The third major challenge of the twenty-first century is artificial intelligence. AI has created computers and technologies that can think like humans and solve many problems that arise in different fields. The best example of this is the Tesla car. It does not require a driver. As the car moves forward through the computer program, it knows where to brake, where to press the gas pedal to increase or decrease the speed of the vehicle, where to turn, what to do when an accident occurs?
Another example of AI: Siri. This technology is included in Apple company’s iPhone and iPad. It is present to do all the work as if Siri is our secretary. We simply tell him what to do. We can tell him who to call, which route to take. Who has to voice mail – all these orders should be obeyed without speaking in front of someone as an obedient secretary! Going forward, now using drone technology, military officers can drop bombs on some remote country while sitting at home.
Everything that we used to do originally can now be done by machines. Due to this, the job market has started to undergo major changes. For example bookkeeping, data entry, receptionist, proofreading, manufacturing, courier service etc. can be done by AI. If machines start doing such jobs, what about the people doing all that work? Worryingly, in the next decade almost 70% of jobs will be done by AI rather than humans! Then what about their employment? They have to learn new skills to do new business. Why are new banks rising on that paved road? This is the third major challenge of the 21st century.
Globalization:
Globalization is the fourth major challenge of the 21st century for mankind. As technology advanced by leaps and bounds, we got AI (Artificial Intelligence) as we looked ahead. Also now got the information highway. Due to these two, no nation of the world can be separated from other nations near or far. Whether we like it or not, our entire existence is intertwined with other countries and other peoples. Our food, clothes, songs, music, conversation, education, conduct, business, trade, import-export etc. are all affected by technology.
Today, from any corner of the country, any person can have a direct conversation with people living in any country of the world through a mobile phone. It is only because of this wonder of technology that international companies today can make financial transactions of millions and crores instantly through mobile. Even communist countries like China and Russia are not excluded from this international movement or transaction. America and the West have not made any military moves to take action against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. Only stopped financial and other dealings with him and visibly weakened his economic condition.
The four horsemen of the apocalypse have been imagined in the Bible. These horsemen bring with them disasters such as great wars, terrible famines, terrible great deaths or defeats. The four challenges we have discussed here – denuclearization, global warming and climate change, artificial intelligence and globalization – are the horsemen of the 21st century doomsday. We had to find a solution to avoid them. If we fall back into it, I hear the lessons of the great destruction of mankind.
– Natwar Gandhi