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Are there more than 25 General purpose technologies? (x.com)

submitted 1 week ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I am reading The New Wave, the last book from Microsoft AI CEO Suleyman. He mentioned that a massive study pegged down the General Purpose Technologies to be only 24 in human history, but I can’t find the study. Does anybody know the study? This is the list btw:

Domestication of plants
Domestication of animals
Smelting of ore
Money
Wheel
Writing
Bronze
Iron
Water wheel
Three-masted sailing ship
Printing
Factory system
Steam Engine
Railways
Steamship
Internal combustion engine
Electricity
Automobile
Airplane
Mass production
Computer
Lean production
Internet
Biotechnology

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago

No refrigeration no right to speak

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago

I dont know what study it is or how they define general purpose technologies. But i do miss a few world changing discoveries in that list. Like modern medicine/vaccines and radio/telecommunications. Although that last one might fall under electricity? Though I feel like it should be it's own thing.

It kinda feels like a subjective arbitrary list

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago

I wouldn't be surprised if this list turned out to be generated by AI.

It's terrible. 3 mast ships but no boats?

Steam engine turns up 3 times as steam engine, railways, and steam ship.

Mass production isn't even a technology, it's a process. Biotechnology is a field not a technology.