In the 1960s, TIME and The New York Times predicted that by the year 2000, machines would make us independently wealthy, working 4-day weeks with 218 days off a year.
They were right about the technology.
They were wrong about the systems around it.
Instead of fewer hours, we raised expectations.
Instead of abundance for all, we concentrated productivity gains.
Instead of a leisure crisis, we got a burnout crisis.
Now AI puts us at that crossroads again.
In this era will we use technology to free people?
Or repeat the same playbook with even more powerful tools?
Predicting the AI Future
November 26, 2025