Hacker News Reader

Comment by vladojsem | Hacker News Reader

People tend to overestimate the technology growth in the next 10 years. The good idea is to pause and look back for the past 10 years? Were there some huge inventions during that time, something groundbreaking that changed a lot? Yes, there were few amazing inventions that happened (spread of smartphones), but in general daily human life did not change dramatically due to technology.

View on HN

I mean, I'd you asked me this question in anytime between 1995 and 2007 I would completely disagree with you. But I feel the past decade has been relatively iterative and not as revolutionary.

I think around the early 1900s people experienced rapid technological changes as the automobile and electricity spread throughout the U.S. within a decade or two. I think change happens rapidly but in spurts. I believe the 2020s will be another period of rapid change.

Why do you believe the 2020s will be a period of rapid change?

I think it will be the beginning of the age of automation and we'll see breakthroughs in robotics, VR/AR, space tech, biotech, energy, and finance.

Smartphones are eleven years old so if you had been asked that question two years ago you would have been talking about the fundamental change in how most people get most of their internet time through a technology that isn't even a decade old.

I agree with smartphones as the fundamental change. But what else in the last 10 years?

People getting a majority of goods, services, and customer service centres via online or automation. Fall in use of hard cash in favour of card (often contactless) or online/app transactions.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com