Technology and End of World- Should We Prepare For a Technocalypse?

From the Scorched Earth theory to Zombie Ground Zero and Super-Violent Volcanoes, there are many end-of-world theories that seem promising on the one hand and unbelievable on the other. Among these theories is the AI Apocalypse theory, which in light of the current fast-paced development of technology, seems to be the most promising one.

Our dependence on technology makes many wonder how the future would look if the technology fails. The results might be even more devastating than a nuclear explosion. So, how are technology and the end of the World even related? What are some of the technological changes that can become a source of the downfall of humanity? Should we prepare for a technocalypse? Read on as we shed some light on these matters.

Technology and the End of Civilization

According to the Vulnerable world hypothesis presented in 2019 by Swedish philosopher Nick Bostrom, there exists a certain level of technology that can almost destroy civilization unless extraordinary preventive measures are taken.

The idea behind the hypothesis is that so far, the technological innovations made have had a positive impact on humanity; there hasn’t been any particular invention that has destroyed the civilization that created it. But what if we keep introducing new technologies at the same fast speed; the probability that there is a “black ball in the urn” is not zero.

What if scientists put forth a technology that is destructive to our civilization? It might even become the end of it.

Economic Crisis

The global financial sector stores and conducts transactions electronically, which is vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Cybercriminals can attack the central banking system leading to a massive crisis for the entire nation. And if such attacks occur simultaneously in multiple nations around the world, the global trade system can be disrupted, leading to a worldwide economic meltdown that’d be difficult to recover from.

And for those thinking that a decentralized banking system, aka cryptocurrency, can solve the problem, think again, as even cryptocurrency exchanges are being hacked. An attack on a digital currency bank can be much easier and much more disruptive than a bank robbery if attackers find out a way to breach in.

IoT Cyber Attacks

IoT devices can be found everywhere, from the smart coffee machine in our homes to sensors at manufacturing sites. These devices are becoming popular every day and are being employed in almost every area of our lives. Various sectors are reliant on IoT technology for performing autonomous jobs, storing and retrieving data, and other purposes. These industries range from the healthcare sector to education and business. But while these devices offer a lot of convenience, they are vulnerable to cyberattacks.

Since the internet is the backbone of these devices, an attack on one device can lead the whole system toward a massive failure, slowing down the entire industry.

For instance, if a cyber attack takes place on the safety systems of nuclear power plants, which are all connected via a seamless network, the results can be pretty catastrophic.

Computers Gaining Intelligence

AI is learning to think like a human. It might sound good as this ability leads to increased efficiency and applications such as the automation of mundane tasks and the performing of complex calculations within seconds. But since AI is much faster than humans and much better in regards to the pace of learning, there might come a time when it becomes more than just a tool for the Homo Sapiens. If AI becomes super-intelligent, the tables will turn, and AI will become our ruler. As the late Stephen Hawking said:

“Development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race.”

That might not seem true to a lot of people but think of how AI is changing the course of our lives; we are slowly but surely becoming dependent on it, and in many cases obey the technology and act as it asks us to. And just like AI is replacing humans from their jobs, it can replace humanity as a whole.

What Do We Need To Do in This Situation?

While things can get worse, there is still hope if we employ technology smartly and don’t let it take over humanity. Governments and organizations need to implement strong rules when it comes to the use of AI for higher-end uses and scientists and inventors need to be careful when introducing new solutions. There should be rules on who can choose to use a particular technology so that it stays in safe hands. Other steps we need to take to refrain technology from ending our civilization are:

• Stop using technological implementation on developing more powerful biological weapons
• Eliminate the evil users of technology
• Develop and implement effective preventive policies
• Develop solid ways to resolve problems of global communication

One way could be to rely on secure networks and also become a smart user of everyday technological applications such as the Internet. Relying on secure networks is an effective step. You need to subscribe to secure and reliable ISPs like Windstream, known for their dependable services and customer care. Contact Windstream Customer Service to see that for yourself. Taking these safety measures can prevent a potential technocalypse from happening.

Wrap-Up

It is well-said that technology is a double-edged sword; it gives us gifts from one hand while stabs us in the back from the other. But we can prevent it from stabbing our civilization and ending the world by implementing preventive policies, eliminating evil users, and stopping the use of technology in making powerful weapons.