What WALL-E tells us about AI and the future
Tags: ai
Published: 2023-12-10 00:01:32

When we watch the movie Wall-E, we see a bunch of overweight people unable to relate to each other, living in a kind of matrix, consuming fast content, fast food, without exercising, without thinking, without working (by the way, doesn't it eerily remind you of something?)

![Wall-E](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/2kp9gj6bkzr77pl4utsj.png)

A completely hedonistic life..., where humans don't need to earn a living (perhaps only the captain), and where a kind of company with robots and AI feeds and numbs the people.

Of course, any resemblance to the future will be purely coincidental, as statistically, few have been able to predict this. However, I'm going to outline some reasons why I believe that AI and technology will lead us to this point, or at least why it's a hypothesis worth considering.

## The Culture of Stupidity
Contemporary society faces a concerning phenomenon that we could label as the _"culture of stupidity"_. The acquisition of skills requires effort, an effort that, unfortunately, is not always valued or willing to be undertaken. From an early age, people seem inclined towards distraction and a lack of interest in profound knowledge. This attitude is reflected in the preference for leisure activities rather than engaging in more meaningful learning, leading to a lack of appreciation for the acquisition of intellectual and practical skills.

This trend towards stupidity may be rooted in educational management, which perhaps has not evolved adequately to adapt to the changing needs of society. Or perhaps, society itself has undergone transformations that have altered its perception of the importance of knowledge and education. In any case, it is undeniable that contemporary society seems to be falling into a kind of intellectual lethargy, limiting not only individual development but also making it more susceptible to emotional manipulation than critical reasoning.

## The Culture of Fast Consumption
In contrast to the time when society used to dedicate time to reading newspapers, whether they were biased or not, nowadays the trend has shifted towards speed and immediacy. Instead of delving into the complete reading of a news article, people tend to limit themselves to reading catchy headlines and then engage in heated discussions on social media with those who have different opinions. This lack of concentration is, in part, both the cause and the consequence of the aforementioned phenomenon.

This behavior is also reflected in other aspects of our daily lives, such as the popularity of shorts (brief and concise content) and the fleeting relevance that a new piece of clothing in our wardrobe gains before being considered obsolete. Perhaps the desire to do everything quickly is fueled, in part, by the widespread feeling of a lack of time to devote to more thoughtful and enduring activities, given the more competitive and resource-scarce environment than before.

## The Inability of People to Choose and Commit

Nowadays, people can do many more things than before – they can travel to more places, try different foods, read more books, watch more movies, have more partners, or easily switch companies (depending on the country). This abundance of choices, coupled with our inherent difficulty in decision-making due to the fear of making mistakes, and perhaps a heightened selfishness focused on a hedonistic lifestyle because significant intellectual efforts are not required, leads to people being unable to form strong bonds and relationships as a society.

A young person today may not feel the need to endure a confrontation with their partner over what they might consider trivial when, with just a couple of clicks on their screen, they can start a relationship with someone else, perhaps equally or even more appealing. Why choose to endure something that will cause suffering when they can say no and pursue another option without having to make compromises and sacrifices?

The same applies to jobs – why stay with a company that taught them how to work (or maybe not), where they have good friends, when they can move to another that pays €100 more, requires 10 minutes less commute, or allows them to learn something they enjoy (which would be foolish not to do).

However, this type of behavior underscores that, for one reason or another, we are not inclined to make sacrifices for anyone (or almost anyone) other than ourselves. These situations contribute to the isolation of individuals from each other.

## The Virtualization of Reality
Another way in which technology contributes is by enabling the virtualization of reality, as exemplified by Apple's Vision Pro and similar technologies.

