Living in 2035: Seven paradoxes Arthur C. Clarke hasn't envisioned

Conversely, this analysis focuses on seven trends that even Arthur C. Clarke did not anticipate, not due to a deficiency in his imaginative capacity, but rather because the technological landscape of his time had not yet evolved to its present state. So let's begin.

- By Chanuka Wattegama

Paradox #1: (Divided Society) By 2035, we expect technology, especially AI, to change society a lot. Some hope this will make things fairer for everyone. But it might actually make the gap between the “haves” and “have-nots” even bigger in a new digital way.

By 2035, AI-driven automation is projected to be significantly more advanced, impacting a broader spectrum of jobs, including white-collar roles. According to the McKinsey Global Institute (2023), up to 30% of current jobs globally (approximately 400 million workers) could be automated by 2030, with roles in data analysis, legal research, and even creative industries increasingly affected by 2035. Workers with advanced skills in AI, data science, or robotics—representing only 10-15% of the global workforce are likely to thrive, commanding salaries far higher than average.

Conversely, those lacking such skills, particularly the 50% of workers in low-skill or routine jobs, face unemployment or a shift to lower-paying, precarious gig work, which paid 30% less on average than stable employment in 2022. This could widen income inequality, with the global Gini coefficient rising from 0.65 in 2023 to 0.70 by 2035 (World Bank projection). As Yuval Noah Harari warns, a new “unemployable” class—potentially 20-25% of the working-age population in developed economies may emerge, lacking economically viable skills. If this group grows to 100-150 million globally, it could strain welfare systems, with governments needing $ 1-2 trillion annually to provide minimal subsistence, risking social unrest.