Not every human problem has a solution yet, but almost all now seem to have an app, a dashboard or an artificial intelligence “assistant.” Men and women, young and old, are turning to algorithms to escape loneliness, fix relationship problems, write essays, pick movies, check medical symptoms and even compose love letters. The danger is not innovation itself, but how ordinary people across the world are quietly allowing science and technology to monopolize their idea of progress while sidelining culture, friendship, memory, music and meaning.
This shift has happened almost imperceptibly but with astonishing speed. In 2000, only about 361 million people were online — roughly 6 percent of the world. Today, the International Telecommunication Union estimates some 6 billion people use the internet. Globally, more than 5 billion people now use social media, spending an average of more than two hours a day on it, and a new “Digital 2026” report suggests more than 1 billion people already use AI tools each month.
In just two decades, activities that once involved families, communities, newspapers, books and local institutions have fallen under the sway of screens and systems. Sensible use of innovations has given way to overreliance in several harmful ways.
Friendship and community have been outsourced to social feeds. Instead of reunions, majlis conversations or family visits, many — especially the young — now rely on emojis and short videos for connection. The World Health Organization says loneliness affects about 16 percent of people worldwide and harms physical and mental health. People are more “connected” than ever, yet disturbingly alone.
Learning and writing are increasingly delegated to generative AI. A 2024 McKinsey survey found that 65 percent of organizations already use generative AI regularly — nearly double the share of just a year earlier. Students guiltlessly ask bots to write essays; office workers outsource memos and speeches. Efficiency may rise but, unless we are careful, the foundations of critical thinking, originality and moral judgment will weaken.
Medicine, too, is drifting toward app-first care. In many countries, telehealth accounted for well under 1 percent of outpatient visits before COVID-19, making it a negligible part of routine care. Telemedicine is now permanent and invaluable for remote areas but can also push health systems to view patients as data points rather than people needing face-to-face care.
Culture and entertainment are increasingly filtered by algorithms instead of human experts. Streaming and social platforms decide which songs we hear and which films we see. The result can be cosmopolitan exposure but also a narrowing of taste as algorithms feed us content based on our “history,” relegating local and promising creative talent to the sidelines.
Economic and policy decisions are also migrating from human minds to mathematical models. Complex systems built by small expert groups now influence jobs, prices and public safety. When decision-makers lean too heavily on data science-powered “black boxes,” the wisdom of the crowd risks being replaced by the wisdom — or folly — of AI.
The consequences of this overreliance are already visible.
Tech sector layoffs have wiped out hundreds of thousands of jobs globally in recent years, with well over 200,000 cuts reported in 2024 alone and tens of thousands more announced for 2025 as companies restructure for AI and automation. In the US, outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas found that employers have explicitly cited AI in nearly 50,000 job cuts this year.
The global youth unemployment rate stood at about 13 percent in 2023. In the Middle East and North Africa, it was 24.4 percent, and in Arab states about 28 percent. For many graduates, including in the Arab world, the tech revolution has so far yielded only low-paying gigs and little job security.
Loneliness and mental distress are also rising despite constant connectivity. The WHO notes that isolation significantly increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, dementia and premature death. Social feeds curated by lifeless algorithms promise companionship but often deliver envy, anxiety and polarization.
Meanwhile, the digital divide is deepening inequality: even with 6 billion people online, 2.2 billion remain offline, largely in poorer and rural communities. As AI-driven services become the norm for education, finance and healthcare, those without access or digital skills likely face exclusion from future opportunities.
At the same time, culture is under economic as well as creative pressure. UNESCO and other UN bodies estimate that the cultural and creative industries account for about 3.1 percent of global gross domestic product and 6.2 percent of all employment, with particularly high shares for women and youth. When algorithms choose content based on clickability and profit, they undermine not only livelihoods in these sectors but also the richness of human expression.
Power is also being concentrated in a handful of platforms and countries that own the data and the models. Their policies on moderation, training data and monetization now shape what billions see, experience and value each day. The odds of another Paul McCartney, Alain Delon or Frederick Forsyth emerging grow slimmer with each passing year.
None of this means science and technology are doing more harm than good. AI-assisted diagnostics catch diseases early. During the pandemic, online book clubs and the streaming of concerts and movies kept people sane. The World Economic Forum’s latest “Future of Jobs” analysis suggests that, by 2030, about 92 million roles may be displaced, while roughly 170 million new roles could be created, provided societies invest in skills and social protections.
The Arab world — and Saudi Arabia and the UAE in particular — offers hopeful counterexamples. The Kingdom’s Vision 2030 treats culture and entertainment as drivers of diversification and well-being, not luxuries. Official projections indicate that Saudi Arabia’s entertainment and broader culture and tourism sectors could create hundreds of thousands of jobs and contribute several percentage points of GDP by 2030. Initiatives such as new arts-focused universities and academies in Riyadh are a wise bet on the potential of human imagination instead of just hard science.
The real question is not whether to embrace science and technology — which we must — but to what extent. If every decision is guided by efficiency, algorithms and quarterly earnings, it could mean mass idleness for some, relentless overwork for others and a dangerous dependence on machines and apps. If, instead, culture, education, humanities, music, cinema, sports and social traditions are treated as equal pillars of progress, then science and tech can serve as enhancers of human potential, not replacements for it.
For policymakers, the message is clear: invest as heavily in cultural infrastructure, arts education and social cohesion as in data centers, AI hubs and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) initiatives. For families and individuals, it is simpler: put down the smartphone sometimes, revive old friendships, organize reunions, read the classics and listen to great music. Scientific and technological innovations will inexorably shape humanity’s future, but they should not be allowed to monopolize it.
BY: Writer Arnab Neil Sengupta is a senior editor at Arab News.
Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers in this section are their own and do not necessarily reflect The Times Union‘ point of view
