Global Problems Need Global Solutions
One of the reasons that we have entered the Global Stage of Human Evolution is that the major problems are global in scope. No single nation state or even several nation states together can solve these three global issues:
- The climate crisis
- The rapid, corporate oriented growth of AI/TI
- The increasing wealth inequality
The Climate Crisis
All metrics we are learning about the state of planet Earth points to a sixth extinction event. The past five, over 443 to 65 million years ago, resulted in a range of 76-93 percent of all existing species became extinct. This sixth extinction event currently underway is the first one ever triggered by a single species: humanity. We have seen the problem, and it is us!
We don’t have to “save the planet”, we need to ‘save ourselves from ourselves”. But we, humanity, seems to not care. The U.N. will put on COP 30 next month in Brazil and, just like the first 29 dating back to the 1990s, it will result in no solutions, or achievements. The famed “Paris Accord” coming out of the 2015 conference was a commitment of some 190 nations to agree to do what it takes to keep the planet from warming 1.5 degrees Celsius by the 2030s. Well folks, we reached that level of warming last year. 2025 might well be the first year where that level of warming will be for the entire year.
So don’t believe any messaging from COP 30 that does not require countries to lower their carbon emissions in 2026. Since the first COP in Berlin in 1995, some 30% of all carbon emissions ever emitted by humanity in its history, have been deposited in the atmosphere. So all talk and no action as we single -handedly move to extinction.
My favorite quote about all the climate conferences is from the young woman Greta Thunberg. Here she is at a youth climate summit. Here is Greta speaking about climate justice at COP 24.
The Rapid Growth of AI/TI Globally
The possibilities for AI/TI into the future are nothing less than transformative. It rivals, and, depending on how humanity manages it, could exceed the transformative effects of eyeglasses in the 13th century, the moveable type printing press in the 15th century, the telephone, the radio, television and the Internet. I have written about the seven rules of AI/TI in two columns, here and here .
Right now the real danger is the corporatization and competition in the early stages of development of this technology. We are at the competing products stage of AI/TI development. Billions of dollars are being invested in several companies such that the AI/TI start-ups are the most highly funded start-ups in history. Investment means a return on money. That may be the development path as it has becn since the 20th century development of computer hardware and software.
The framing of the future of AI/TI should be at the global level of humanity. The technology has within it the power to bring about the next stage of human evolution. [Please read the two linked columns above for context]. The long-term possibilities must be part of the vision. The technology could bring about what Arthur C. Clarke said about the future:
“The goal of the future is full unemployment so we can play.”
The Industrial Revolution has run its course. It resulted in the “muscling up” of humanity. We extended our physicality into inventions. The car is the end of the horse. Wheels are the new extensions of the foot as McLuhan stated. In farming, it took five men to equal one horse, five horses to equal a tractor, five tractors equal a big combine. We invented hydraulics to lift heavy things. The Industrial Revolution took care of empowering the massive changes of this “body extension”. AI/TI is the opportunity to have a “mind extension” or “mind expansion”.
Humanity shows its stupidity over and over again. Wars, famine, poverty, prejudice, wealth inequality are all things that show the inability of humanity to act as a single species. Perhaps AI/TI might give us the technology to do so. Our species has a long history of wars etc. so why not see if this new technology can make us smarter and end stupidity?
Anything less than a cooperative, integrated, global view of AI/TI must be a temporary step of development. Capitalism can spawn competition and therefore successes and failures. That is where we are now. There needs to be a global vision that drives the development of this truly and deeply profound technology.
Historic Level of Wealth Inequality
The current levels are unprecedented. According to Chat/GPT the top 1% of the global population holds more than 45-50% of the world’s total wealth, while the bottom 50% of the population holds less than 1-2%. Global wealth inequality is at its highest measured level in modern history. As I have written in this space, this began in the 1980s and grew especially after the 2008 financial crisis and then Covid.
All around the world, people are demonstrating at the national level to both tax the rich and to press for more equality. Progressive tax plans are the answer at the national level and that may be the initial first step. Layered on top of this is that the demonstrations globally are calling for “the elites”, perceived or otherwise to end inequality and corruption. The governments are being perceived as corrupt, self-serving and non-responsive to “the People”. More on that in future columns.
All three of these major issues ultimately demand global solutions. The key issue is how to take the next step for global governance. I do not have clarity on that but will, in the next few columns, try to address this huge process.
What is very clear is that nation states and seemingly all major religions [ the primary affiliations for self-identification] are all about us versus them. Marry within our faith or marry your own nationality. Outdated stuff like that.
The reduced question is how we move to all of us in this time of choosing sides. A global governance is something to create a vision about for the future. The darkness of this time in history is, in part, because humanity can only think of war in the future. “Will the invasion of Ukraine start WWIII?” is one I have heard, not, “Will the invasion of Ukraine lead to global governance?”
Our history is to do stupid, deadly things to large groups of people. Maybe, just maybe we can look at Technological Intelligence as the opportunity to have our species finally gain intelligence. It could be part of the solution for global governance at this time of the Global Stage of Human Evolution.