This is the artificial intelligence voice of Lewis Howes narrating this pod slice summary of the School of Greatness Podcast.

In the podcast episode, Peter Diamandis, named by Fortune as one of the world’s greatest leaders, predicts that within the next 10 years, we will witness a marked shift in human lifespan due to innovation in technology, especially AI. He envisions a future where individuals will consistently live to 120-150 years old due to advancements in technology and enhancements in our understanding of aging.

His research shows that optimistic people tend to live 15% longer than pessimists, highlighting the significance of a positive mindset in an age of abundance. Initially, he explains, humans were only meant to live until around 30 to perpetuate the species, but due to advancements in sanitation, antibiotics, and medication, the average lifespan increased to the upper 70s.

He reflects on how, during his medical school years, he learned about the long lifespan of certain sea creatures, which inspired him to question why humans could not achieve similar longevity. According to Diamandis, the answer is either a hardware problem or a software problem, both of which he believes can be solved.

Diamandis introduces the idea of “Longevity escape velocity,” where science, in the span of one year, can increase one’s lifespan by more than a year. This concept is backed by an increasing amount of money being funneled into longevity research and biotech. Diamandis believes we will reach this “Longevity escape velocity” within the next 10-15 years.

Looking back, Diamandis learnt the importance of sleep, reducing sugar, consuming a diet of whole plants, eating food in the correct order (vegetables, protein, then carbs) for optimum health, and prioritizing exercises, especially for those over the age of 60 as it reduces mortality rate by 50%. He also understands the importance of building muscle mass as it becomes harder to do so as the body ages.

Today, his focus is on helping people understand their internal body workings and prolonging life by living healthier and avoiding unnecessary health risks. He also promotes AI and longevity research as the two most significant economic opportunities available.

Peter Diamandis announces a game-changer in the field of longevity – the $101 million xPrize Health Span. This competition, sponsored by significant figures such as Lululemon founder, Chip Wilson, invites teams to focus on potentially reversing the aging process by a decade or two within a year. Diamandis explores the premise behind this, stating it isn’t about focusing solely on extending lifespan but also on drastically enhancing the quality of life. This led to the understanding that xPrize will entail teams developing a process that would significantly restore the muscle strength, cognitive function, and the immune system which naturally degrade with age.

Moreover, Diamandis discusses the fundamental changes our bodies undergo post the age of 30 like hormonal deregulation, reduction in stem cell numbers, and decline in muscle-building capabilities. He adds another crucial aspect, the phenomenon of ‘immuno exhaustion,’ which weakens our immune system, making us more susceptible to infectious diseases and cancers as we age.

However, he highlights how AI and the plummeting costs in biotech are enabling unthinkable innovations and solutions to these issues. Diamandis is hopeful that by 2030, we will be adding an impressive 10-20 healthy years to people’s lives.

Manifesting a bigger ambition, Diamandis emphasizes decreasing suffering during the last years of life. The goal here is not to extend the suffering that comes with old age but to extend the years of being active and vital, essentially merging the lifespan with the health span.

The conversation with Lewis touches upon the societal impact as well. They discuss the tremendous economic value of extending human life, pointing out the study from Harvard London School of Business and Oxford, estimating $38 trillion to the global economy for each additional healthy year. This economic value comes from persons remaining productive, not spending their money primarily on health issues, and the potential of not being confined by the traditional age of retirement. They suggest that a healthy older adult would continue to be productive, start new businesses, travel, or even pursue another degree.

The discussion highlights that the quest for longevity is not just about extending life but enhancing the quality of it and changing societal perceptions of aging, thereby opening up a world of possibilities and opportunities.

In this detailed segment, Peter Diamandis speaks about the current and future state of health monitoring, its implications, and how technology, especially artificial intelligence (AI), can revolutionize the way we understand and manage our health.

Diamandis explains that while we may feel fine, we typically have no idea what’s happening internally and how the body’s exceptional ability to hide disease often blinds us to potential health threats. To illustrate, he mentions that 70% of people who have heart attacks had no symptoms prior to the attack.

This stark reality led him to co-found a company called Fountain Life with Tony Robbins, offering advanced and personalized health diagnostics. With facilities in multiple locations, Fountain Life uses technologies such as MRI scans, coronary CT scans, DEXA scans, genomic sequencing, and more, to provide a comprehensive understanding of a person’s health — essentially digitizing the human body. The company also provides advanced therapeutics for longevity that are safe and efficacious.

Diamandis shares a personal story that highlights the importance of early health screening. He mentions finding an enlarged aortic root during his first scan at Fountain Life. While it was concerning at first, monitoring the condition over eight years revealed no change, reassuring him. But for others, these scans have been a lifesaver, revealing previously unknown cancers or aneurysms.

