Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computers and Humanity’s Future
Looking at the World of 2126 from Today
Imagine the daily life of a person living in 1900: electricity had not reached everywhere, automobiles were not widespread, and the airplane was still a new experiment. A hundred years later, millions of people were flying in almost every part of the world, carrying powerful computers in their pockets and making video calls to the other side of the globe. This comparison does not prove that the future will necessarily exceed today’s expectations, but it shows that mutually reinforcing technologies can transform life on a much greater scale than individual inventions.
If artificial intelligence, quantum computers, robots, biotechnology and new energy systems reach far more advanced levels than today, how will people live? Will the obligations we now accept in order to go to work, attend school, receive treatment or travel somewhere remain the same? In seeking answers, scientific developments and assumptions about the future must be distinguished from one another.
New devices alone will not be at the center of change over the next 100 years. As computing power, energy, biology, materials science and automation advance simultaneously, progress in one field will open the way for another. Cheaper energy may enable more powerful computers; more powerful computers, better drug design; and better sensors, safer robots. The future should therefore be read not as a list of separate products, but as the transformation of interconnected systems.
For literary visions of future technologies, read our earlier article Writers and Films That Wrote the Future – 1: Science Fiction Writers Who Predicted the Future.
You can also explore how cinema gave visual form to future technology in Writers and Films That Wrote the Future – 2: How Science Fiction Became Reality.
What Will Computers Change in 2126?
Measuring future computers only by their speed would be incomplete. What matters is which problems that are difficult to solve today will become accessible through greater computing power. Developing a new medicine requires years of laboratory and clinical work. Advanced AI can be used to screen molecular candidates more quickly and design experiments more accurately.
A 2024 paper in Nature on AlphaFold 3 reported a significant advance in modeling interactions among proteins, biomolecules such as DNA and RNA, and various small molecules [1]. This does not mean that AI can develop safe medicines on its own, but it appears to accelerate certain stages of biological research.
Imagine AI-assisted computers and robotic laboratories working together by 2126. A system could screen thousands of possible materials virtually, conduct physical experiments on promising candidates and propose new experiments based on the results. Such a cycle could increase the pace of research in many areas, from medicines and batteries to fertilizers and new construction materials.
For the GPU and accelerated-computing infrastructure required by AI, read NVIDIA’s Story: From GPUs and CUDA to the AI Revolution.
Will Quantum Computers Accelerate Everything?
Quantum computers may provide major advantages over classical computers for certain types of problems. Important engineering challenges such as error correction and scaling remain, however. Quantum roadmaps published by organizations such as IBM show intended targets, not completed outcomes [2].
The truly striking possibility toward 2126 is that classical supercomputers, quantum systems and AI will complement one another. Better materials may contribute to cheaper energy storage, cheap energy to more widespread robotic production, and robotic production to changes in cities and working life.
What Will Come After Quantum Computers?
Humanity may develop new computer architectures that exploit the properties of atoms, molecules or physical principles not yet discovered. We do not know today how they would work. As a thought experiment, suppose that in 2126 a system emerges that delivers performance 100,000 or 500,000 times greater than the advanced quantum computers of that period for certain calculations. These figures are not scientific forecasts; they are examples chosen to discuss possible effects.
What Would Such a Development Mean for Humanity?
Such computing power could accelerate research into medicines, materials and energy by modeling the behavior of atoms and molecules in greater detail. Combined with AI and robotic laboratories, it could automate some stages of scientific discovery. Simulations, however, cannot completely replace physical experiments and safety tests.
Perhaps people living in 2126 will be surprised not by how slow the computers of 2026 were, but by why technological limitations forced people to work such long hours, wait in traffic and seek treatment only after illnesses appeared.
How Will Cities and Transportation Change in 2126?
The IPCC’s 2022 assessment examines remote work, urban planning, and behavioral and systemic changes that reduce transport demand in the context of emissions reduction [3]. This does not prove that everyone will work from home, but it shows that technology can affect transport needs not only through new vehicles, but also by changing the reasons for travel.
