Imagine the thrill of splurging $595 on a Commodore 64 computer in 1982; I'll bet you didn't know it's the highest-selling single computer model of all time. Many younger generations, including myself, couldn't fathom the exhilaration of buying something teenagers would describe as a "prehistoric" item nowadays. But I remember the excitement when my older sister got her first iPod. I remember my father desperately wanting to upgrade our box television set to a flat screen when Best Buy was having a sale. I even remember what it felt like to get my first cell phone with the numeric keypad. Looking back isn't as captivating as looking forward; perhaps that's why the rearview mirror is smaller than the windshield. As time progresses and technology improves, we often take what we have for granted, always eager for the next thing to get released. The generation you grew up with does not dictate how you view technology, but maybe there's a correlation between your upbringing and experiences with tech and where it's going. Paper Plane Consulting conducted an anonymous survey to view how different generations perceive technological inventions over the past century, and the results were staggering.
As artificial intelligence accelerates, quantum computing edges closer to commercial viability, and digital tools integrate into every facet of life, humanity finds itself at a crossroads: Will these innovations liberate or consume us? Across various age groups—Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha—we gathered differing perspectives on where technology is headed and how we should feel about it. These viewpoints form a mosaic of hope, skepticism, nostalgia, and fascination.
Survey data showed that Gen Z and Millennials comprise the largest share of respondents, with Gen X following closely behind.
Among these demographics, professions were wide-ranging–tech, finance, business, and education, making up over 80% of the participants.
Our survey featured a timeline of inventions from 1925 to the present Day: The qualifying conditions were that:
This led to much deliberation within the team about things like "Microchips", "Transistors", and even a "Laser" (all of which nearly made us reconsider our timeline). Inventions like the transistor and microchip are not particularly useful on their own. Combined with other electrical components to create circuits, they become the building blocks of modern computing.
The laser holds a plethora of modern-day functions: medical, range finding, precision cutting, automation, tattoo removal, and even weapons technology. A deep dive revealed that "The principle of the laser dates back to 1917, when Albert Einstein first described the theory of stimulated emission" (APS). All 3 of these tactile objects, worthy of their future articles, had to be omitted from the final cut. To see our timeline, access the link below:
Timeline
Most people interpreted "Influential" uniquely, so everyone's "Top 5" was distinct. One respondent stated,
We settled on implementing a weighted scoring system to assess the results.
A 1st place vote garnered 5 points
2nd place vote, 4 points
3rd place vote, 3 points
4th place, 2 points
5th place, 1 point
Could I say I was surprised to see "Internet" take the top podium spot? Not really. Many people react the same way I do when an internet connection is lost; we depend entirely on the internet for much of our daily life. The Internet makes sense as the most influential invention of the past 100 years. Its profound impact on communication, information access, and education has transformed how we live, work, and interact.
Many of the inventions listed in the "Top 5" have a ubiquitous impact on life itself. These are technologies that almost everyone interacts with daily. They are seen as essential, not optional. AI is redefining workplaces and reshaping industries. Television transformed how we consume content, and the Jet Engine shrank the world by allowing a more convenient method of traveling across vast distances.
The 30 inventions in the "Other" category received 17.3% of the vote. 16 of the inventions gained points, and 14 failed to be acknowledged. The first five inventions mentioned in the footnote of the graphic above were the closest to breaking the "Top 10" ranking.
Participants were asked one compelling question:
Many shared optimism and enthusiasm for the peak of the Digital Transformation Age. Opting to view the glass as half full instead of half empty, their tone echoed both awe and readiness.
Others took a more personal stance, connecting emerging tech to ease and efficiency in daily life.
Many younger people have expressed how AI has helped them write papers, complete research projects, and is the "modern approach to learning" (Nagelhout, 2024). Teachers have difficulty distinguishing between authentic work and something generated from an AI prompt, as we observe a generational shift in how classrooms adapt to technology's influence. My professors have accounted for the possibility of students within the computer science program cheating from AI as a plausible reality; they combat this with a mandatory AI rant where they express concern for students lacking skill development. In our survey, many voiced concern about unchecked technological growth's ethical implications and human cost.
The responses articulate caution and worry about overdependence and the erasure of essential human experiences. As I sifted through the responses, I felt my own headstrong opinions beginning to change. I can think of several individuals in my personal life who have been afraid of losing their livelihood to an AI replacement, and it's created a catch-22. I've always believed that AI is a tool to help and assist with repetitive tasks, but human decision-making is irreplaceable and non-replicable. On the contrary, I still agree with the optimistic responses because I want to retain a positive outlook on technology helping shape medicine, agriculture, and engineering.
Many of our respondents made references to pop culture. Their responses evoked iconic films to illustrate both utopian and dystopian futures.
Another shared a darker vision; some even echoed the concern through Pixar's prophetic lens.
These cinematic comparisons didn't just dramatize fears—they underscored how deeply entertainment shapes our expectations for what's possible. Cinema was not the first form of media to influence our opinion on technology, nor will it be the last. I anticipate that AI, Quantum Computing, and the like will be long debated over the next few generations.
Until technology exceeds the undrawn boundary, society will continue to try to improve upon what we already have. Is it conceivable that scientists and revolutionary thinkers go too far in defying the laws of nature? Potentially. At that point, we’ll have to enlist the help of Dr. Emmett Brown and his trusty DeLorean to change the past. The dichotomy between advocates and resisters may start to become more prevalent as we continue to see industries adopt new technologies. Time will tell.
As we hypothesize the path technology will take over the next century, one universal truth emerges—technology is anything but certain. It's shaped not only by engineers and algorithms but also by artists, ethicists, students, and everyday users. Generations before us dared to dream and pioneer the very tools we use daily, each generation leaving its imprint on how we create, adapt, and overcome.
The future of AI, quantum computing, and digital transformation is not set in stone. It’s imagined, debated, and unwritten. As these generational visions converge, another truth becomes clear: the conversation isn't just about machines.
It’s about what it means to stay human in a rapidly changing world.
Citations
Brown, MacKenzie. “101 Inventions That Changed the World: CAD Crowd.” 101 Inventions That Changed the World in the Last 100 Years, 17 July 2023, www.cadcrowd.com/blog/101-inventions-that-changed-the-world-in-the-last-100-years/.
Hammond, Alexander C.R. “The 20 Biggest Advances in Tech Over the Last 20 Years.” Foundation for Economic Education, 23 Sept. 2024, https://fee.org/articles/the-20-biggest-advances-in-tech-over-the-last-20-years/.
Nagelhout, Ryan. “Students Are Using AI Already. Here’s What They Think Adults Should Know.” Harvard Graduate School of Education, 10 Sept. 2024, www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/usable-knowledge/24/09/students-are-using-ai-already-heres-what-they-think-adults-should-know.
This Month in Physics History | American Physical Society, www.aps.org/archives/publications/apsnews/200312/history.cfm. Accessed 12 May 2025.
"Give me the most influential 100 technological inventions over the past 100 years" prompt. ChatGPT, 3 May. version, OpenAI, 3 May. 2025, chat.openai.com.
