The Exponential Curve
We are currently on the vertical part of the exponential curve. What happened in the last two years will pale in comparison to the next five. Here are the key trends to watch.
1. Multimodal Models
Current models are mostly specialized (text-to-text, text-to-image). The future is natively multimodal. Models like Gemini 1.5 and GPT-4o are just the start. AI will seamlessly understand and generate text, audio, video, code, and 3D models simultaneously. You'll be able to show an AI a video of a broken engine and ask it how to fix it, and it will reply with a voice guide and a diagram.
2. Personalized AI Agents
Instead of a generic chatbot, everyone will have a personalized AI agent that knows their data, preferences, and history. This agent will book appointments, manage emails, and even negotiate on your behalf. Privacy will be the main battleground here—local, on-device AI will become premium.
3. AI in Hollywood and Media
We will see the first AI-generated blockbuster movie, or at least indistinguishable scenes. The cost of production will plummet, democratizing filmmaking. However, this will spark massive debates and legal battles over copyright and the likeness rights of actors.
4. Coding and Software Development
AI won't replace programmers, but "programming" will change. It will shift from writing syntax to system architecture and prompting. Natural language will become the new coding language. One person will be able to build software that previously required a team of ten.
5. The Road to AGI
Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)—AI that can perform any intellectual task a human can—is the holy grail. While experts disagree on the timeline, the next 5 years will see systems that display reasoning and planning capabilities that feel indistinguishable from AGI in specific domains.