There is no theoretical limit to human lifespan. Given this, humanity's most essential task is to extend productive longevity. Doing so will necessarily require improvements in energy use and efficiency, computation and information use and efficiency.
The Kardashev scale can be extended from energy to information. These two are intertwined and mutually reinforcing with the advantages that information evolution is easier and less costly and so a natural driver.
Google's mission to organise the world's information is admirable but somewhat lacking because its focus is efficiency rather than effectiveness. Information is to be used and its value can be inferred from its utility in driving the overarching goal of longevity and its supporting goals of energy and computation.
Google is neither the world’s saviour nor its protector and so it has no obligation to extend or modify its stated mission, but I believe that its founders did and do have the intention of making the world a better place to the best of their ability. We should in no way be limited to our past selves.
Covid provides us with an opportunity to drive the virtualisation of all health and medical information because of its public utility now when all systems are overwhelmed. And Africa which lacks the bloated over-regulated detrimentally enforced healthcare policy framework of much of the world can benefit enormously from an electronic platform for healthcare that is available to both consumers and providers at no cost.
Google excels at freeware in exchange for large datasets. It is a technology-driven organisation with a good reputation and the means to scale.
Africa lacks many things, but it does not lack poverty, disease and disability.
So, Google, would you at all be interested in extending your mission and in so doing make an appreciable difference to the burden of disease and disability in Africa?
