EconTalk Living with Exponential Change (with Azeem Azhar)
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Mar 11, 2024 
Azeem Azhar, an author and technologist, dives into the whirlwind of technological evolution that defines our era. He discusses the rapid adoption of platforms like TikTok and AI tools like ChatGPT, examining what drives this pace. The conversation covers the solar revolution and its implications for reducing fossil fuel reliance, alongside the historical context of technological growth laws. Azhar also reflects on how these changes affect human connection, questioning how society can adapt while preserving our humanity amid exponential change.
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Exponential Technologies
- Several technologies are improving at double-digit exponential rates, beyond just computers.
- This includes things like lithium-ion batteries and solar panels, impacting their deployment rates.
Faster Adoption
- Technology adoption is accelerating due to readily available infrastructure like smartphones and internet access.
- Increased willingness to explore new technologies and social media's influence further fuels rapid adoption.
Moore's Law
- Moore's Law, the doubling of transistors on a silicon wafer, fueled the computer industry's success.
- It was a social contract driven by collaboration and economic incentives, not a law of physics like gravity.
