AI's Impacts on Society: A Look into the Crystal Ball

Mark Fagan

January 2025

Introduction

AI is already embedded in our lives. Let's begin with a simple exercise. Since waking up this morning, how many times have you interacted with AI? Take a moment to consider. Have you had five interactions? What about 10? Twenty? More than 50? You might be surprised by the extent of AI's presence in your daily life. Consider these examples: The news feed you saw when you looked at your phone is driven by AI. Of course, the ads that accompanied the news were also AI determined. The weather forecast and your driving direction app? AI. The email you were writing when the text was filled in automatically was also AI driven. These interactions and literally dozens more that you had today highlight how deeply AI has woven itself into the fabric of our routines.

To illustrate further, let's take something as ordinary as coffee. From farm to cup, AI is transforming each step of the coffee supply chain. Farmers now employ precision agriculture, using AI to determine optimal planting times, water needs, and fertilizer application. Post-harvest, AI algorithms assist in sorting, grading, and controlling fermentation to ensure quality, while logistics and inventory management rely on AI to optimize supply chains and forecast demand. Even the roasting process benefits from real-time AI monitoring, ensuring consistent quality. At the consumer level, smart coffee machines and voice-activated ordering systems enhance convenience.

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