The Biggest Factor Accelerating the Human Innovation Curve Right Now

Throughout the ages, human innovation has been accelerating at a mind-boggling rate. Consider that 1 million years elapsed between the control of fire and the invention of the wheel, but just 5,400 more years until the creation of the Gutenberg press--and a mere 455 additional years before the development of the light bulb. When plotted on a chart to illustrate the human innovation curve, it is clear that there is only one word that can describe the increase in the pace of progress: exponential. However, the innovation curve now is shifting into even higher gear with the proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI). AI grew exponentially in 2017, with no signs of stopping in 2018.