Our ancestors long feared the world-ending wrath of evil gods. But only recently have we developed the ability to do something ourselves, whether it’s climate change, nuclear weapons, artificial intelligence or synthetic biology.
While our ability to wreak havoc on a planetary scale has increased exponentially as a result of our technology, our means to responsibly deal with these new forces have not. This must change if humanity is to survive and prosper.
Today’s highly interconnected world requires us to develop a collective consciousness and purpose to tackle common challenges and ensure that technological progress benefits everyone. Until now, zero-sum competition between countries and communities has been an insurmountable obstacle to mitigating global risks. But the same technologies that are ripe for abuse also have the potential to help foster a shared sense of responsibility.
