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AI that allows you to see into the future. Future You aims to let people “understand themselves” 

AI that allows you to see into the future. Future You aims to let people "understand themselves" 
AI that allows you to see into the future. Future You aims to let people "understand themselves" 

For quite a lot of people, one of the biggest fears about the future is how they will grow old and what they will look like when they do. Based on these thoughts, culture was able to create many concepts and ideas that can be collectively called “time machines”.

Technological progress has moved forward since the first ideas related to it, but not that much. We are still not able to move to the times that – from our perspective – are yet to come. In fact, there is still discussion in science about the possibilities of such projects.

However, this did not prevent a group of scientists from MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) from trying a substitute for what – in extreme simplification – is called time travel. All thanks to the Future You system, which works like a magic mirror. 

Future You, a simulation of ourselves in a few decades 

Presentation of the possibilities of the Future You model

Psychological research carried out for years indicates the existence of a phenomenon called the sense of “self-continuity”. It is crucial in making long-term decisions, especially for young people. Thanks to this, they see the connection between the present and what is yet to come, which can translate into a number of positive attitudes and behaviors. 

People who feel this way are more willing to take actions that bring long-term benefits. We are talking about such behaviors as saving money, developing skills or more specific career planning. However, this is not always an easy task and until now you had to rely on your own imagination and the possible experiences of people who followed similar paths in their lives.

So it’s hard to say that this is an ideal solution. It’s similar with the Future You project, but this one allows for something completely new. It focuses on the aspect of presenting the future, trying to deepen our understanding of ourselves in the context of passing time.

The system makes the simulation very realistic. “Future You” is much more detailed than what you might come up with when imagining yourself in the future. You can imagine Future You as a place for some history refreshment. You have the chance to hear how some of your experiences, which may still be emotionally charged for you, may be experienced very differently over time. 

– Pattie Maes, professor of media, arts and sciences

Using a large language model and based on information provided by the user, Future You generates a credible, virtual version of a person aged approximately 60. This is interesting because we are talking about a fairly faithful-looking model that enters into conversation with us. 

Such an avatar (which will be the best term for this type of creation) can answer questions about what someone’s life could look like in the future. As if that wasn’t enough, Future You is able to offer advice or insights on the path they can take.

Future You as an aid in understanding ourselves 

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For some, the very idea of ​​talking to oneself from the future is terrifying, although it cannot be ruled out that it has some educational advantages.

Research conducted on a group of 344 people showed that people who interacted with the Future You system were able to establish a certain bond with “their future self”. These people additionally reported less anxiety about their future. What is also worth paying attention to is the fact that people who had the opportunity to talk to an older version of themselves claimed that it was an honest conversation and in some way consistent with their identity. 

Already at this stage, this project is making a huge impression, because generating such an avatar, which is to be a future version of ourselves, is something extremely intriguing. Despite this, work is underway on additional improvements to its model. Its creators want conversations conducted this way to help people develop an even deeper sense of continuity. 

In all this, scientists do not forget about an extremely important issue, i.e. security measures that prevent the model from being used inappropriately. It is not difficult to imagine situations when corporations using Future You will want to persuade people to make specific purchases, enticing them with a vision of future successes. 

Scientists still have a lot of work ahead of them, but their goal seems to completely make up for it. The data collected so far will be used for the further development of Future You, and there are many indications that we will hear about this particular system more than once.