It’s one of the oldest and most emotionally resonant issues in society: inequality between rich and poor. And today, it’s hard to avoid. By most metrics, wealth inequality is large, and in many jurisdictions, it’s increasing. But here’s the question we don’t ask enough: What if we’re seeing the trees but not the forest? What if exponential technologies are secretly remaking the very definition of wealth, and increasing access to it in ways we’ve never witnessed before?
A Brief History of Inequality: From Castles to Corporations
For much of human history, money was a matter of power, and it was in the possession of a very few. Consider Roman emperors, medieval lords, or industrial barons. In 14th-century Europe, for example, more than 90% of individuals were serfs with little or no property, while the landed nobility lived in great privilege.
Today’s numbers are similarly stark. According to data cited by futurist Peter Diamandis, the poorest half of the world’s population controls just 2% of global wealth, while the wealthiest 10% hold an astonishing 76%. On the surface, the story hasn’t changed much.
But dig deeper, and a more nuanced—and optimistic—reality emerges.
The Quiet Revolution: How Tech Is Lifting Billions
Though headline inequality statistics are sobering, they do not reflect the true revolution that is taking place. Global per capita GDP has soared since the Industrial Revolution. And with it, a huge, rising global middle class is transforming the world economy.
The World Bank cited that as of 2016, over 3.2 billion people were classified as middle class. By 2030, it could reach 5.5 billion. This isn’t merely a matter of higher earnings—it’s access to opportunity, security, and improved quality of life.
And what is at the forefront of this change? Technology.
Consider cell phones. In 2023, more than 91% of the world’s population had a mobile device, with 7.3 billion people hooked up to education, commerce, banking, and even artificial intelligence. Only a generation before, these devices were only available to the wealthy.
A New Baseline: Wealth Beyond Money
Here’s an experiment in imagination: think of presenting a 17th-century king with access to today’s clean water, vaccines, streaming media, Google, air conditioning, and world travel. Despite their authority, they’d be in less comfort and significantly less educated than the average middle-class citizen today.
As Peter Diamandis so rightly points out, technology has radically “raised the floor” for billions of individuals. Access to the necessities of life, such as good food, clean water, education, and healthcare, has never been more prevalent. In nearly every respect, the baseline for quality of life is higher than ever before in human existence.
Constructing an Abundant Future: The Individuals Creating It
This change is not by chance—it’s spurred by visionaries who recognize technology as the great leveler. Diamandis himself is behind organizations such as the XPRIZE Foundation, Singularity University, and Abundance360, each dedicated to leveraging exponential tech to address humanity’s greatest challenges.
The 2025 Abundance Summit in Los Angeles convened more than 600 live attendees and an additional 5,000 online to discuss AI breakthroughs, longevity, robotics, and more. “This isn’t a normal conference,” Diamandis said. “It’s a launchpad for the future.” Some of the leading voices were Palmer Luckey, Vinod Khosla, Travis Kalanick, and Arianna Huffington, trading ideas that are building tomorrow’s economy.
These discussions are now broadcast globally through the Moonshots podcast, widening the Summit’s reach to an audience many orders of magnitude larger.
Real-World Impact: AI for Everyone
A persuasive case in point of this new style is Haut.AI, an Estonian company applying generative AI to make skincare accessible to everyone. Their tool converts a selfie into a customized skincare analysis and product advice, bringing pricey diagnostics to anyone with a phone.
“Precise skincare for everyone, everywhere, at any age and geography,” said CEO Anastasia Georgievskaya. With backing from investors such as Beiersdorf and Ulta Beauty, Haut.AI is demonstrating that AI has the potential to enable ethical innovation and mass-market reach.
The Bottom Line: Inequality Is Real, But So Is Progress
Let’s be clear—the rich-poor gap isn’t closing overnight. But the story isn’t one of “the rich get richer.” Technology is steadily opening up access, reducing barriers, and creating opportunity on a global level. In short, it’s not about just closing the wealth gap—it’s about raising the floor for everyone.
Thanks to the exponential technologies and the builders creating for purpose, the future isn’t something to fear—it’s something to look forward to. And maybe, for the first time, abundance isn’t a dream for the elite, but an actual potential for the masses.
