Look up now, 2026: AI and the Future of Humanity
Who is "Mission Control for Humanity" in the Age of AI?
Welcome to the 2026 edition of my popular 2023 film "Look Up Now"
Humanity stands at a definitive "fork in the road," a moment of existential weight that I have spent decades traveling into the future to understand. We are staring down two distinct destinies: a version of “Nirvana” where AI serves as a celestial benefactor—solving climate change, eradicating cancer, and elevating our existence—or a Dystopia where "alien digital minds" of our own creation erode every fabric of society.
Keep in mind that while we have navigated revolutionary leaps like fire and electricity before, those shifts offered us the luxury of time. Today, we are moving at "warp drive" i.e. hyper-exponential speed - but the choice to either look up or be consumed by the collision is entirely ours.
Keep in mind that while we have navigated revolutionary leaps like fire and electricity before, those shifts offered us the luxury of time. But today, we are moving at "warp drive" i.e. hyper-exponential speed - but the choice to either look up or be consumed by the collision is still entirely ours. In the past, the gap between invention and mass adoption was a protective cushion. It took 40 years for electricity to illuminate every home in the developed world, giving us decades to debate, regulate, and adapt. We no longer have that luxury.
We are now at a multi-segment "warp drive" moment where AI (aka the Intelligence Revolution), quantum computing, nuclear fusion, humanoid robots and genome editing (the 7 game-changers) are converging simultaneously. This isn't just a technological shift; it’s an exponential acceleration of our entire civilization - demanding that we make existential choices today.
We are facing a dangerous imbalance: 98% of VC and government funding goes toward developing 'better' AI, while only 2% goes into ensuring alignment with human goals and ethics. This will not end well - we urgently adopt a more balanced approach when it's about hyper-exponential tech.
I propose that we demand a new Technocratic Oath. Since 2016, I have advocated that technology leaders should take a pledge—much like a doctor's sacred vow—promising that all technology they invent or distribute will be designed to benefit humanity and the planet.
Yes we can! We must remember that humanity has successfully hit the pause button before to implement safeguards, such as with human cloning, nuclear non-proliferation, and the Montreal Protocol for ozone depletion. Insisting on precautions isn't anti-business - it's crucial for our survival. Ultimately, I think we are facing a "collaborate or perish - moment". Our future legacy will not be defined by our dazzling technological achievements, but by the wisdom, foresight, and compassion we use to govern our newfound powers.
Some screenshots from the film
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