![Vision Pro](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/6n4dc125ttgufcm2yjuf.png)

Imagine now that you have a partner, but she simply isn't Scarlett Johansson—no worries. You have the Vision Pro, and a filter that changes the face of the person you're looking at. With this, it's all set; you could have a date with your favorite actress or actor. Moreover, with voice cloning, it would be even more realistic, and it could even speak your own language if you don't know English.
![Futurama virtual girlfriend](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/xw8c818mkq7tqyb6hylf.png)

Now, if you don't have a partner because, as I mentioned earlier, perhaps you are already too isolated, no worries. A silicone robot with QR codes to apply a filter, and there you go, you would have your partner.

## AI and Unemployment, and the Austrian Backpack or Rationing Card
Once AI develops sufficiently and is implemented in companies, unless legislation intervenes, it will likely lead to more and more people either working fewer hours or becoming unemployed. This is where we will see if society converges into a kind of ferry where everything humans want is provided, either in real or virtual form. In my opinion, for this to happen, it will be through the Austrian backpack, meaning that as companies become more autonomous and people experience increased unemployment, Austrian backpacks or rationing cards will be created. These will enable individuals not only to survive but also to enjoy technological advances. The idea is that all companies would be completely autonomous, and as long as there are resources, people would not need to work and could enjoy life similarly to what is depicted in Wall-E.


## Demographic Explosion?
Typically, societies in times of abundance have experienced demographic explosions. However, for a demographic explosion to occur, people must desire to have a partner, have children, sacrifice their time and health to care for the next generation – something that, as we observe, is becoming increasingly rare. People tend to be hedonistic and are less inclined to sacrifice for anyone other than themselves, their careers, or their Sunday Netflix routine.

## Conclusions

If we put all these points together, we have the following:

**The culture of stupidity** makes us dumber, more manipulable, which makes us more consumers and less productive. The dumber, less productive, and more consumers we are, the less likely we are to develop the pleasure of trying to understand differential calculus and more likely to indulge in **The culture of fast consumption**. As consumerism and capitalism go hand in hand and have been fruitful, we have a large number of goods and services, leading to **The inability of people to choose and commit**. This leaves us as individuals isolated, focused on ourselves and on _carpe diem_, _yolo_, or however you want to put it. Thanks to technology, we can reach **The virtualization of reality**, allowing us to live in a world that doesn't exist without realizing it. And with the development of **AI**, **unemployment** will be generated, bringing forth **the Austrian backpack or rationing card**. However, due to the aforementioned conditions, despite the abundance of resources and perhaps the lack of a need to work, the answer to the question of **Demographic Explosion?** will be **NO**, leaving us in a world similar to that of Wall-E.

In conclusion, isolated, hedonistic individuals who do not exert effort, consume everything they desire, and are facilitated by technology, just as it happens in Wall-E.

To conclude, Honda has already released something similar to Wall-E's transport vehicle.

![honda uni one ev](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/59zok5pxxk36yurba19r.png)

The Honda Uni One EV

## Final Note
I truly have serious doubts that the situation mentioned above will converge, but if you found it interesting, amusing, or have a different perspective, go ahead, say it. This game of chess is still far from over. 

My AI professor from 10 years ago used to say that within 5 years, we wouldn't be driving cars anymore. However, people enjoy driving; in other words, not everyone appreciates passivity.

