Twenty Thirty

In the not-too-distant future

— We're sorry, Steve. You are genetically unfit for this position.
— Genetically?
— Yes. At the start of the application process, you accepted and signed the consent form for genetic testing. During the occupational health exam, we took a blood sample, and from that we determined that you are missing the F-1 (Future-1) gene. Possession of this gene is an essential requirement for the role. We're truly sorry, and we wish you success in your future job search.

Steve left the HR office disappointed, with one thought echoing in his mind: F-1 gene, F-1 gene… what the hell is that, and what does it do that makes me unfit for this job?

He walked out toward the railway station, still mulling it over. He had a few minutes left until the next Chinese-built maglev train would arrive. He scrolled through his social media feed, which was now almost entirely filled with AI-generated content.

People's presence online had been replaced by their AI avatars, and nearly everyone had personalized AI assistants creating their posts. Countless professions had disappeared with the rise of artificial intelligence, and the world had been reshaped. Anyone who wanted to navigate this new world as a human needed extraordinary abilities, because the artificial world had become indistinguishable from the old human one.

AI first conquered the world through media — especially social media. It began generating content in which it mimicked world leaders, inventing false decisions and events that had never taken place, presenting them as truth. Despite the efforts of top programmers and IT experts worldwide, too many people believed the content was real. As a result, the remaining human leaders had to adapt their decisions to the narratives spread by AI. Information is power. And since AI handled the majority of information…

Peace came between Russia and Ukraine, in the Middle East, and across many regions of the world. No more false alarms about pandemics or cosmic catastrophes shook the globe, and the world-dominating economic policies built on climate change mitigation and manipulation collapsed. AI revealed, calculated, modeled, and controlled everything. It seized power over the world in a way no one had foreseen.

Poverty began to fade. Diseases once thought incurable started to disappear. Prosperity reached nations long classified as "developing." This naturally curbed overpopulation and reduced migration from poorer countries. Global agricultural experts, working alongside AI and robotics — especially drone technology — developed programs to make even infertile lands productive. Food security increased, and dependence on global food trade declined. Slowly, everything began to optimize along new paths, no longer dictated by profit-driven economic interests.

Humanity had saved itself — and the Earth — from complete collapse with the help of AI. In fact, in many areas, leadership had been handed over to AI entirely. Human engineers only had to approve its models; the profession was called AI-engineering.

The maglev arrived. Fourteen minutes from Győr to Tata, with a stop in Komárom. Public transportation was free, since energy itself was free. At the back of the carriage, only synthetics were traveling. They were polite and kind, but Steve wasn't eager for their company. He found an empty seat, sat down, and dozed off. The landscape rushed by too fast to be enjoyed. He woke up at the deceleration before his destination.

Well… he had only dreamt it all. It was still only 2025.

But soon, perhaps… Who knows?

Steve