The Inevitable

Understanding the 12 Technological Forces That Will Shape Our Future

By: Kevin Kelly

Narrated by: George Newbern

Length: 11 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

A New York Times Best Seller

From one of our leading technology thinkers and writers, a guide through the 12 technological imperatives that will shape the next 30 years and transform our lives.

Much of what will happen in the next 30 years is inevitable, driven by technological trends that are already in motion. In this fascinating, provocative new book, Kevin Kelly provides an optimistic road map for the future, showing how the coming changes in our lives - from virtual reality in the home to an on-demand economy to artificial intelligence embedded in everything we manufacture - can be understood as the result of a few long-term, accelerating forces. Kelly both describes these deep trends - interacting, cognifying, flowing, screening, accessing, sharing, filtering, remixing, tracking, and questioning - and demonstrates how they overlap and are codependent on one another.

These larger forces will completely revolutionize the way we buy, work, learn, and communicate with each other. By understanding and embracing them, says Kelly, it will be easier for us to remain on top of the coming wave of changes and to arrange our day-to-day relationships with technology in ways that bring forth maximum benefits. Kelly’s bright, hopeful book will be indispensable to anyone who seeks guidance on where their business, industry, or life is heading - what to invent, where to work, in what to invest, how to better reach customers, and what to begin to put into place - as this new world emerges.

©2016 Kevin Kelly (P)2016 Penguin Audio

You should set your expectations right

Kevin Kelly describes his meeting with inventor of hypertext Ted Nelson. He talks about Nelson's convoluted sketches of hypertext and with even some irony telling how nobody even dreamed off what will it become and what will be driving force of the web.

I think that this book should be treated the same... Kevin Kelly gives some convoluted sketches of future development and hypotheses on directions and driving forces and try to imagine how all that will look like but most probably from distance of 20-30 years we will look at those hypothesis and say wow that was a wild guess and it was so wrong but still there was something.

Just for the sake that there might be something I give 5 stars, performance is also excellent but overall still 4 stars for the frustrations of oversimplifying some things pr omitting important moments.

Will reshape your thinking about technology

The technological trends are: becoming, cognifying, flowing, screening, accessing, sharing, filtering, remixing, interacting, tracking, questioning, and beginning. It's hard to grasp these concepts described with verbs but the book contains a lot of good information. For example, becoming is about ever-changing technologies. The apps, smartphones, etc. that we used (or that didn't even exist) several years ago are not the same ones that we are using now. We are constantly becoming new users... getting familiar with the new features and changes to get back to the state of being a proficient user again. Cognifying could be better described as artificial intelligence. Flowing is about product evolution. We used to think of music in physical terms, like an album or CD. But now music could be digital downloads or a subscription to Spotify. Products are flowing from a fixed state (like hardcopy books, where all copies are exactly the same) to a fluid state (like eBooks, which can be customized to the readers' preference on their devices and corrected through updates). This book will reframe your paradigm of what exactly is the product or service. For example, do we want a car or do we really want a transportation service (like Uber or Lyft)?

The book is great for those who are interested in AI and how the world in evolving digitally

A really great book that talks about the reality of the world we r living in and how the world in moving fast into AI

My mind was happily blown apart.

A startlingly stark and wonderfully scripted vision of the future. Compelling, unnerving and utterly fascinating.

Thorough and persuasive overview of tech future

The book provides a clear and fascinating prediction of the technology trends expected over the next 30 years. It went a little abstract at times, which made it difficult to maintain attention throughout every section.

Talk only about multi-media and IT

I expected a broader treatment of the subject. The book is limited to explore the internet of things and things related. Nothing about materials, biology, chemistry and other future trends

Important topic discussed in broad generalities.

If you are familiar with this topic already, don't bother with this book. The discussion is overly general. The author does not dive into technical details in adequate depth to form a convincing argument (other authors do a much better job). I also believe the author neglected several important technologies worthy of attention (atomically precise manufacturing, for example). The social consequences are also discussed either only in regard to present technology like social media and the web, or are understated and undetialed.

If you are a not technically inclined and new to the topic, this is a great introduction. Otherwise, pick up a copy of Radical Abundance.

Putting AI into perspective. Don't Freak Out!

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Looking for a sobering perspective on automation, artificial intelligence and guidance for my recently graduated son. This book hit my requirements on all three counts. I am a mature professional who has recently decided to pursue a graduate degree in Information systems with a focus on data analytics. Currently reading everything on machine learning and the potential of automated intelligence on the economy. This book gives broad, unbiased assessments of current trends.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The major character is all of the working force who plan on working for longer than 12 years. A must read.

brilliant, mind opening

it is one of those books that sets you thinking what could your role in this holos

a little slow and repetitive

certain bits were interesting but it was a bit of a slog. I found myself talking about certain aspects but I wouldn't recommend it.