## References
* [Looking for Flynn effects in a recent online U.S. adult sample: Examining shifts within the SAPA Project](https://pdf.sciencedirectassets.com/272071/1-s2.0-S0160289623X00038/1-s2.0-S0160289623000156/main.pdf?X-Amz-Security-Token=IQoJb3JpZ2luX2VjEHYaCXVzLWVhc3QtMSJHMEUCIQCPQ7gBfvx8hLYnw%2FkQ8ujvZ4WzyAINbkogBnRhaPC7rAIgN7aKXqE0BenxJJbwKTazdu5RIqDiwMM2RXw9sTW2IZQquwUI3%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2FARAFGgwwNTkwMDM1NDY4NjUiDE5mSDyMR68RkkURZyqPBZ%2BJ3fk%2FQYH32yz1Oo8H7iWT0eeTNx6mhbxuT7N9%2FcL0T4ljtVwVLaRkMtcJMuyCb4XqjuK8UdegTkRoDr9UoxqShFpxhSIiBV8i8yJMDy9VMc%2B89MOReKQ7lssY3DfQJsqw3IJ5LIyE6hEc7K1rqrkUfnZMqbdLQK1648XxfLBkdoX%2FBqwkuTHhKDzmjV0JeYvnmaaXjjnBLNiZ4gwNEocnEaP%2BVa1h2Q0tmWuXPCSnVUex7LpiG8wI69xVuKjnyMaQkT3YWsVUZ13wCmZfKAyGfJKIdQEOosRVrGVSqA3FF3ye84W4x40j%2FDaHOz%2BBeI7SJtgUMC02vIoEHZnTsZx%2FOLD8FJzw0sQrB%2BetzH%2Bl0BsFd%2F2zPUe8dzm8P3UWKH07RKEVYoy87%2BcssDxRWflgp99lhylGaEtu2iQe7GvRn8qQqNJCNLEc7IX%2BeRzsfKq%2FiR4Z7q4gvuYkbSgp%2Fz72%2FLg5x4DxmgC0Bnjt%2F7Ke5j9Mwok9ZgL6sIrUA5z9A6adfWBgFWBfQSlbACUn5fAEXK7ulkWhRdcMdNSc9F%2BLgUwqoNdROvvOGIJxx%2BaOhksNHase2OS589S7kqeVbYkfKENT9KC9SPyu0x3o19I2Vg3zpHxv%2FsJcHQ1RVGquIAfeW84bFTexVi1QAunuQss%2F7eRRpxKRRMXKu7JHFhsMxc46%2FTjCIl7frjFfcHN6ccepdu8uhl9AyZSDp2m%2FNrbw9y1pR4tLmqOw4sOc0saALh6T6GxB7EWNEtcvHax1G7mT1S7GajFSmY5LKB8va%2FgcOpsM7RThxalEc8R%2FWdIo%2FdNybjswnac11BknxyPeFPI6fS3KABAHoOgJCaPuj9wGudgsUUBYb3PKHmQ39LEw%2Bb3TqwY6sQH869QVYRrF3o1QKHcXUW9345LvO4r49KKbn%2BXTZ9hJIn07gweayLDrRB94UA%2FkIKpSzw9U4rpat%2FnwTiKKEqmsWwWERVuhAJfrklfuYvR42nB5Tao8efcXvuv1duR5O79Tn8IQnooK5R8MiOzxkaBE373kog71QTQDUmgyr56OKUEbi%2BwebM5eFQUlIM9v50PkHrxbOIL51GbKC3ycnmUjYYSjhKR4XWoMFbaeRmw1SFQ%3D&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Date=20231209T230041Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=300&X-Amz-Credential=ASIAQ3PHCVTYQEY7A4ZC%2F20231209%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Signature=4d3a47cbe292066172a2ee71e0bd1002d14e0fc869b052a2408ee3e79ceeabef&hash=d1367216d9ab00514f019f8c4932f7a2f74d1c29a481d3a7d906bdaed0b5430d&host=68042c943591013ac2b2430a89b270f6af2c76d8dfd086a07176afe7c76c2c61&pii=S0160289623000156&tid=spdf-ea74484f-e74c-48b6-9402-86a9afc2f1fd&sid=4300f6c270ad3645142981a37d68a3a75891gxrqb&type=client&tsoh=d3d3LnNjaWVuY2VkaXJlY3QuY29t&ua=1f155c575d54000b590b51&rr=8330dd9e1c403846&cc=es)
* [Paradox of Choice, The: Why More Is Less](https://www.amazon.es/Paradox-Choice-More-Harper-Perennial/dp/0060005696)
* [Birth rate](https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/crude-birth-rate?tab=chart)
* [Honda Uni One EV](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Y9_KuoHmx8)