The prediction, in brief:

This is what will happen: Multiple overlapping of remotely located personalities … Pretty soon, we’ll have dozens of alters wandering the electronic hallways, meeting other alters, while we wait … The alters ultimately will report back to us about the things they’ve seen, other alters they’ve spoken to, the fun they’ve had. Later, maybe they won’t report back to us anymore.

Predictor: Karnow, Curtis

Prediction, in context:

In a 1993 article for Wired magazine, Curtis Karnow shares a view on how individuals will be represented in a networked world of the future:”This is what will happen: Multiple overlapping of remotely located personalities. Right now, we use software to do things like pick up mail, play games, evaluate loans, and make medical diagnoses. Your electronic alter-ego plays games with other alters while you’re not looking – while you sleep; your alter tells you about it later. We talk and meet online, in different places for different purposes, work and play. We have multiple alters. Pretty soon, we’ll have dozens of alters wandering the electronic hallways, meeting other alters, while we wait in the dark, like a soft cursor blinking on a screen. The alters ultimately will report back to us about the things they’ve seen, other alters they’ve spoken to, the fun they’ve had. Later, maybe they won’t report back to us anymore.”

Date of prediction: January 1, 1993

Topic of prediction: Getting, Sharing Information

Subtopic: General

Name of publication: Wired

Title, headline, chapter name: Alters

Quote Type: Direct quote

Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/1.05/1.5_alters_pr.html

This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Anderson, Janna Quitney