Redefining Society and Technology Podcast Inequality in the Age of Singularity: Society, Technology, and the Future of Healthcare | A Carbon, a Silicon, and a Cell walk into a bar... | A Redefining Society Podcast Series With Recurring Guest Dr. Bruce Y. Lee
Guest: Dr. Bruce Y Lee
Senior Contributor @Forbes | Professor | CEO | Writer/Journalist | Entrepreneur | Digital & Computational Health | #AI | bruceylee.substack.com | bruceylee.com
Bruce Y. Lee, MD, MBA is a writer, journalist, systems modeler, AI, computational and digital health expert, professor, physician, entrepreneur, and avocado-eater, not always in that order.Executive Director of PHICOR (Public Health Informatics, Computational, and Operations Research) [@PHICORteam]
On LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/bruce-y-lee-68a6834/
On Twitter | https://twitter.com/bruce_y_lee
Website | https://www.bruceylee.com/
On Forbes | https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/
On Psychology Today | https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/contributors/bruce-y-lee-md-mba
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Host: Marco Ciappelli, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine [@ITSPmagazine] and Host of Redefining Society Podcast
Visit Marco's website 👉 https://www.marcociappelli.com
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This Episode’s Sponsors
BlackCloak 👉 https://itspm.ag/itspbcweb
I’ve been thinking a lot about the way our society meets technology head-on. As we approach an age of unprecedented advancements—artificial intelligence, genetic editing, life extension—the big question that keeps coming back is: Who truly benefits? This episode of the Redefining Society and Technology Podcast digs into how innovation might uplift some while leaving others behind, and what that means for our shared future.
Shaping Technology, Shaping Society
I’ve always felt that technology doesn’t simply “happen” to us; we shape its purpose, direction, and impact. Today, we’re facing a future where AI-driven healthcare, gene editing, and other profound innovations promise to change how we live. Yet, as I sit down with Dr. Bruce Y. Lee, we confront a timeless issue: Who gets to enjoy the fruits of these breakthroughs first? The wealthiest nations? The richest individuals? Or can we find a path that lets everyone share in the benefits?
Learning from Our Past
History is filled with examples of innovation tipping the scales of power. When only a few had access to sea travel, they colonized distant lands. Control of information shaped empires. Over time, global communities realized that the well-being of one affects the well-being of all. Still, initial inequalities often last for decades, sometimes centuries, before evening out. Now we face a similar divide, but with far more at stake.
Healthcare at a Crossroads
The healthcare industry illustrates this perfectly. High-tech medications and advanced procedures often come with staggering price tags. Meanwhile, entire groups go without the basics. It’s not that technology inherently creates inequality; it’s that our complex systems—insurance companies, regulatory bodies, pharmaceutical giants—skew the playing field. Those with time, money, and influence can access cutting-edge treatments first, while others must wait or never receive them at all.
Algorithms and Old Biases
AI-driven platforms might promise equitable access to information or diagnostics, but they’re only as fair as the data behind them. If existing biases and blind spots shape that data, they’ll be amplified by the technology itself. We risk codifying age-old injustices into new, gleaming interfaces. If we don’t proactively address these issues, we’ll only replicate the past’s mistakes, dressed up in modern clothing.
Pathways to a More Equitable Future
Yet, there’s hope. Technology can just as easily be a solution if we use it thoughtfully. AI can streamline drug discovery, cutting development times and costs. Virtual clinical trials can simulate diverse populations, breaking the limitations of biased real-world testing. More nimble players can enter the market, driving prices down and access up. The tools to level the playing field are within our reach—if we choose to build and deploy them that way.
Looking Ahead: Beyond Our Human Shell
As we turn toward transhumanism, life extension, and the possibility of uploading ourselves into digital realms, the stakes grow even higher. Will advanced genetic editing or digital immortality be a luxury item, creating a new class system of enhanced humans and immortal minds? Or can these breakthroughs be democratized, ensuring that everyone can participate in the next chapter of human evolution?
Choosing Our Future
I’m not here to say technology is bad, or even inherently unequal. It’s a mirror, reflecting our collective values and choices. We have the power to push for policies that ensure AI, genetic editing, and life-extending treatments serve everyone. But it won’t happen by chance. It’ll require conscious effort, ethical frameworks, and a refusal to accept business as usual.
As we move forward, let’s remember that we’re all part of this conversation. Let’s insist that technology’s greatest achievements are not trophies for the few, but shared blessings that help everyone thrive. If we do this right, the singularity doesn’t have to be an age of winners and losers; it can be a future where we all rise together.
See You Next Time
You'll find links to connect with Bruce and explore his incredible contributions in journalism and medicine. I promise you; he's just as insightful and entertaining as he seems in the series. So, see you next time – same bar, same garlic, new topics!
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Resources/References
The Singularity Is Nearer: When We Merge with AI
by Ray Kurzweil
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