Prediction: Philosophy will flourish, thanks to AI
AI is advancing fast, and there's a lot of talk about what fields are going to get replaced by AI -- notable examples are computer science and advertising. What about philosophy? AI is definitely a topic of discussion in philosophy, but mainly as a topic of inquiry. Philosophers are asking whether AI can create art, or whether it's morally wrong to shut down an AGI system. It's not really a consideration what's going to happen to their field.
I predict that in a future with safe, but extremely powerful AI systems, philosophy will not only not be replaced by AI, but it will *flourish*, thanks to AI.
*Two arguments:*
1. Powerful AI systems allow philosophers to do better work
Powerful AI systems give philosophers access to unparalleled tools for exploring thought experiments, analyses and simulations in depth. Using AI, a philosopher can create, for example, a virtual environment to test philosophical hypotheses, simulate ethical dilemmas, and explore thought experiments with unprecedented depth and precision.
2. Powerful AI systems make philosophy more accessible
Powerful AI systems are going to democratize philosophical discourse. Right now, philosophy is pretty much seen as an academic study pursued by the intellectually elite. A lot of people not interested in philosophy say, "You should instead get a real job, like in computer science or advertising". Oops.
Using AI, we can explore philosophy through new mediums, such as movies or video games. For example, imagine creating a video game that allows you to explore counterfactual thought experiments by changing historical variables in a simulation performed by a powerful AI system. Philosophy is going to become more entertaining.
*In conclusion:* Given that AI doesn't kill us all, and it continues to advance at a rapid pace, philosophy will enter a golden age. Don't go study computer science, go study philosophy.