As I have always said, computing and biotech are, and will be, the two pillars of major growth for the foreseeable future – that is, the two major categories of human need, technological innovation and business growth. The specific areas within computing and biotech will change and meander from one application context to another. For example, more and more computing is finding it’s way into smart phones now.

Computing

Computing will do many more things for humans in the future and do them in better, more efficient ways. Hardware advancements (processing speed, memory, hard drive space, etc.) have far out-paced software innovation, in my opinion. In other words, even desktop computers from the mid-90’s could do amazing things to improve people’s lives currently if programmed very cleverly and used most effectively. Due to the abstract nature of computing, and the average person’s general lack of ability to understand how life really works, most people don’t understand how much computers have already improved our potential standard of living since the ’70s. I say “potential”, because decline of productivity-supporting cultural traits and governmental intervention has a way of setting back many gains afforded by technological advances. Imagine the analogy of being a caveman, migrating to a new land with plentiful food, but you’re now full of parasites too, which leech away any nutritional advantage!

Biotech

Biotech (short for biotechnology) has done much already as well. The future will bring much more. Biotechnology has much to offer, including medical advances (cures, treatments) not otherwise possible and increased agricultural productivity (which means more hungry people get fed, for those who can’t figure that out). By the late ’80s, researchers had developed techniques for genetic engineering – a much more direct approach to manipulating genes within one or many cells of an organism. There have been hysterias about genetically modified foods, plants and microorganisms, and to be sure, genetic engineering could be used to do bad things, it is overall a very helpful technology that will result in longer lifespans, healthier people, real cures for cancers and other currently-incurable disease. More people can be fed and more will have balanced nutrition. Biotech is another tool to allow the planet to sustain more people without so much massive human rights violations and general conflict.

You might ask, what is the “foreseeable future”? I’d predict Computing and Biotechnology to be the two most dominant technologies for the next century at least. There is some point at which even the greatest human minds cannot predict well, because every technology sets the stage for more technological and cultural possibilities. Cultural and political upheavals, actions of individuals and natural disasters complicate any predictions of technology or industry.