I suspect that the AI bubble will burst. It will create an economic collapse unlike we've ever seen (if you haven't looked into the way the AI bros are all passing fake money around it would be good to do so). As there is more unrest in the US (I am in the US) I suspect there will be more and more people willing to risk a long general strike which will likely be the beginning of the economic collapse, we are already in contraction though the stock market isn't showing it yet. I think the bigger hit will be energy collapse. We don't actually have enough for the power hungry infrastructure that AI will take - piled on with our already power hungry habits. So if there is an AI takeover I'm not so sure it will be able to last very long. Maybe I'm just a jaded permaculturist who has been listening to David Holmgren and Nate Hagens too long though and everything will be fine...

@Stefano Creatini I'm not sure we'll be able to pinpoint it on the timescale until we're looking at it in hindsight. I do think when we look back from the future there will be a chunk of time that includes 2026 as dramatic turning points in human civilization. I'm sure we will try to continue to prop up all the failing systems, patching and trying to keep them going for as long as we can.

@Stefano Creatini I've been a practicing permaculturist for 15 years. I live on a homestead and have built a ton of skills and systems (though that is changing in 2026, moving to a bigger property with more opportunities, and because of the circumstances more funding. It's a whole story and resonates with your land access conversation). I know where my weak points are, and the top one is water access. Which, living in Eastern Colorado is a critical fail in a SHTF scenario, again big changes coming in the next couple of months with water rights on the horizon. I have a very tight, very skilled community of doers. And because I'm also an educator my community is growing. I know that without a community of people who have real skills you fail fast. Back in 2011 I made a decision after talking to a prepper that was a hoarding type prepper that the way I would be safe in a disaster or collapse situation wasn't going to be guns and food stores, it was going to be the amount of value I brought to the community. Be valuable and you are safe. It sounds selfish and insane but I wouldn't change it. Community fail will be communication, but we are working on getting that nailed down. A small but determined group of us have been all in on Mutual Aid, supporting each other and showing up when there is a need even if it's inconvenient. These are also critical skills of sharing what you have, whether it's physical things, dollars, or skills.