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Last week, I participated in an insightful podcast where I had the pleasure of connecting with Moses Ma from FutureLab. FutureLab is leading the way with a unique initiative, Manhattan 2, which aims to reshape the future of AI by focusing on the human aspect of technology. The inspiration for this initiative is drawn from the coupling of Manhattan Project, which was popular for developing a nuclear bomb, but this is of paramount importance-Manhattan 2 will make lives, rather than break them. It will emphasize a human-centric approach to how artificial intelligence is currently deployed, ensuring it benefits people in the future and aids their fulfillment and productivity instead of becoming another world for the many that could find themselves homeless and unemployable.

AI and the Job Market: The Challenge Ahead
Throughout history, every Industrial Revolution has sparked concerns about job loss, but most of these concerns were eventually alleviated as new job opportunities were created by the very technologies that were feared. The shift was typically gradual, allowing for the retraining of workers and new skills to be developed. However, the current AI-driven revolution presents an unprecedented challenge. Unlike previous revolutions, we’re not just automating tasks; we’re designing machines and algorithms capable of replacing individual human roles.
Take Devin, for example—a fully-fledged AI employee, available to do the work of a human. The reality is that AI and robotics are not just filling new roles; they are increasingly capable of filling existing roles, from long-haul trucking to fast-food service, areas where labor shortages have been notably high. This shift, while exciting in terms of technological advancements, raises a critical question: If AI and robots are replacing most human workers, who will be left to buy the products and services they produce? Without a human workforce with disposable income, the economy could face a fundamental crisis.
FutureLab’s Manhattan 2: A Human-Centric AI Revolution
Enter FutureLab’s Manhattan 2 project. This groundbreaking initiative is about making sure that the integration of AI into our workforce focuses on empowering, not displacing, human workers. The core of Manhattan 2 is to ensure that new jobs are created around AI—jobs that require humans to possess AI-related skills, which could help workers adapt to the future landscape.
The project’s approach is refreshingly different from traditional AI adoption strategies. While many focus solely on the technology and its capabilities, Manhattan 2 prioritizes the development of human potential alongside AI. The project emphasizes hands-on learning, creativity, and a practical application of AI technologies. It also focuses on creating a supportive learning environment, which includes peer coaching and progress tracking. Notably, the project offers a unique AI tool—BrainstormBot—to help individuals with ADHD enhance their focus, which can be particularly helpful in fast-paced AI-focused environments.
At its core, the Manhattan 2 project aims to prepare workers for an AI-driven future, teaching them to improve their skills rapidly—similar to learning a new language or musical instrument. With FutureLab’s holistic approach, the human workforce can not only adapt to the rise of AI but thrive in a technology-driven world.
Level Ex: Revolutionizing Training with Video Games
Another fascinating company I had the opportunity to learn about is Level Ex, a company that is transforming professional training by utilizing video game technology. The company has developed an innovative system where doctors can learn complex medical procedures in a matter of hours, using interactive video games. This method, which initially emerged from a need for effective training in a Mars mission scenario, has proven to be highly successful.
Instead of the traditional years-long process of training in medical specialties, Level Ex uses gamified experiences that allow medical professionals to quickly pick up new skills by playing realistic simulations. In these video games, mistakes don’t come with real-life consequences, which allows practitioners to experiment and learn from their errors without risking patient outcomes. In addition, players are motivated to keep playing because the games are enjoyable and rewarding.
But the reach of Level Ex’s approach extends well beyond the realm of medicine. Imagine fast-paced game-based training-for-skilling in AI. Employees would spend only a few hours immersed in a gaming platform to acquire applicable knowledge in what would take months, even years, to relay to them in an AI world. All of a sudden, these workers would be more agile, competitive, and better able to coexist with AI and robots in the workforce.
Aa Nicer Future by AI: History of things Going Forward
Emerging developments in AI and robotics might prove to be quite devastating for the workforce in the world- likely a scenario where the majority has lost jobs and there is absolute noncorrespondence between the existing skill sets and new opportunities for employment. Education systems may also have to face the question of sinking and rewrite themselves, going as fast as the new pace set by AI in its developments, considering that many of the existing courses in education will be irrelevant in terms of the future market needs.
But the situation is not hopeless. By combining the human-centered approach of FutureLab’s Manhattan 2 project with the immersive training model of Level Ex, we can create a future where AI and humans work together in harmony. Training and retraining workers could become more accessible, more engaging, and far more effective—especially when gamification and AI-driven tools are introduced to help people learn faster and better. Instead of seeing AI as a threat to human employment, we can turn it into an opportunity to enhance our own capabilities.
In fact, learning and retraining can be exciting challenges rather than chores. For video gaming fans like me, personalized game-using technology which upgrades career prospects makes all the difference. By using the right tools and strategies, we could long forge a better future where people are to be succeeded and not only survived in an era ruled by AI.
Gadget for the Week: The iPad Pro:
The technology continues to advance dramatically at a high speed, especially as we look toward the future. One clear case of this is the new iPad Pro. And though I have not really been into Apple products, I have to admit that the new iPad Pro is indeed really quite amazing. The sleek contours, powerful M4 chip, and beautiful OLED display give it all; now it is really up there with the rest. For a product that once looked like merely an also-ran competitor to PCs, the iPad Pro has risen head and shoulders above that and made its case to be the best tablet being sold today.
You can imagine its performance, battery life, and display quality as what-outs from the crowd. Thus, it is the current gold standard in tablets, and it will only get better with time. It is hard to beat the new iPad Pro if someone is looking for a tablet.