Happy New Year 2025: Predictions for Startups, AI, and Crypto

The Lightcone hosts are back with a special New Year's Day episode, where they share their predictions for 2025. In this article, we'll dive into their thoughts on startups, AI, and crypto, and explore what the future might hold for these industries.

Introduction to 2025 Predictions

Welcome to the Lightcone 2025 predictions The episode starts with a welcome message, where the hosts express their excitement to share their predictions for the upcoming year. They mention that they want to hit their audience with predictions on what's going to happen in 2025.

Nobel Prize Predictions

The first prediction comes from Diana, who mentions that last year, AI won two Nobel Prizes. The first one was the Nobel Prize in Physics, awarded to Jeff Hinton for his seminal work on deep nets. The second one was a Nobel Prize in Chemistry, awarded to Demis and his team for their work on AlphaFold and protein folding. Diana believes that AI is accelerating abundance with discoveries in science and technology. She predicts that AI might win another Nobel Prize, perhaps in math, and mentions the collaboration between OpenEye and Terence Tao, a famous mathematician.

Crypto Predictions

Crypto going mainstream in 2025 The next prediction is about crypto, where one of the hosts believes that crypto will go mainstream in 2025. Specifically, they predict that next year, everyone will have bought at least one thing using a stable coin. They argue that payment networks are like marketplaces, and stable coins have emerged as a valuable use case. With hundreds of millions of people having crypto wallets, they believe that merchants will start accepting stable coins, making it easier for people to use them for transactions.

AI and Deflation

AI and its deflationary effects Another host chimes in, mentioning that tech, in general, is deflationary, and AI, in particular, may be the greatest single deflationary force of our lifetimes. They argue that if AI plays out as expected, it may be possible to lower interest rates without stimulating huge amounts of inflation.

Dogecoin and Interest Rates

Dogecoin and its potential impact on interest rates The conversation then shifts to Dogecoin, with one of the hosts predicting that if Dogecoin's mission to reduce government waste is successful, it could lead to lower interest rates. They argue that interest rates are highly correlated with crypto prices, so if interest rates go down, crypto prices may go up.

3D Turing Test

The 3D Turing Test The final prediction is about AI, where one of the hosts is excited to see a product that will allow people to have a Zoom call with an AI like a virtual avatar. They predict that this technology will become available in 2025, enabling people to interact with a virtual AI person on a screen in real-time.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Lightcone hosts have shared their predictions for 2025, covering a range of topics from AI and crypto to startups and interest rates. While it's impossible to predict the future with certainty, their insights provide a fascinating glimpse into what might be in store for these industries. As we enter a new year, it will be exciting to see how these predictions play out and what other surprises 2025 has in store.