Consider Istanbul. The presence of millions of motor vehicles shows that transport cannot be solved through vehicle technology alone. The sale of hundreds of thousands of vehicles each year does not mean the same number is added to traffic on a net basis; old vehicles are deregistered and vehicles change hands. Nevertheless, the fundamental physical limit remains unchanged. When a car becomes electric or driverless, the space it occupies on the road does not disappear. A narrow road can carry only a limited number of vehicles at the same time.
If we assume a hypothetical starting stock of 6,352,000 vehicles and a net addition of 500,000 vehicles every year from 2026 onward, the total would reach 18,352,000 in 2050 and 43,352,000 in 2100. These figures are not forecasts but a thought experiment based on a constant net-growth assumption; population, policies and vehicle lifespans will change in reality.
Metro systems, commuter railways, trams and high-capacity buses may therefore remain the main backbone of future cities. Small electric shuttles, shared bicycles and safe walking networks could connect neighborhoods to stations. Robotaxis could reduce private car ownership, but if they cruise empty, they may increase total mileage and congestion. A model resembling India’s high density of motorcycles may facilitate some journeys, but it is not a complete solution in terms of safety, climate and capacity.
Electric vehicles can help reduce exhaust emissions, but they do not eliminate the need for public transportation or the physical limits of road capacity.
By 2050, driverless routes, electric buses and integrated ticketing systems may expand. By 2080, urban mobility may consist of automated services planned through a single application and connected to the metro. Private cars need not disappear entirely by 2126, but they may no longer occupy as central a position as they do today, particularly in dense cities such as Istanbul. New high-speed rail and magnetic-levitation networks may create more options across distances. Private car use could be severely restricted in the centers of some major cities in 2126. Multilevel metro and high-speed rail networks, automated freight transport and driverless shuttles could render some of today’s car roads unnecessary. Surface areas could be allocated to parks, walking routes and social spaces.
It is not a realistic necessity, however, for entire cities to move underground. Tunnel construction, earthquake safety, ventilation, evacuation and energy costs create serious constraints.
What Will Homes and Major Cities Be Like in 2126?
If remote work and personalized education become widespread, people may be less obliged to live near business centers. If small settlements provide high-quality digital services, healthcare and rapid transportation, life outside major cities could become more attractive. Social relationships, culture, universities and economic opportunities may nevertheless preserve the importance of cities. The IPCC’s urbanization assessments also note that dispersed settlements can increase travel distances [3].
We should not expect a single future for housing. Small modular homes with shared kitchens, sports facilities and workspaces may become widespread. Families working from home, however, may prefer larger, multipurpose housing. The home of the future may therefore not necessarily be small, but adaptable to its user’s way of life.
Will Artificial Intelligence Change Schools and Working Life?
AI-supported education that can adapt to every child may reduce the need for students to learn the same subjects at the same pace. The role of schools may shift from conveying information toward social development, experimentation, sports and collaborative production. UNESCO’s 2023 Global Education Monitoring Report nevertheless emphasizes that evidence and equality of access in educational technologies must be evaluated carefully [4]. Article 42 of the Constitution states that no one may be deprived of the right to education and learning. It provides that primary education is compulsory for all male and female citizens and free of charge in state schools. Even if home-learning models become widespread, the accessibility and equality of public education must be protected. Rather than permanently assigning children to occupational categories through algorithms at an early age, it should be accepted that their interests can change.
As robots and AI take over certain tasks in working life, remote work may become more common. Yet care, construction, emergency services and jobs requiring face-to-face human relationships will not disappear entirely. A shorter working week will not be an automatic consequence of technology; it will depend on how productivity gains are distributed across society.
What Will We Eat in 2126? The Future of Food
Food production requires agricultural land, water, energy and labor. Moreover, a significant share of produced food is lost or wasted. The United Nations Environment Programme’s 2024 Food Waste Index demonstrates the scale of the problem [5]. By 2126, the solution will involve not only using more land, but producing food in different ways and preventing waste.
Will Vertical Farming Move into Cities?
In vertical farming, certain plants are grown in layered facilities under controlled temperature, humidity and lighting. Leafy vegetables in particular can be produced near consumption centers. Artificial lighting and climate control, however, create substantial energy costs. Sustainability reviews published in Nature Food show that the benefits of new food-production technologies must be evaluated together with their energy and environmental effects [6].
