It’s not just venture capitalists and billionaires making important predictions about A.I. A new, elaborate 232-page report from the Pew Research Center canvassed more than 300 experts across industries about the changes they predict by 2035 from technological developments.
“We have been collecting experts’ thoughts about the rising impact of digital networks for 20 years now, in more than 40 reports, and their fears have never before been so profound,” Janna Anderson, an author of the report and professor, told Fortune in an email.
She added that while the report predicts significant new benefits in the future, 79% of experts said they have concerns about how digital trends—especially the rapid evolution and spread of A.I.—will exercise influence over people’s lives.
The commonly discussed fears are present — plutocracy and dictatorial reign, social collapse, a mental health crisis due to isolation, losing a sense of “truth” and scientific accuracy, and, of course, the Skynet future of total domination through autonomous warfare of the nuclear and cyber variety.
