This was one of the most wide-ranging lessons, and opened my mind to the different possibilities out there. While all these possibilities were very exciting, I've always been rather sceptical. The realisation of these ideas is contingent on so many things, such that failure seems more probable than success.
Take Asimov and robots for example. I was very fascinated by that discussion, having read his Foundation series and one of the books in the Robots trilogy. Asimov envisioned robots which were so similar to human beings, such that almost no one could determine their true nature. Because they had such superior brainpower, they were able to rule empires and play important roles in government. The perfect woman, created by those Japanese men and meant to cater to those unable to find girlfriends, is a far cry from the kind of robots Asimov envisioned. Although her physical appearance is similar to that of a human being, her movements are still unnatural.
Even if we manage to create the promised invention, the next step is making it affordable. This is less of an obstacle, but can still require a substantial amount of time.
I do agree that the future is bright and that technology will enable us to achieve amazing things during our lifetime, but I think that scientists and other business leaders should be careful not to over-promise. And frankly, most peopleare too busy dealing with the present to bother about these distant future innovations that will purportedly change their lives, unless it pertains to their job. We'll embrace it when it comes, but only then.
