Part 5/13:
A core part of O'Fallon’s analysis is the nature of technological progression—particularly the movement toward invisibility. Unlike previous revolutions, whose products—smartphones, wearables, and devices—were tangible and visible, the fourth revolution’s advancements will be largely discrete and behind-the-scenes, embedded within the cloud, AI algorithms, and interconnected devices.
He warns that this invisible layer will be all-encompassing, creating a global brain—a digital "mind" capable of learning, controlling, and influencing nearly every facet of human life. User interfaces will evolve, becoming seamless, controlled by voice, gaze, or gestures, yet paradoxically, the system may begin to control humans more than humans control it.