The Week In Review: August 11, 2026
Choosing Optimism
We seem to be living through a moment with two very different visions of the future.
One is dark and dystopian. Artificial intelligence replaces jobs. People become more isolated. Technology distances us from one another, concentrates wealth in fewer hands and leaves many feeling disconnected and left behind.
The other is considerably more hopeful. Technology helps cure disease, produces cleaner energy, improves our air and water, distributes resources more efficiently, and frees us to spend more time on the things that matter most. Even our homes become healthier, more sustainable and more affordable.
Perhaps I’m an optimist by nature, but during my lifetime I’ve watched technology and human ingenuity solve problems both big and small. GPS is a marriage saver in my book. Laparoscopic surgery has transformed recovery times. Cancer gene therapy can stop or slow tumor growth. GLP-1 medications are changing the conversation around obesity and diabetes. We can travel the globe and still connect with loved ones almost instantly - practically for free.
None of this means technology is without cost.
Social media has negatively affected the emotional health of young people. Artificial intelligence will undoubtedly disrupt industries and careers. Throughout history, from the Industrial Revolution to the rise of computing and today’s advances in AI, periods of rapid innovation have widened the gap between those who own capital or possess specialized skills and those performing more routine work.
But history also suggests something else. Innovation creates new industries, lowers costs and expands access. Technologies that begin as luxuries often become commonplace.
Every major technological shift has forced society to adapt. Every one has also created opportunities that few people could have imagined beforehand.
Of course I worry about the world our children and grandchildren will inherit. I worry about extreme weather, political division, war and the pace of change itself. But then I remember that every generation has believed it was living through uniquely uncertain times.
I smiled at a New York Times story about the resurgence of “Grandma Hobbies” - quilting, knitting, gardening, foraging and baking - as people intentionally seek balance in an increasingly digital world. Technology may change how we live, but we still crave community, creativity, purpose and human connection.
As for real estate, I like to think the homes of the future will reflect that same balance. They’ll be healthier, more energy efficient and better suited to the way we actually live. I also believe advances in construction and materials will make the building process more environmentally friendly, and more affordable.
Faced with two visions of the future, I choose optimism. History has earned it.
