Don't Be So Sure the Big Tech Breakthroughs Are Behind Us

Vox tech writer Timothy B. Lee used to be one of the most ardent techno-optimists. But he's had a bit of a conversion, of late, and is now on the side of those who think tech progress is slowing. Maybe it was the economist Robert Gordon who convinced him, or maybe years of observing the tech world changed his mind. In any case, Lee now broadly suggests that the inventions of tomorrow won't be as world-changing as those of yesteryear. There are a number of industries -- with health care and education being the most important -- where there's an inherent limit on how much value information technology can add.