2050 Predictions: Back to the Future

As an IT professional, the buzz word that is most widely heard these days is "Digital". There is a lot of talk about fundamental changes happening in business models across industries, powered by new digital paradigms like mobile, cloud, social, etc. Indeed, there are some amazing things happening. For example, life insurers are beginning to use FitBits and medical records to adjust policy premiums. Even more drastic innovations are happening in other industries like pharma and retail. Some of these innovations were unimaginable 10 years back.

This started me thinking about how rapidly our world is changing and the kind of things I will see in my lifetime. My father could not have imagined 'cell phones' when he was my age. Today, he has Facebook and Whatsapp installed on his smartphone. So, if you are in your 30s now, be prepared to experience things in your lifetime that you cannot possibly imagine right now. In this blog, I will take a shot at predicting some things that would happen in my lifetime. Hopefully I will revisit this blog after many years - If Google and this blog still exist - to self validate and have some fun.

By 2020:

• The world will see the next major financial crisis since the 2009 sub prime led crisis.
• US Social Security benefits will begin to be denied/substantially reduced for folks retiring after 2030
• Amazon Prime members can order McDonald hamburgers online
• Congress party will lose its second consecutive general elections and the Gandhi family will finally be dislodged from its leadership

By 2030:

• Cyber warfare will be a full scale division of any armed force - equivalent to the Army, Navy and Airforce. Major military conflicts will begin with cyber attacks first.
• Google will be the largest defense contractor for US military
• Cell phones will be embedded inside people's skin and we will all be a part of the Internet of Things
• All cars in developed countries will be driverless by default

By 2040:

• Arab states will run out of oil and their economies will be crippled. They will resemble parts of today's Africa.
• Solar will be the single largest source of energy
• First major military conflict between US and China
• After almost 100 years, nuclear weapons will again be used in a military conflict
• Life Insurance will be obsolete as genetic breakthroughs will predict health risks and life expectancy with great accuracy, making insurance unnecessary
• Genetic engineering will enable "designer babies" to be created for people who can afford it

By 2050:

• Man will have colonized Mars. Leading nations will have permanent bases and begin marking territories in the new "Land of Opportunities". Mars will also be a "hedge" for nations planning nuclear war.
• Genetically engineered human beings will be created in a massive scale by the Chinese government to create a superior race
• Majority of Earth will be free of pollution as the world will be driven by eco friendly renewables. Surroundings will generally be pristine except for poor countries.

By 2060:

• I will be 77 years old, so I don't really care :)

If you are reading this post, let me know your thoughts on any of the above predictions or share a prediction of your own.