The majority of the world will be vegan by 2073 according to artificial intelligence predictions based on young people becoming more aware of the environmental consequences of eating meat and dairy products.
OpenAI’s ChatGPT was asked to formulate a timeline of the world going vegan, starting in 2024 when Gen Z and Millennials combine to raise awareness of issues surrounding animal agriculture.
The chatbot predicted that the term ‘flexitarian’ will become more common by 2027 as people adopt a more plant-based diet worldwide. By 2055 veganism is a typical diet and by 2073, ‘the world is almost entirely vegan’.
Darren Seifer, NPD food industry analyst at the data research group which initially undertook a study into future eating habits, said: ‘As consumers continue to prepare more meals in the home and younger generations cook more, plant-based foods and ingredients will be a part of their repertoire.
‘In addition to providing a variety of plant-based foods and ingredients, food manufacturers should also focus efforts on Millennials and Gen Zs since they will be driving the category’s growth.
‘Their concerns for sustainability and animal welfare should also be taken into account when messaging them.’
‘A breakthrough in food technology leads to more affordable and convincing plant-based meat and dairy alternatives,’ according to ChatGPT.
Using the information collected by The NPD Group, UK newspaper the DailyMail asked ChatGPT to create the timeline.
Using this information, OpenAI’s ChatGPT created a detailed timeline for the end of meat and dairy consumption, with the change starting with an increase in awareness of ethical, environmental and health issues related to animal agriculture.
The surge in awareness surrounding animal agriculture is fuelled by a trio of critical concerns. Ethically, the treatment of animals in industrial farming has come under scrutiny, with calls for more humane practices.
Environmentally, the sector is a significant contributor to deforestation, water pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions, prompting a reevaluation of its sustainability.
Health-wise, the overconsumption of animal products is linked to chronic diseases, steering the public towards a diet less reliant on animal agriculture.
These issues are reshaping consumer habits and sparking a global conversation about the future of food production.
The Vegan by 2073 Timeline
By 2037, North American and European governments will implement subsidies for plant-based agriculture, meaning prices come down according to the predictions.
ChatGPT predicts the first ‘Climate Action and Veganism Day’ will be celebrated in 2048, while ‘Global Vegan Week’ will become an international event in 2064.
‘McDonald’s re-introduces ‘McVegan’ [in 2068], now leaning into a rapid transition to a fully vegan menu,’ reads ChatGPT’s timeline. ‘(By) 2070: Most younger generations, who have grown up with veganism as the norm, have significantly shaped a predominantly vegan world.’
And the world is almost entirely vegan by 2073 – two years before animal farming becomes entirely obsolete.
‘While it’s impossible to predict the future with certainty, I can offer a hypothetical timeline based on the assumption that Gen Z and Millennials raising awareness on animal agriculture will lead to a significant shift in dietary habits,’ ChatGPT stated, before qualifying its findings saying: ‘Keep in mind that this is a speculative scenario, and the actual timeline may vary widely by region and culture.’
