2026, here we go!

In the full calendar of a century, the first twenty-five years carry significance. The year 2026 will kick open another twenty-five years in which the essence, character and experience of science, technologies, concepts of life and human life will change in ways never dreamed of before. On New Year's Day, 'Kerala Kaumudi' published the thoughts and predictions of ten leading figures in their respective fields on how the next quarter century to 2050 might transform everything from science, cinema, finance, crime, to democracy.

The new century has already acknowledged the prowess of artificial intelligence, which questions the very existence of special intelligence that humans have and animals do not have.

From treatment and research to cinema and careers, AI will play its role, which needs to be closely monitored, says Technopark's founder and CEO G. Vijayaraghavan. There is no point worrying about unemployment and AI taking over jobs. New job opportunities are coming in the fields of AI Trainers, AI Auditors, AI Researchers, Data Analysts, etc. Vijayaraghavan pointed out. In short, the next twenty-five years will be a hybrid era of human intelligence and artificial intelligence working together!

Renowned cinematographer and director Santhosh Sivan envisions a time when films with excellent content cross the boundaries of language and get a global platform with the help of artificial intelligence. Santhosh Sivan sees AI's penetration into the creative realm of imagination and expression not as a matter of concern, but as the culmination of global opportunities for artists in creative writing.

Apart from the brighter side of AI, there is a looming concern over cybercrimes that are changing the nature of crime with new technologies. Police South Region IG Shyamsundar warned about a new form of money extortion using AI, fingerprints, and mobile messages, designed in a way to even dupe the well-informed ones in society.

Above all, these warnings become a transformative message to be ever-awake, constantly reinventing ourselves, and cautiously befriending artificial intelligence.