​One of the paradoxes of mid-2020s AI is that many of its champions acknowledge its revolutionary nature, yet can't seem to imagine a future any different from today. Hence, all they can picture is today's neo-liberal capitalism turbocharged by 100, with them at the top. A delusion and a fantasy, if you just think a few steps ahead.

Case in Point.

Microsoft's latest Medical AI, where the AI is scoring 83%, and human doctors 36%. The version of this that will triumph is a (yet to be developed) free open-source version available to the world's 5 billion smartphones. If we include those who have access to smartphones, via family and friends, it's probably almost everyone on the planet.

Don't think this will happen? It's only a matter of time.

$1.5 trillion is given to charity every year. Developing this AI is a tiny drop in that $1.5 trillion bucket. Someone, a UN agency, Doctors without Borders, the Red Cross, or one among the other endless list of NGOs will do this. A country may even decide to fund it on behalf of mankind.

​ Microsoft’s Mustafa Suleyman says its AI outperforms doctors on hard cases as he chases ‘medical superintelligence’

A Lookback at 2023 Trends in Global Generosity