A Divided Future?

When we imagine the future, it’s tempting to picture a dazzling world of possibility — where artificial intelligence anticipates our needs, biotech prevents illness before it starts, and clean energy powers an interconnected planet with little environmental cost. And where boring work is mostly replaced by ever-increasingly intelligent robots.

And if even half the promises currently being made actually come to pass, the world of 2100 could be dramatically better than anything we have ever known — a world where the growth of the next 80 years surpasses what was accomplished over the last 80.

But we’ve been here before. The last 80 years saw remarkable progress, lifting billions of people into new prosperity (which was necessary because the world more than tripled its population in that period). But that transformation wasn’t equally shared. Some regions, communities, and individuals surged forward. Others — due to geography, conflict, or circumstance — were left behind.

As the next wave of change gathers momentum, a critical question looms:

Will this future be more equitable than the last?
Or will it leave even more people behind?

The Uneven Map of Progress

I remember sitting in a classroom in the 1960s with chalkboards and mimeographed worksheets — and this was at one of the best universities in the U.S. Today’s students can access the world’s knowledge from a device in their pocket — or possibly on their wrist — but only if they have one.

Access to the tools of modern life — broadband, smartphones and tablets, stable housing, quality education — varies dramatically depending on where you were born, what family could access and what your community could support. And within countries, disparities produced by immigration or ethnicity — or simply geography — can have just as much impact as global income gaps.

In wealthier nations, digital infrastructure, STEM-(science, technology, engineering, mathematics) focused classrooms, and AI literacy programs are becoming standard for many. But in other areas — rural towns, underserved urban neighborhoods, and large parts of the developing world — even reliable electricity or clean water remains a challenge.

Let’s be honest: political realities often complicate progress. Not every leader wants to empower every citizen equally — especially if it might disrupt existing power structures or, in too many cases, their personal wealth.

This unevenness isn’t just about hardware or income. It’s about networks — who you know, what opportunities you can access, and how adaptable your community will be when the world shifts again.

So how do we start addressing this imbalance?

• Satellite broadband and AI-powered translation tools can bring digital learning — adapted to local languages — to even the most remote communities.
• Smartphone-first education — via WhatsApp, local radio, or even voice-based AI tutors — can provide consistent learning even without formal infrastructure.
• AI-driven real-time translation can allow students to learn in their native language, from any source, and at their own pace.
• Performance-based learning systems — not tenure-based — can foster progress by rewarding results and supporting student growth, regardless of location.

Progress doesn’t need perfection. It starts with practical, mobile-first approaches that meet people where they are — not where some system thinks they should be.

A Fork in the Road: Displacement or Redirection?

Not long ago, I met a retired factory worker who now runs a YouTube channel on home repair. He learned video editing on his phone and through YouTube tutorials, watches his analytics daily, and reaches more people than most local newspapers.

That’s what happens when someone redirects instead of retreating — and it’s a reminder that individual drive and access to simple tools can make all the difference.

Automation will certainly shift job markets — especially for roles in retail, manufacturing, logistics, and even finance. (Where do all those wizards of Wall Street go when their wizardry has been replaced by a series of AI processes?)

But this wave could also distribute opportunity more evenly — especially in places left behind in the last transformation. What might these new roles look like?

• AI explainers and validators: Local experts who provide context, judgment, and ethical feedback to AI systems — with more focus on life experience than on formal degrees.
• Rural micro-makers: Using 3D printers and open-source AI designs, small communities could build replacement parts, tools, or simple medical devices on demand.
• Global gig platforms for meaningful work: Imagine a teen in Lagos or a mom in rural Peru earning income from validating data, localizing content, or contributing to AI language models — all guided by just-in-time, voice-based training.
• Greenwork networks: In regions like North Africa or South Asia, solar-powered desalination and AI-driven irrigation systems could enable large-scale farming — and a surge in traditional and technical jobs tied to the land.

The key is making these roles visible, accessible, and supported. All it takes is one success story in a village, one proud family, one video that shows what’s possible.

Technology as an Enabler — If We Let It Be

We often talk about “bridging the digital divide” like we’re pouring concrete across a canyon. But maybe the better metaphor is planting thousands of small gardens — each tailored to its environment, thriving in its own way.

Here’s how technology can enable real change, right now:

• Micro-education via solar-charged phones or tablets: Picture a teen learning sustainable fishing or small business management while working at sea — all guided by a voice assistant trained on local dialects.
• Crowdsourced farm mapping: Local farmers take pictures of soil and crop conditions. AI returns planting strategies, fertilizer advice, and connects them to satellite-generated rainfall projections.
• Seed grants through mobile wallets: Tiny cash awards help launch real businesses — a street food vendor, a home textile co-op — with AI assistants helping manage inventory and digital payments.
• Co-op ownership through smart ledgers: Members of a farming community contribute data, labor, or oversight — and receive equity in digital tools they help improve.

The real magic happens when local imagination meets low-friction tech. But to support that, policies must shift — to reward experimentation, recognize micro-contributions, and reduce bureaucratic barriers.

A World of Friction — and Opportunity

The risks are still very real:

• Generational divides, as younger people adapt to new tools while older adults struggle to keep up.
• Geographic divides, where capital and talent concentrate in a few hubs.
• Cultural divides, when traditional communities resist — or are excluded from — technology-led change.

But friction isn’t failure.

I’ve seen retired teachers become digital literacy coaches. I’ve seen tiny towns launch community networks on recycled smartphones. I’ve seen local churches organize fiber installation.

Change doesn’t come from waiting for permission. It comes when ordinary people are invited to participate — and given just enough support to thrive.

Looking Forward

The next era could bring astonishing  tools — and equally astonishing tensions.

But there’s a version of the future where billions thrive:

• Where AI isn’t reserved for elites, but used by every shop owner, teacher, and farmer.
• Where biotech doesn’t just extend privileged lives, but eradicates neglected diseases and prevents global pandemics.
• Where opportunity isn’t something you migrate toward — but something that shows up in your inbox.

This future won’t happen by accident. It will take vision, grassroots initiative, and political systems that encourage connection over control.

And yes — it’ll take more than innovation. It’ll take wisdom, humility, and the courage to put technology in the hands of people we haven’t thought to ask.

In the next article, I’ll explore how concentrated wealth and control — in the hands of the 0.01% — could either become the greatest obstacle to this vision, or, if redirected, one of its most powerful accelerants.