Why You'll Never Own AGI, According to AI Pioneer Emad Mostaque

It might not seem like it, but humanity is probably living at the best time in its history. Extreme poverty has fallen. Child mortality is down. We're living longer, freer, and more peaceful lives than ever before. For this piece, we've gathered 24 of the most important charts to show this.

Two statements are true at the same time. The world is much better than in the past. And the world is still awful. To see that the world is awful, you can open the newspaper. To see that the world is much better, you need to look at the data on the important long-term developments.

The Global Risks Report 2024 warns of a global risks landscape in which progress in human development is being chipped away slowly, leaving states and individuals vulnerable to novel and resurgent risks. The top risks over the next two years include misinformation and disinformation, extreme weather events, and societal polarization.

Collins Dictionary has named 'permacrisis' its word of the year for 2022, defining it as 'an extended period of instability and insecurity'. For many, this will feel like an apt description of living through the fallout of Brexit and the pandemic, with a backdrop of war in Ukraine, spiralling inflation and energy costs, and political instability.