First, he enunciated many of the threats we face these days, including:
- Accelerating technological change [I would elaborate that these include more advanced weapons of mass destruction and the means to deliver them]
- Automation, [robotics,] and rise of artificial intelligence
- Economic inequality, mass migration, job destruction, [and divisiveness] augmented by immersive social media that accentuates "Instagram [and Facebook] Nirvana" versus the real poverty and struggling of the masses,
- "Environmental challenges: climate change, food production, overpopulation, the decimation of other species, epidemic disease, and acidification of the oceans."
In one sentence then, Hawking says it all about the high level of risk we face:
"We now have the technology to destroy the planet, but have not yet developed the ability to escape it."
His call to action:
"Perhaps in a few hundred years, we will have established human colonies amid the stars. but right now we have only one planet. and we need to work together to protect it [and develop the means to eventually be able to escape it for the survival of humanity.]"
In short, we must get to and colonize other planets as quickly as possible, because it the realm of history, it's only a matter of time and our collective lives are depending on it. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal Via National Geographic)