Yesterday marked the end of the first quarter of this century. Frankly, these might have been the most comfortable twenty-five years in human history over the past two thousand years—lowest war mortality, fastest global wealth growth, longest average lifespan, most democratized technological dividends, highest education coverage, and fewest people in poverty. The waves of internet, mobile internet, and AI technology have rolled in one after another, making the entire world before the millennium seem ancient. Living in this era, we are truly fortunate.

The problem is, the next three quarters are likely to be far from so easy. AI is not just a matter for a single industry; almost every field will undergo dramatic changes, regardless of regional boundaries. The impact of this technology, in science fiction terms, is like a two-dimensional blade flattening human society.

According to current expectations, if the average lifespan can truly reach 140 years, our generation will probably have to watch the dramatic changes of this century unfold with our eyes wide open. By then, perhaps we’ll be gathering with friends who are a hundred years old, drinking and reminiscing about this relatively stable era.