2/2
Second, AI is being imposed on us, whether we like it or not. Many will feel they do not fit into this new AI-driven economy or are not even being offered a chance, creating a greater 'precariat' class who feel left behind. Can we learn these new AI tools or will we become redundant in our profession? This sentiment will exacerbate our occupational identity crisis, which will bleed into global mental health challenges. AI expert Kai-Fu Lee confirmed that his past prediction is still “uncannily accurate" forecasting that 50% of jobs will be wiped away by 2027. A violent backlash against AI is inevitable, as many feel left behind by this transition….
4.An era of shock events
Make no mistake – the US-driven post-Cold War era ended a while ago (and realistically America’s 2024 election won’t change this). Enduring global leadership, democratic ideals, globalization and liberal values have all been notably challenged and superpowers are overstretched. This is a global legitimacy crisis as argued in my book and our past crowdsourced research since 2017. This period of muddling through means anything can happen in our post-pandemic era. Look for global risks to be further exacerbated by unexpected, destabilizing shock events.
Briefly, here are three shock events to consider that may impact global stability:
1.A new global extremist group emerges: with the world distracted with multiple major wars and leadership in decline, this could be an opportunistic time for a new extremist group to make its mark – and maybe not face as many consequences. Perhaps, it will even leverage AI tools to kick off a new phase of terrorism.
2.A cyber pandemic– that is intentional: the massive global IT outage in July was not terrorism, but simply a faulty software update from a cybersecurity firm. Yet, it cost Fortune 500 companies $5.4 billion in damages and shut down flights, banks, hospitals, retailers and other services worldwide. Imagine if a bad actor did this – on purpose and an even grander scale?
3.Climate change claims its first island nation in the post-pandemic era: The COP28 plan to phase out fossil fuels may take decades and it’s unclear if world leaders will follow through. What’s more probable is that in the meantime certain island nations (who emit only 0.3% of global emissions) will keep fighting their cause, whether it is through international law or new climate funds. But, if these islands do succumb to climate change, sinking a lot faster than we expect, how will climate activists and world leaders react.
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2024/08/4-global-risks-to-look-out-for-in-the-post-pandemic-era/