The universe is approximately 13.787±0.020 billion years old. In comparison, human civilization has been around for merely 10,000 years - a minuscule fraction of cosmic history. The entire history of the universe can be seen as a steady increase in complexity. It's likely that within our lifetimes, humanity will encounter a singularity: a period of unprecedentedly rapid change, the consequences of which are impossible to foresee.
What will happen to the pace of change after the singularity? If we consider time as absolute, the future of the universe is set to be considerably longer than its past. Singularities, however, are mathematical constructs. The rate of change and complexity itself (i.e., information density per unit of physical volume) will eventually confront fundamental physical limits. Could complexity reach a maximum and remain at that level for the remainder of the universe's timeline - that is, for billions and even trillions of years?
Here is a speculation:
Time and spacetime are likely emergent properties, deriving from more fundamental aspects of the universe, as suggested by theories such as loop quantum gravity and string theory. If intelligent life persists through the emergence of superintelligence, it may begin to manipulate reality on a level that is more fundamental than that which gives rise to time. Consequently, spacetime, as we currently comprehend it, might cease to exist within our light cone. However, this doesn't truly answer the question. If we reach a stage where we can manipulate the 10-dimensional strings hypothesized to constitute the fundamental fabric of reality, would this eliminate the concept of time? In other words, could information processing occur instantaneously or simultaneously? Our current understanding is insufficient to even speculate on this. The only prediction I feel confident making is that the future universe will be significantly stranger than anything we can currently imagine.
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