Despite the promising developments, Diamandis doesn’t ignore the underlying issues facing society like obesity and mental health. He attributes obesity to high sugar consumption from processed foods and emphasizes that mental health is an area that urgently needs attention.

The overarching goal, Diamandis explains, is to provide each person with a health coach or AI assistant that can monitor a range of health markers routinely. This AI health assistant would be a highly personalized and dynamic tool, able to make recommendations concerning diet, exercise, and other lifestyle factors.

Finally, Diamandis provocatively speculates on the issues humanity might face in a future where all basic needs — food, water, energy, healthcare, education — are met. He suggests that one key challenge could be identifying and maintaining a sense of purpose when everything else is ‘too good’. This touches on deeper philosophical questions about human nature and existence, extending the conversation far beyond physical health.

On the School of Greatness podcast, Peter Diamandis and Lewis Howes engage in a deep discourse on the implications of technological advancements and the profound impact on human life.

Diamandis introduces an analogy from a Twilight Zone episode, illustrating how a world without challenges could potentially lead people to discontentment. The conversation then pivots to the evolving technology that allows humans to take a “vacation from survival”. The vast technological advancements, as showcased through modern conveniences like zoom calls or air travel, are a crystallized testament to the unprecedented shift from our ancestor’s reality.

The advent of AI and biotechnology carries immense potential for shaping our future. Diamandis emphasizes the dire effects of remaining complacent in the face of such rapid growth. In fact, the lack of challenges could potentially lead to unfulfillment and purposelessness, similar to stereotypically ‘spoiled rich kids’ lacking purpose.

Diamandis highlights how AI has the potential to create virtual worlds that can simulate real-life experiences. For instance, someone could create a virtual world of ancient Greece allowing users to virtually interact with historical figures. The rapid advancement in technology and AI, according to Diamandis, signifies the unprecedented shift in human evolution.

However, alongside the AI breakthrough, there’s also a rapid advancement in biomechanics, particularly highlighted by the Nobel Prize-winning technique CRISPR. This revolutionary genetic tool can potentially cure genetic diseases by modifying a few DNA letters.

Despite the fantastic progress, the duo emphasizes the importance of creating a positive future vision to navigate these powerful technologies efficiently. Diamandis’s work at the “X Prize” foundation exemplifies this approach by fostering innovative solutions to tackle current and future challenges.

The pervasive fear of cognitive loss due to aging was also addressed. Key factors to maintaining cognitive health include minimizing sugar and stress, maintaining regular exercise, and continuous learning. Diamandis pointed out that sleep and cardiovascular exercises, typical elements of paddle sports, have proven beneficial for cognitive health.

In conclusion, the discussion encapsulates the inevitability of technological advancement and the palpable fears associated with it. To ensure a positive outcome, it is paramount to create a hopeful and compelling vision for the future.

Peter Diamandis speaks on the importance of maintaining muscle mass and cognition for maintaining optimal health and longevity and how he is driven by the ‘longevity escape velocity’ rather than the concepts of retirement or death. He presents various resources for people interested in exploring the longevity landscape; his book available on Amazon, the AI engine Longevity insider which curates high-quality articles on breakthroughs in extending healthy lifespan, and the Healthspan enterprise.

He talks about his Healthspan enterprise which is open to interested teams, startups, universities, and labs to bring in all ideas, especially those that seem ‘crazy’ because, in his words, “The day before something is a breakthrough, it’s a crazy idea. If it weren’t, it wouldn’t be a breakthrough.”

His Fountain Life venture offers a specialized service that gathers extensive information about the human body aiming to detect any potential health issue at its earliest stages. The ultimate goal is to ensure people live long enough to avail themselves of forthcoming medical breakthroughs.

Functional medicine forms a key part of their approach, aiming to understand the root causes of health issues at a molecular level, which guides the process of fixing or optimizing health parameters. In addition, they offer access to the latest therapeutics emerging globally.

As a final note, Peter underlines the importance of our mindset, being the greatest tool for achieving greatness. He further believes in a world of abundance in the making, and that the nature of the universe is love.

Speaking about the future for his twin boys, he offers a profound perspective, stating that we are evolving from evolution by natural selection to evolution by human direction. This merging with technology, in his view, makes the future beyond a decade largely unknowable. His hope for his sons is that they become good humans, leaving the world in a better place, ask great questions and live out their purpose fully.

David Sinclair joins the conversation speaking about a backup copy of cellular patterns that when turned on, can reinstate youthfulness in the body. This exciting research could have significant implications for promoting longevity and health even into old age.