The Next Generation Is No Longer an Abstraction
On becoming a father after six years of IVF, and the world my child may inherit.
I’ve been quiet here recently because my wife and I became parents.
We spent more than six years and four rounds of IVF getting here.
It was the most difficult thing we’ve ever gone through, and my heart goes out to anyone still going through it. I’m here if you want to chat.
But this piece isn’t about the IVF journey (that one is coming later). It’s about the change in perspective I have now that I’m deeply connected to Generation Beta.
I often find my mind going to one of my favorite films of recent years, Everything Everywhere All at Once. The genius of that film is its ability to capture, in one experience, so many of the feelings we can have about each other and about life. That’s kinda how I feel right now when I think about the future and the world my son will inhabit.
Let’s start with the positive: I’m incredibly excited to see what sorts of innovations his generation will live through and build. I’m a big believer in the exponential nature of innovation, and they’re arriving at a very steep part of the curve. May you live in exciting times!
On the more somber side, I see two major risks:
AI & warfare
We’re accelerating the development and use of fully autonomous weapons at an alarming rate.
I still remember seeing the Black Mirror episode about robotic dogs and how they mindlessly hunt and kill humans. Unfortunately, technology like this is going to be part of his life. I just hope we put enough safety measures in place and recognize the power of this technology, much like we eventually did with nuclear weapons.
I think what makes this really terrifying is that it’s not really theoretical anymore. In Gaza, the Israeli military has already acknowledged using systems called Lavender and Habsora to process intelligence. They deny that it can autonomously select targets, but UN experts and others have raised some serious questions about the way it’s being utilized.
Climate change
I’m writing this while living in fear of Ontario’s worst wildfire season getting even worse, with smoke blowing over Ottawa. Last week, Toronto was ranked as the major city with the worst air quality in the world.
I still remember the record-breaking fires of 2023. This is a trend that’s hard to ignore, and I don’t think our government is doing nearly enough. It’s one of the most dangerous feedback loops we’re witnessing in climate change.
Not to end on a sad note, I want to reiterate that my wife and I chose to take on this journey because we’re both firm believers in this project of ours: the human project. I believe in humanity, and I’m confident we will find our way.
To my son, and to Generation Beta at large: I’m rooting for you, and you have my commitment to do the best I can to help you thrive and succeed.