Predictions for 2040 | Future timeline

Read 362 predictions for 2040, a year that will see the world transform in big and small ways; this includes disruptions throughout our culture, technology, science, health and business sectors. It’s your future, discover what you’re in for.

Quantumrun Foresight prepared this list; A trend intelligence consulting firm that uses strategic foresight to help companies thrive from future trends in foresight. This is just one of many possible futures society may experience.

Fast forecasts for 2040

Italy joins the UK in a program that aims to manufacture a 6th-gen fighter to replace the Eurofighter Typhoon. Likelihood: 60 percentlink
A new generation of hi-tech supercarriers. link
Largest age cohort for the Chinese population is 50-54link
Largest age cohort for the Indian population is 25-29link
(Moore's Law) Calculations per second, per $1,000, equals 10^20link
A new generation of hi-tech supercarriers link
Tobacco is largely eradicated due to farm land increasingly reserved for food production link
Scientists can erase and restore memories link
Memory implants could be used to speed-up time for prisoners, allowing them to serve maximum sentences in a day link
Islam makes up over 25 percent of the European population. link
The world's largest fully automated container ship terminal, Tuas Port, is completed this year. Likelihood: 80%link
Tobacco is largely eradicated due to farm land increasingly reserved for food production. link
Scientists can erase and restore memories. link
Nestle invents a device that designs meals around individuals' nutrient needs. link
Memory implants could be used to speed-up time for prisoners, allowing them to serve maximum sentences in a day. link
More than half of new cars sold worldwide will be electric. (Likelihood 70%)link
Vertical indoor farming allows companies and individuals to grow, harvest, and distribute crops in urban settings. This form of farming now represents 10% of all farming worldwide. (Likelihood 70%)link
The sale of electric cars now exceeds half the market worldwide. (Likelihood 90%)link
The development phase for The Future Combat Air System (FCAS) is operational, in a combined effort from France, Germany, and Spain. The FCAS represents the next generation of Euro combat aircraft. Likelihood: 80%link

Nestle invents a device that designs meals around individuals' nutrient needs. link
Memory implants could be used to speed-up time for prisoners, allowing them to serve maximum sentences in a day link
Scientists can erase and restore memories link
Tobacco is largely eradicated due to farm land increasingly reserved for food production link
A new generation of hi-tech supercarriers link
World population forecasted to reach 9,157,233,000 link
Share of global car sales taken by autonomous vehicles equals 50 per cent link
World sales of electric vehicles reaches 19,766,667 link
(Moore's Law) Calculations per second, per $1,000, equals 10^20 link
Average number of connected devices, per person, is 19 link
Global number of Internet connected devices reaches 171,570,000,000 link
Predicted global mobile web traffic equals 644 exabytes link
Global Internet traffic grows to 1,628 exabytes link
Optimistic forecasted rise in global temperatures, above pre-industrial levels, is 1.62 degrees Celsius link
Largest age cohort for the Brazilian population is 35-44 link
Largest age cohort for the Mexican population is 40-44 link
Largest age cohort for the Middle East population is 30-39 link
Largest age cohort for the African population is 0-4 link
Largest age cohort for the European population is 50-54 link
Largest age cohort for the Indian population is 25-29 link
Largest age cohort for the Chinese population is 50-54 link
Largest age cohort for the United States population is 15-24 and 45-49 link