A comprehensive new report suggests artificial intelligence will fundamentally reshape human behavior, cognition, and relationships within the next decade, raising important questions about the impact of AI on what if feels to be human.
Based on a mix of qualitative essays and survey data, Being Human in 2035, authored by researchers Janna Anderson and Lee Rainie from Elon University’s Imagining the Digital Future Center, features insights from 301 global experts on how AI integration will transform human identity and social structures. Nearly 200 of the experts wrote full-length responses that were included in the report.
The experts overwhelmingly expect huge changes in human behavior and capabilities by 2035. Sixty-one percent of them predict that these changes will be “deep and meaningful” or “fundamental and revolutionary.”
Erosion of Cognitive and Emotional Capacities
A recurring theme in the report is the potential erosion of essential cognitive functions. Fifty percent of the surveyed experts foresee a decline in the willingness and capacity to engage in deep thinking about complex issues. The convenience offered by AI-generated summaries, answers, and automated decisions may reduce individuals’ motivation to engage critically with information.
This cognitive deskilling is joined by concerns about emotional development. Half of the experts predict a decline in social and emotional intelligence, citing the replacement of human interactions with AI-driven relationships as a key factor. As synthetic companions become more emotionally in tune and customizable, they may seem preferable to the complex and often messy, nature of real human relationships.
“AI romantic partners will provide idealized relationships that make human partnerships seem unnecessarily difficult, Nell Watson, president of the European Responsible Artificial Intelligence Office wrote in her short essay included in the report, said. This shift could exacerbate isolation and reduce the development of empathy, especially among youth.
This commodification of human connection could, over time, lead individuals to measure their value through algorithmic metrics rather than intrinsic human worth. “People will outsource their interactions to AI agents, which are left to determine compatibility and determine whether it’s even worth meeting up in person,” added Courtney C. Radsch, director of the Center for Journalism & Liberty at the Open Markets Institute, who also contributed to the study.
Agency and Autonomy Under Threat
Perhaps the most philosophically profound concern raised in the report relates to human agency. With 44% predicting a decline in individual independence, many experts believe that AI will subtly erode our ability to make autonomous decisions. As algorithmic systems become more embedded in domains such as healthcare, law, and finance, human judgment could be sidelined in favor of data-driven outcomes.
The risk here is twofold: not only might individuals lose the capacity to act independently, but they might also fail to notice the shift. The illusion of control—believing we’re making choices when, in fact, AI systems are nudging us—may further strengthen dependence on external decision-makers.
The integration of AI into daily life will also challenge traditional notions of selfhood and meaning. Thirty-nine percent of experts anticipate a negative transformation in how humans perceive their identities and purposes, as opposed to eighteen percent who see more positive than negative change, and twenty-four percent, who see the impact equally distributed. Some envision a fragmented sense of self, as people juggle multiple AI-mediated personas across digital platforms. Others warn that as AI takes over cognitive labor and social validation, many may experience a crisis of purpose.
Polarization and the Loss of Shared Reality
Another troubling trend highlighted in the report is the decline of trust in shared values and cultural norms. Nearly half of the respondents foresee increased polarization and a fragmented public sphere. Deepfakes, algorithmic misinformation, and highly personalized content streams could erode any consensus about what is true or real. As each individual becomes immersed in their own curated digital bubble, collective understanding and empathy may suffer.
“One of the most important concerns is the loss of factual, trusted, commonly shared human knowledge,” Giacomo Mazzone, global project director for the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, argued.
This loss of shared reality is not only a technical issue. When truth becomes relative and institutions lose credibility, the social contract that binds communities and nations together begins to collapse. “There are no examples in human history of societies that have survived in the absence of shared truth for too long,” Mazzone added.
Despite these concerns, the report also carries a note of optimism. Some experts argue that AI, if ethically developed and regulated, could serve as a tool to enhance human capacities rather than diminish them. Augmenting learning, personalizing mental health care, and fostering global collaboration.
With this hope, Euromonitor’s consultant Rabia Rasmeen suggested in her response that “a new human Enlightenment could begin due to digital twins and other AI agents doing up to six hours of digital chores every day and allowing humans to shift this energy to spiritual, motional and experiential aspects of life.”
However, you don’t have to be an expert to know that when life becomes too easy and comfortable, it’s often easier to lose your sense of purpose and motivation, instead of feeling the urge to climb to new heights. Let’s just hope AI proves us wrong.
