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 percent1
A new generation of hi-tech supercarriers. 1
Largest age cohort for the Chinese population is 50-541
Largest age cohort for the Indian population is 25-291
(Moore's Law) Calculations per second, per $1,000, equals 10^201
A new generation of hi-tech supercarriers 1
Tobacco is largely eradicated due to farm land increasingly reserved for food production 1
Scientists can erase and restore memories 1
Memory implants could be used to speed-up time for prisoners, allowing them to serve maximum sentences in a day 1
Islam makes up over 25 percent of the European population. 1
The world's largest fully automated container ship terminal, Tuas Port, is completed this year. Likelihood: 80%1
Tobacco is largely eradicated due to farm land increasingly reserved for food production. 1
Scientists can erase and restore memories. 1
Nestle invents a device that designs meals around individuals' nutrient needs. 1
Memory implants could be used to speed-up time for prisoners, allowing them to serve maximum sentences in a day. 1
More than half of new cars sold worldwide will be electric. (Likelihood 70%)1
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%)1
The sale of electric cars now exceeds half the market worldwide. (Likelihood 90%)1
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%1

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