The year was 1983 when Isaac Asimov made predictions about what exactly the world of 2019 could look like. Some had probably missed it before and compared it to the popular science fiction films. Some were probably amused by it too, but with thirty-five years behind us, we see the potential of what the man of humanity hoped for.
In the field of space and industrial development, Isaac Asimov may have had a few missteps, but he made some startling, true claims all those years ago. Perhaps he expected more from the people, but apart from his exaggerated and utopian wild guesses, we are sure that the world will not hand out the ISS to the industrial and solar generator soon enough!
Check out some of Isaac Asimov’s predictions for 2019.
1. Automation in 2019
The very first prediction Isaac Asimov created was man’s increasing dependence on computers and their move towards an automated use of running their lives. He described a world divided by technology. Without ignoring the fact that Asimov had not been able to foresee the limitations of computers in terms of processing power and data storage, some of his words were correct to a certain extent.
2. Digitalization in the future
He believed that much of the world would be divided as they raced against each other for automotive superiority, and it makes absolute sense that a few underdeveloped countries would feel left behind. They may not be able to compete with a digitalized global economy.
This is something that should be a priority of any leading individual as it was clearly on Isaac Asimov’s mind. He acknowledged that digitalization will reduce a number of jobs because it no longer requires people. But he also emphasized the fact that automation will always create more jobs than it destroys. Isaac Asimov predicted for 2019 that it might be different jobs, but that’s how our world is evolving.
3. Artificial Intelligence (AI)
By introducing AI, Isaac Asimov predicted without any doubt that it would bring truly unprecedented changes to the industrial world and also to the working environment. He expected 2019 to be the epitome of modernization; However, some of his estimates sounded immature at this point.
4. Work and employment in 2019
It is widely believed that as the year draws to a close, new technological age jobs will emerge and the few existing jobs will disappear. Some of them would be considered redundant at best! They would be replaced or assisted in the work environment by AI. This is also where Isaac Asimov was largely right, saying that most of the jobs that will disappear are clerical or uninteresting assembly jobs that are also repetitive. Isaac Asimov predicted in 2019 that perfectly designed technology would change over time and support the work environment.
5. Changes in education
With a change in the world comes a huge skills gap. As the world becomes increasingly automated, more people are needed to understand and support the machinery that will power our daily lives. In 2019, we understand the extent of the accuracy here. Isaac Asimov’s predictions were absolutely correct when he stated that the entire population should receive high-quality education and become literate in computers and everything related to it. He understood that as time passed, people would need to become more educated in the basics of high-tech in order to continue modernization.
6. Education system of the future
Perhaps here we realize that Isaac Asimov had been a near genius! That man had correctly assessed the problems people would face as technology developed. And, as he said, we see a significant number of people stranded amid the wave of digital development, with nothing but their own lack of technological knowledge holding them back. Those are the untrained millions Asimov was talking about!
What needs to be done at this point is to give people the opportunity to adapt and give them time for the transition. It will save manpower and the will to make money from our economy. As Asimov said, the Industrial Revolution has happened before, and it’s time we learn from the past mistakes.
7. The stark contrast in Isaac Asimov’s predictions
Even though we now know that Asimov has been optimistic about his view of 2019, it still differs slightly from what he described. We understand and feel the difference as we stand here this year and look back at the technological advances the world has made. Asimov had also been faithful when he said that those who can be retrained and trained will be able to do so, because the world will need those people and those people will have to fill their places. If we focus on his statements from thirty-five years ago, we understand how correct he was regarding the education system, employment, computerization and computerization.
However, through all this, we may choose not to believe the claims he made, which were impossibly optimistic. Some of his beliefs were that impossibly large structures would orbit the Earth to ensure world peace. Perhaps his judgments here had gone a little wrong during those years when the lack of these things had limited his insights.
Conclusion
Some of Isaac Asimov’s predictions make us feel like we are not quite living up to the expectations that people of his time had of us, and while most of his claims about 2019 have proven true, they remain amazed at how well he was able to predict what could happen in the near future.