By 2126, cheaper energy, efficient LED systems and robotic harvesting may increase urban production of some crops. Even so, wheat, rice and other staple field crops cannot all be moved into enclosed buildings. Different foods may come to our tables.
Will Animal-Free Meat and Milk Production Become Widespread?
Precision fermentation uses microorganisms to produce specific food components. Cultivated meat is also being researched. Some milk proteins and alternative meat products may become more widespread in the future. They must, however, compete with traditional production in price, energy consumption, taste, safety and consumer acceptance.
Personal health data and metabolic measurements may also make nutritional advice more individualized. Yet it has not been demonstrated today that a perfect diet can be derived from genetic data for every person. The future of food may not mean that people stop eating, but that where, how and with which resources food is produced will change.
2126: From Waste to Wealth
Food scraps, plastics, glass, metals and electronic waste from homes, restaurants, factories and workplaces are often collected without sufficient sorting today. A significant share of valuable reusable raw materials is therefore lost. Yet many materials we throw away are economic resources that industry can reuse. Especially in countries such as Türkiye that import certain raw materials, this loss is not only an environmental problem but also an economic one.
In 2126, people may no longer need to sort waste item by item. Facilities powered by AI, sensors and robotics could automatically identify mixed waste and separate it using appropriate methods. Organic waste could be transformed into energy, fertilizer and biomaterials; metals, glass and suitable plastics could return to industry as raw materials. These systems could reduce Türkiye’s import requirement for certain raw materials and create new industries. Hazardous and contaminated waste would nevertheless still require special treatment and safe disposal.
Will Human Lifespans Increase? Health in 2126
One of the most important questions for humanity is how much life expectancy will increase. Increasing life expectancy and slowing biological aging are different matters. Living longer does not mean that a person will spend advanced age in good health. One central objective of future medical research will be to increase the number of years lived in good health.
The 2023 Cell paper “Hallmarks of Aging: An Expanding Universe” by López-Otín and colleagues examines twelve biological processes associated with aging [7]. Understanding processes such as DNA damage, cellular senescence, mitochondrial dysfunction and stem-cell exhaustion may support new treatments for age-related diseases.
If gene therapies, regenerative medicine, artificial organs, early diagnosis and assistive robots advance by 2126, more people may remain independent at advanced ages. Brain-computer interfaces may particularly help patients who have lost the ability to communicate or move.
We cannot state with scientific certainty today that lifespans of 120–150 years will become common. Such an outcome depends on interventions not yet proven safe and effective. A more cautious and meaningful expectation is improved healthy aging and earlier prevention of certain diseases.
If healthy lifespans increase, social institutions may also change. Education may no longer belong only to youth, work only to middle age, or retirement only to advanced age. A person may change professions several times during a lifetime; family, care and retirement arrangements may be reshaped.
An Ordinary Day in 2126
Let us now combine all these developments in one possible life scenario. A person living in a small settlement near Istanbul wakes in the morning as home systems monitor energy use and health indicators. They connect remotely to their employer’s robotic production facilities and do not need to travel to the city center every day.
Their child’s learning program is adapted to individual progress. In the afternoon, the child goes to an education center to conduct experiments, play sports and produce joint projects with friends. The family has no private car. High-speed rail and shared shuttles meet daily needs. Some vegetables are produced in nearby controlled farming facilities. An elderly family member continues to live independently thanks to advanced treatment and assistive technologies.
This is not a proven forecast for 2126. It is only one possible way of life that could emerge if current scientific research progresses successfully. It also raises an important question: Who will control all these systems?
Will the World Be Divided into Three or Four Power Blocs in 2126?
It may become increasingly difficult for countries to establish technological superiority on their own. Advanced computers, AI systems, robots and new energy technologies will require numerous raw materials, vast amounts of energy, advanced industrial facilities and accumulated scientific knowledge.
This may lead to alliances unlike today’s by 2126. The world may continue to consist of many independent states politically while organizing economically and technologically around three or four major centers of power.
Some alliances may stand out in advanced computing, others in energy and natural resources, and still others in production capacity. Countries may seek to compensate for their own limitations with the capabilities of their partners.
In such a world, a country’s real power may not be measured solely by its military capacity. The technologies it can produce, the energy resources it can access, the production networks to which it belongs and the degree to which other countries depend on it may also gain importance.
