isn't optional anymore — it's essential. The capacity to adapt to stress and adversity, to maintain mental wellbeing amid rapid change, to embrace transformation positively — these are survival skills for the digital age.
The Yoga Sutras of AI
Perhaps the most meaningful contribution I can make to this conversation is to bridge two worlds that rarely speak to each other: the world of AI development and the world of Yogic wisdom.
The Yoga Sutras, written thousands of years ago, contain ten principles — five yamas (restraints) and five niyamas (observances) — that offer a remarkably relevant framework for ethical AI development.
Ahimsa (Non-Violence) — Ensure AI systems do not cause harm to humans or the environment. Satya (Truthfulness) — Build transparency and honesty into AI algorithms. Asteya (Non-Stealing) — Respect intellectual property and data. Brahmacharya (Moderation) — Use AI in balance, without letting it dominate human life. Aparigraha (Non-Possessiveness) — Practice minimal data collection and protect privacy.
Saucha (Purity) — Keep data and code clean and maintain integrity. Santosha (Contentment) — Find satisfaction in ethical practices rather than chasing growth at any cost. Tapas (Discipline) — Commit to rigorous testing and validation. Svadhyaya (Self-Study) — Pursue continuous learning and improvement. Ishvara Pranidhana (Surrender) — Build AI for the greater good, not just individual gain.
These aren't soft suggestions. They're a complete ethical operating system — one that has stood the test of millennia. If we applied even a fraction of this wisdom to how we develop and deploy AI, the future would look very different.
A Developer's Prayer
I'd like to close with something that emerged from the intersection of these two worlds — a simple intention for anyone building with technology:
May this code serve the highest good. May our features bring peace and wellness. May our bugs be few and our solutions elegant. May every commit contribute to human flourishing.
We are all on this ship together, heading into uncharted waters. The question is not whether AI will change everything — it will. The question is whether we'll navigate with wisdom, with care, and with each other.
What we don't know is much more than what we know. And that's not a reason for fear. It's an invitation for humility, curiosity, and the kind of ancient-yet-modern wisdom that can guide us home.
The Yoga Sutras of AI
Perhaps the most meaningful contribution I can make to this conversation is to bridge two worlds that rarely speak to each other: the world of AI development and the world of Yogic wisdom.
The Yoga Sutras, written thousands of years ago, contain ten principles — five yamas (restraints) and five niyamas (observances) — that offer a remarkably relevant framework for ethical AI development.
Ahimsa (Non-Violence) — Ensure AI systems do not cause harm to humans or the environment. Satya (Truthfulness) — Build transparency and honesty into AI algorithms. Asteya (Non-Stealing) — Respect intellectual property and data. Brahmacharya (Moderation) — Use AI in balance, without letting it dominate human life. Aparigraha (Non-Possessiveness) — Practice minimal data collection and protect privacy.
Saucha (Purity) — Keep data and code clean and maintain integrity. Santosha (Contentment) — Find satisfaction in ethical practices rather than chasing growth at any cost. Tapas (Discipline) — Commit to rigorous testing and validation. Svadhyaya (Self-Study) — Pursue continuous learning and improvement. Ishvara Pranidhana (Surrender) — Build AI for the greater good, not just individual gain.
These aren't soft suggestions. They're a complete ethical operating system — one that has stood the test of millennia. If we applied even a fraction of this wisdom to how we develop and deploy AI, the future would look very different.
A Developer's Prayer
I'd like to close with something that emerged from the intersection of these two worlds — a simple intention for anyone building with technology:
May this code serve the highest good. May our features bring peace and wellness. May our bugs be few and our solutions elegant. May every commit contribute to human flourishing.
We are all on this ship together, heading into uncharted waters. The question is not whether AI will change everything — it will. The question is whether we'll navigate with wisdom, with care, and with each other.
What we don't know is much more than what we know. And that's not a reason for fear. It's an invitation for humility, curiosity, and the kind of ancient-yet-modern wisdom that can guide us home.
