In this episode, we dive into the key technological and societal shifts that are reshaping our world. We explore how artificial intelligence is rapidly evolving, with foundation models capable of understanding language and leading to frontier applications like robot automation. However, the continued scaling of these models faces headwinds due to decreasing availability of high-quality language data and increasing energy consumption, potentially reaching levels equivalent to a country like Ireland.
We'll also examine the crucial role of compute power, discussing the story of miniaturization and the challenges to Moore's Law. The increasing cost per transistor is pushing for new transistor designs to keep up with demand.
The discussion extends to the world of energy, noting that while global energy consumption has slowed since the 1960's, the global portion of energy consumed as electricity continues to grow. We'll look at the rise of renewables like solar and wind, and the falling price of batteries. We'll also explore the future of nuclear energy, and the limitations imposed by current uranium enrichment capacity.
Finally, we'll navigate the landscape of transportation, from the booming adoption of electric vehicles to the dominance of SpaceX in the rocket launch industry. We'll also touch on trends in ground freight and aviation, and the increasing importance of ocean freight for global trade.
Societal shifts are also impacting the world, with rapidly changing levels of digital engagement, such as the growth of e-commerce and social commerce. We will investigate trends in user interfaces such as smartphone adoption and the rise of AR and VR. We also discuss how people are relying on content curation and how people are trusting AI generated content more than influencers. We'll finish with some discussion of global engagement and the need for institutional trust and free trade. Join us as we unpack these complex trends and what they mean for the future.
The Source for this episode is The Contrary Tech Trends Report 2025, which analyzes key technological and societal advancements. It examines several sectors, including artificial intelligence, where foundation models are rapidly progressing, and computing, where GPU performance surpasses Moore's Law. The report also covers the energy sector, focusing on renewable sources like solar and wind, and the transportation industry, with an emphasis on electric vehicles and the evolution of ocean freight. Finally, it explores manufacturing, biotechnology, and medicine, highlighting significant developments and future challenges.