These alliances could affect world peace in two different directions. Competition among blocs for resources and technology could increase tensions. Mutual economic dependence, on the other hand, could encourage cooperation and common security arrangements.
Will Wars in 2126 Be Fought for Land or Technology?
Historically, countries competed for fertile land, trade routes, oil and natural resources. Toward 2126, technological production capacity, energy resources, critical minerals and advanced computing infrastructure may play a more important role in countries’ strategic power.
For the strategic role of critical chips in global production networks, read The History of TSMC: Morris Chang and the Birth of the Foundry Model.
The present concentration of critical-mineral extraction and processing in certain countries offers the first signs of this issue. Research by the International Energy Agency shows that supply chains for some minerals are geographically vulnerable.
We cannot know whether states will retain their current borders in 2126 or which countries might enter into conflict. New economic and political relationships may nevertheless emerge between technologically powerful countries and those dependent on their technologies.
In such a future, wars may not be fought only to gain territory. Access to energy resources, production facilities, technological knowledge and critical infrastructure may also become subjects of international disputes. Recycling resources, developing new materials and increasing technological cooperation among countries could, however, prevent competition from turning into conflict.
Conclusion: Will Technology Liberate Humanity?
Toward 2126, the central change may involve not faster computers or advanced automobiles, but people’s ability to devote more time to themselves through less compulsory labor. Habits of work, learning, treatment, nutrition and transportation may change fundamentally. Technological progress, however, does not guarantee that these gains will be distributed equally.
What If All This Technological Power Is Concentrated in the Hands of One Country, Person or Company?
Imagine a future in which advanced AI, facial recognition, large-scale data collection, robotic infrastructure and brain-computer interfaces are concentrated under a single authority. These systems could improve healthcare, education and security; without oversight, they could also increase the risks of mass surveillance, discrimination, restricted access to information and weakened individual autonomy.
If access to education, transportation, healthcare and work in a society depends on a single digital-identity infrastructure, arbitrary restrictions on that infrastructure could seriously affect daily life. In a hypothetical future where brain-computer interfaces are widespread, what will happen to mental privacy, informed consent, data security and the right to refuse the device? It has not been scientifically demonstrated that today’s systems can read human thoughts completely or remotely incapacitate people, but it is important to consider their potential future misuse.
A country with extremely powerful computing, chip, energy and communications infrastructure could make other countries economically and technically dependent on it. Technology transfer, open science, international standards and local capacity development could reduce this dependence. UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence emphasizes principles such as human rights, transparency and human oversight [8].
For the development of computing infrastructure in Türkiye, read Digital Realty and Rönesans Ankara Data Center Investment.
There is therefore no single technical answer to the question “Does human history move forward or backward?” A society that advances in scientific capacity may simultaneously regress in freedoms and human rights. Conversely, if technological progress proceeds alongside strong legal institutions, independent oversight, equality of opportunity in education and individual rights, it may improve people’s quality of life.
The defining question of 2126 may not be “How powerful will computers be?” but “Who will decide how this power is used, under which rules and on whose behalf?” Humanity’s future will depend not only on the technologies it develops, but also on the values with which it governs them.
References
[1] Abramson, J. et al. (2024). Accurate structure prediction of biomolecular interactions with AlphaFold 3. Nature. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07487-w
[2] IBM Quantum. Quantum Roadmap. https://www.ibm.com/roadmaps/quantum/
[3] IPCC (2022). Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of Climate Change, Working Group III. https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg3/
[4] UNESCO (2023). Global Education Monitoring Report: Technology in Education. https://gem-report-2023.unesco.org/
[5] UNEP (2024). Food Waste Index Report 2024. https://www.unep.org/resources/publication/food-waste-index-report-2024
[6] Bunge, A. C. et al. (2022). A systematic scoping review of the sustainability of vertical farming, plant-based alternatives, food delivery services and blockchain in food systems. Nature Food. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-022-00622-8
[7] López-Otín, C. et al. (2023). Hallmarks of Aging: An Expanding Universe. Cell. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2022.11.001
[8] UNESCO (2021). Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence. https://www.unesco.org/en/artificial-intelligence/recommendation-ethics
