Artificial intelligence will profoundly reshape what it means to be human over the next decade, according to a comprehensive new report from Elon University researchers. The study combines qualitative essays with insights from 301 global experts to examine how AI integration will transform human cognition, relationships, and identity by 2035. This research arrives at a critical inflection point in AI development, highlighting significant concerns about cognitive decline and social fragmentation alongside potential benefits for human enhancement.
The big picture: Expert opinion is starkly divided on whether AI will augment or diminish essential human capacities, with substantial concerns about fundamental changes to cognition and social dynamics.
- Half of surveyed experts predict AI will erode deep thinking capacity as automated systems handle increasingly complex cognitive tasks.
- Nearly half anticipate greater societal polarization as AI-powered content personalization and deepfakes further fragment shared reality.
- The report presents a complex forecast where AI simultaneously threatens human autonomy while potentially enhancing capabilities through ethical development.
Key cognitive concerns: Researchers identify significant risks to human intelligence and emotional capacity as AI integration deepens.
- 50% of experts expect diminished social and emotional intelligence as people increasingly interact with synthetic companions rather than navigating complex human relationships.
- AI-generated summaries and automated decision-making may reduce critical engagement with information and ideas.
- The convenience of AI assistance could atrophy cognitive muscles that previously developed through necessary mental effort.
Autonomy under pressure: Individual agency faces substantial threats in an AI-dominated future, according to the report.
- 44% of experts predict declining individual independence as algorithmic systems increasingly guide or override human judgment.
- The report warns of diminished autonomous decision-making capabilities as people defer more choices to AI systems.
- Personal identity itself may fragment as AI-mediated experiences reshape how people perceive themselves and their relationship to society.
Potential benefits: Some experts maintain optimism that ethical AI development could enhance rather than diminish human experience.
- AI could augment learning by providing personalized education tailored to individual cognitive styles and needs.
- Mental health care could become more accessible and effective through AI-powered therapeutic tools.
- Global collaboration might accelerate as AI helps overcome language barriers and cultural differences.
Why this matters: How we design, deploy and regulate AI systems today will determine whether technology enhances our essential human qualities or fundamentally alters what it means to be human in the coming decades.
Recent Stories
DOE fusion roadmap targets 2030s commercial deployment as AI drives $9B investment
The Department of Energy has released a new roadmap targeting commercial-scale fusion power deployment by the mid-2030s, though the plan lacks specific funding commitments and relies on scientific breakthroughs that have eluded researchers for decades. The strategy emphasizes public-private partnerships and positions AI as both a research tool and motivation for developing fusion energy to meet data centers' growing electricity demands. The big picture: The DOE's roadmap aims to "deliver the public infrastructure that supports the fusion private sector scale up in the 2030s," but acknowledges it cannot commit to specific funding levels and remains subject to Congressional appropriations. Why...
Oct 17, 2025Tying it all together: Credo’s purple cables power the $4B AI data center boom
Credo, a Silicon Valley semiconductor company specializing in data center cables and chips, has seen its stock price more than double this year to $143.61, following a 245% surge in 2024. The company's signature purple cables, which cost between $300-$500 each, have become essential infrastructure for AI data centers, positioning Credo to capitalize on the trillion-dollar AI infrastructure expansion as hyperscalers like Amazon, Microsoft, and Elon Musk's xAI rapidly build out massive computing facilities. What you should know: Credo's active electrical cables (AECs) are becoming indispensable for connecting the massive GPU clusters required for AI training and inference. The company...
Oct 17, 2025Vatican launches Latin American AI network for human development
The Vatican hosted a two-day conference bringing together 50 global experts to explore how artificial intelligence can advance peace, social justice, and human development. The event launched the Latin American AI Network for Integral Human Development and established principles for ethical AI governance that prioritize human dignity over technological advancement. What you should know: The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, the Vatican's research body for social issues, organized the "Digital Rerum Novarum" conference on October 16-17, combining academic research with practical AI applications. Participants included leading experts from MIT, Microsoft, Columbia University, the UN, and major European institutions. The conference...