CULTURE
Entertainment will be completely interactive and customisable .
A mix of AI and the web ’ s penchant for remembering your personal information could bring us a completely customised media experience . We ’ re not just talking streaming services or algorithms that remember your interests . What if you could alter media like shows , movies , or games to completely suit you ? Characters , actors , or storylines could include your personal details . Imagine Leonardo DiCaprio ’ s Jack using your name instead of Rose ’ s ( unless your name is already Rose to begin with ). Who knows , maybe you could even program your face over Kate Winslet ’ s .
Human celebrities will be no more . Almost all media talent will only at least be semi-human .
Speaking of AI in entertainment , there could be a chance we ’ ll say goodbye to human performers . Holograms have been used by the music industry to revive artists such as Tupac , Whitney Houston , and more . Interestingly , voice actor Hank Azaria ( The Simpsons ) fear that AI will be taking over his roles , especially once his voice starts to decline due to age .
Though most performers are staunchly opposed to this ( see : 2023 SAG-AFTRA Strike ), this prediction is one of the most controversial on the list . Nonetheless , the time between now and 2055 is crucial for the entertainment industry to compromise and develop AI as a tool rather than a total replacement .
Pictures will be replaced with smart displays .
Have you ever wished a painting , or a picture could talk back to you ? It could be possible 30 years from now ! Interactive museums and smart displays make it so that we can enjoy dynamic pictures and paintings , but as of now they ’ re pretty static . A device such as a smart display is usually a complementary gadget for your smart home or TV .
Technology hasn ’ t brought us to a level where we can talk to our pictures but it would be interesting to combine the intelligence of Alexa or Siri with a picture . At the minimum , we ’ re imagining something along the lines of Harry Potter ’ s moving newspaper pictures . At best , we ’ re imagining talking portraits — which news publications can leverage to capture memorable quotes or historical moments .
POLL : Which cultural prediction do you think is the most likely ?
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Entertainment will be completely interactive and customisable
Human performing talent will be replaced by AI
Interactive smart displays will replace pictures and static displays
TECHNOLOGY
The Neuralink chip will be installed in more people and will be used to control cell phones or computers .
The Neuralink chip is a microchip that was developed to help those who are severely paralysed . It can be inserted in a person ’ s brain as the advanced technology helps people with disabilities to control prosthetic limbs and devices . The chip is advanced enough to have helped its first patient play a strategy video game .
In 30 years , it ’ s possible that Neuralink , though expensive , could be implanted in more people , even those without disabilities . Once more prevalent , using a Neuralink chip could be a primary way to use electronic devices and eventually eclipse buttons and touchscreen devices .
Blood transfusions will be the new plastic surgery
Say goodbye to lip fillers and facelifts , cosmetic surgery could be instead replaced with life lengthening procedures . A prominent example would be in blood transfusions , or rather “ multigenerational plasma exchange .” American tech CEO Bryan Johnson began exchanging blood with his 17-year-old son and 70-year-old father to extend their lives .
The procedure goes : Bryan ’ s son first gets a litre of his blood removed and divided into batches ( red blood cells , white blood cells , and platelets ); Bryan does the same as his blood is divided too , and finally , the eldest Johnson will also be drained except his blood will not be stored and divided . The blood from the youngest Johnson
14 ISSUE 51 FEBRUARY 2025 / WWW . AFMA . ORG . AU