But one thing is clear— this century is already full of incredible change and potential, and it could be the most important one yet.
Some might argue that the most important century in human history is the 300s BCE, when Alexander the Great’s military campaigns reshaped political and cultural borders. Others might cite the 7th century, when Islam emerged and spread its values across such borders. Still others might point to the 1700s, when the Industrial Revolution transformed global commerce and redefined humanity’s relationship with labor. Whatever the answer, it seems like any century vying for that top spot is at a moment of great change, when the actions of our ancestors shifted humanity’s trajectory for centuries to come.
The 21st century has already proven to be a period of rapid technological growth, with phones and computers accelerating the pace of life. We are likely on the cusp of developing new transformative technologies, like advanced artificial intelligence, which could entirely change the way people live. But these technologies also contribute to humanity’s unprecedented levels of existential risk, the risk of our species going extinct or experiencing some kind of disaster that permanently limits humanity’s ability to grow and thrive.
Very rough guesses put the risk of existential catastrophe due to nuclear winter and climate change at around 0.1%, with the odds of a pandemic causing the same kind of collapse at a frightening 3%. With any of these disasters potentially meaning the end of life as we know it, it’s possible that this century could be the most important one yet. It’s imperative to develop values that align with our own when it comes to new technologies, as they could introduce more existential risks. AI experts have a wide range of estimates regarding when artificial general intelligence will emerge, but many believe it could happen this century. If it does, it could lead to another complicated outcome: a value lock in that could permanently distort or constrain humanity’s moral growth.
The 21st century is already full of incredible change and potential, and it could be the most important one yet. Even though we can’t be sure that this is the most significant century, it appears that the choices we make could have a tremendous effect on the future of humanity. Therefore, we should act as if the future depends on us - because it just might.