Jeff Bezos has a useful way of thinking about product strategy. In a fast-changing world, long-term planning can feel really difficult. Instead of trying to predict what will change, Bezos focuses on what won’t change over the next 5–10 years.
For Amazon, he identified a few things that are basically permanent: people will always want faster shipping and lower prices. Those desires aren’t going away, so building around them is a strong strategy.
Today, in the age of AI, things are changing faster than ever. My field, software development, has been completely turned upside down in just the last few years thanks to tools like Cursor and Claude Code. So while technology keeps accelerating the pace of change, it’s interesting to ask the question: what won’t change? Here’s my list:
Human connection
People will always crave relationships, friendship, romance, and belonging. Technology and AI companions may change how we connect and fill a hole on some levels, but the need for human connection itself will always be here.
Travel
Humans have always been curious about the world. New places, cultures, landscapes, there’s a deep urge to explore what’s beyond our immediate surroundings. Also, as we spend more and more time in digital worlds, the need for in-person experiences will only grow.
Money and status
The desire for financial security, success, and social status isn’t disappearing anytime soon.
Experiences
Related to travel, but broader. Humans consistently value unique, fun, and memorable experiences, things that feel meaningful or exciting in the moment.
Curiosity and Learning
Humans are naturally curious. We want to understand how things work, why things happen, and what’s possible. The desire to improve, gain skills, and understand the world better is deeply human.
Nature
The need to touch grass will only grow as society becomes more digital and dominated by AI. The beach, mountains, forests, fresh air. There’s something grounding about it that technology will never replace.
Health and longevity
People want to live longer and stay healthy. We’ll always try to avoid illness, delay aging, and reduce the risk of death. It’s in our DNA to try and stay alive. Also, drugs like GLP-1’s will only get bigger and bigger to keep people looking good.
Reading and writing
This one might be a bit contrarian. With AI helping generate more and more content, some might assume writing becomes less important. But I suspect the opposite: reading and writing remain core ways humans think, communicate, and make sense of the world.
Storytelling
We will always be suckers for a good story. From ancient myths to movies, sci-fi books and TV shows, humans have always used stories to share ideas, values, and meaning.
Creativity and Building things
Humans will always want to create weather that’s new businesses, art, music, designs, and inventions.
Community
People will always organize into groups like clubs, cities, companies, online communities because belonging to something larger matters.
Identity and self-expression
Clothing, hobbies, opinions, and taste..people want ways to express who they are to others.
Tribalism
Humans will continue forming “us vs. them” groups. Everything from political, cultural, and even sports.
The search for meaning
Regardless of wealth, technology, or progress, humans will continue asking the same question: What is the point of all this?
Anything I missed?
I love this framing and POV! Awesome list.