AI transformed systems

In this digital artwork, Ayaz Basrai envisioned the future of Mumbai’s local train system in 2045. He explored how AI and drones were employed for surveillance at train stations and onboard trains. At the time, the system spanned 390 km and operated 2,342 trains daily, carrying thousands of commuters across one of the most densely populated regions on the planet. By December 2022, approximately 66 million commuters were traveling on Mumbai's local trains. In this imagined future, AI-driven systems optimized schedules, routes, and maintenance, transforming the city’s rail network. Real-time passenger data and scheduling analysis helped reduce peak-hour congestion, making daily commutes more efficient and predictable.

The artwork is part of an innovative exhibition called 'Visions of the Future'. It is presented under Futurescape, a project from the Wisdom and Culture Lab at the University of Waterloo, in collaboration with scholars from the Forecasting Research Institute at the University of Pennsylvania. Through a longitudinal forecasting tournament, researchers explored possible visions for human welfare and societal change, drawing on the insights of experts, superforecasters, and everyday people across four key domains: Climate, Economy, Peace/ War, and Public Health.

Ayaz’s artwork imagined a future as messy and unfinished as the present—always a work in progress. Inspired by insights from forecasters, he explored both sweeping trends and subtle signals of change, from the rise of AI to the corporate takeover of agriculture.

Fascinated by mundane futures, Ayaz considered how everyday life might absorb new technologies in clumsy, improvised ways. Set in 2045, his work captured a world where the past, present, and future collide—revealing a future that feels oddly familiar.

Disclaimer: The artwork presented here is a speculative visualisation generated using AI. It is based on current insights and expert forecasts, but it represents imagined possibilities rather than definitive predictions of the future. The story and locations mentioned in it should be understood as creative interpretations rather than factual representations of real-world scenarios.