Back to the Future…predictions for 2025

So, apparently today is “Back to the Future” day, the day in which Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) traveled to October 21, 2015, to save his yet-to-be-born children…the year was 1985 (30 years to the day).  What’s fascinating, is to look back at all the predictions the writers/director made in the movie (and got right), such as the hoverboard, biometrics, drones and video chat (today known as Skype). And of course, how could we forget the Cubs winning the world series, who are in the playoffs as I write this.

I thought it would be fun to make a series of my own predictions to see how many will come true by the year 2025 (ten years from today). Unlike the movie, I am only predicting 10 years ahead, which is just one-third the time from the filming of Back to the Future. The reason for this is that I believe change is happening at an exponential rate, at least three times faster than it was in 1985.

Here are my predictions for 2025…

• We all know that driver-less (autonomous) cars are coming, but here is my prognostication…it will be illegal to drive in major cities. Computerized cars will be much safer, so with “public safety” in mind, lawmakers will ban people from taking over the controls within city limits.
• We see drones and personal quad-copters all over the place now. By 2025 however, you will see people aboard. Personal quad-copter bikes and family aircrafts will be flying around the skies.
• Physical currency will be a thing of the past, every transaction will be digital. Competitive digital currencies will exist, such as Bitcoin. However, the real innovation is the blockchain, a protocol that allows for secure, direct digital transfers of value and assets.
• Unemployment around the world will sore as technology displaces more and more industries.
• New air transportation technology will allow passengers to travel anywhere in the world in less than 1 hour.
• U.S. power will have diminished. China will be the new world leader. Or, a centralized one-world government will emerge.
• Chinese (Mandarin) will be the new International language.
• Many humans will be partially robotic.
• AI (artificial intelligence) will be indistinguishable to humans.
• Life expectancy will surpass 100 years.
• Humans will begin living on/in Space Stations or on a star/planet.
• Privacy is all but dead in 2025, and so is any semblance of Freedom.
• Algorithms will predict and determine nearly everything.
• Human bodies will be able to generate the necessary energy to power their own wearable technology.
• A plague, war or genetically manufactured virus will kill off 20% of the world’s population, which is currently on a path to destroy the earth. The population continues to double at an unsustainable rate.
• All babies born will have a chip implanted in order to track and obtain addition data.
• People will be assassinated by hackers infiltrating computers in their bodies, such as pace makers.
• The “smart home” will be one of the biggest contributors to economic growth.
• The Internet of Everything will have ever conceivable device in our lives linked/networked with people and big data.
• Healthcare will be completely disrupted by technology. For example, eye exams will be a thing of the past…by 2025 all you will need to do is hold your smartphone up to your eye and the camera will tell you the health of your eye, your prescription, etc.
• Many common surgeries will be done by robots…at the very least, will be performed remotely by doctors in other states/countries. This will be achieved by massively fast internet and mobile data speeds.
• Weapons with bullets will be a thing of the past, a crop of technology based weapons will emerge, such as lasers, tasers and frequencies. A new Arms Race will be in full swing.
• DNA mapping and the purchasing of genetic markers will be common place. In other words, if you want a baby that is 6′ tall, with blue eyes and brown hair who is athletic and can strum a guitar, you can purchase any of those markers and create the perfect person.
• Faxing matter. Just like we were able to transfer words on a page from one location to the other in 1985, by 2025 we’ll be on the precipice of being able to transmit matter (i.e. physical objects, perhaps even humans).
• 3D Printing will allow us to make nearly anything in the convenience of our home. The companies who will thrive will be those in the 3D hardware, 3D matter, 3D software and 3D plans/design/schematic business. So many current manufacturers will be displaced.

These are some of my predictions for 2025. Please leave comments below and tell me which ones you think are crazy, or which ones you agree with. If you have any predictions of your own, please share them below in the comment box. Let’s meet back here in 10 years, in the year 2025 and see how many of these came true. McFly!