I used AI to imagine humanity in 50,000 years — here’s how it went

I’ve always been a daydreamer, leaving my mind to ponder the possibilities of what could be to come. With the help of artificial intelligence tools, I can turn those ponderings into something I can actually see and even interact with.

Recently I found myself talking about space travel with ChatGPT, asking it about timelines and the impact terraforming a smaller world like Mars might have on human physiology. This later led to me having ChatGPT outline how it perceived humanity over 5,000, 10,000 and 50,000 years of evolution.

I also had it come up with ways humans might change if left isolated on different terraformed planets such as Mars, with its lower gravity or even the moons of the gas giants. I then used Freepik’s impressive Mystic 2.5 image model to bring them to life.

None of them looked human anymore, apart from the human from Earth in 50,000 years, but they all looked very impressive and allowed me to imagine a distant solar system I’ll never see.

Imagining humanity

It all started with a simple prompt to ChatGPT: “Lets say Mars is terraformed in the future and has a human-breathable atmosphere Given the smaller planet size, colder climate and lower gravity, would humans born on Mars gradually evolve differently to humans on Earth.”

Its answer was yes. Human Martians would be taller, have weaker bones and blood might pump more efficiently. They'd likely have a greater capacity for retaining heat and spatial perception might change due to a shorter horizon.

In its response, ChatGPT used the word “isolated” a lot, which then led to me expanding the discussion to what point humanity born on Mars might no longer be compatible with humanity born on Earth — true speciation. It was about 50,000 years of true isolation.

“After 50,000 years or more, Martians could be considered a separate species (e.g., Homo martianus). While they might share a common ancestor with Earthlings (Homo sapiens), they would likely exhibit significant anatomical, physiological, and genetic differences,” the AI wrote.

I can’t share the full conversation with ChatGPT as it includes an image I uploaded and that isn’t supported by OpenAI yet, but I’ve pasted it to a Google Doc. As you'll see, I followed the 50,000-year discussion by asking whether this speciation would still happen if we had near-instant travel between Earth and Mars.

Picturing humanity

After having ChatGPT outline how Human Martians might evolve over 50,000 years I then created a prompt to have it depict them, although given how bad DALL-E 3 is I had it generate a prompt for Freepik rather than make the image itself.

The prompt: “Let's assume true speciation does happen due to a conflict between Earth and Mars soon after terraforming. It split the species and left Mars fully isolated for tens of thousands of years. Generate an AI image prompt that would show what a Homo-martian might look like.”

The first result was a very typical AI image generator result using words like sci-fi and futuristic. The second was hyper-realistic which isn't great if you want an AI image model to make something real-looking. The third prompt got me what I wanted, specifying a camera and lens.

The prompt: “A photograph of a Homo-martian taken with a Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 lens, creating a shallow depth of field. The subject is a tall, slender humanoid with elongated limbs and a slightly fragile bone structure, adapted to Mars' low gravity. Their skin has a reddish-bronze tone, evolved for increased UV radiation. Their large, reflective eyes, suited for low light, gaze into the camera. Subtly alien facial features include a broader nose and thinner lips. They wear simple, practical clothing made from natural materials, blending Earth-like patterns with a unique Martian aesthetic. The background is softly blurred, showcasing a rugged, terraformed Martian landscape with reddish soil, sparse vegetation, and a pale, dusty sky. Natural lighting casts a warm, golden glow, resembling a photo taken at sunset."

I then had it imagine humans on other world’s in the solar system including Venus, Pluto and the moons of gas giants. After that I though — why not a rocky world orbiting Proxima Centauri (about 4.2 light years from Earth)? This is a rocky world near a red dwarf star.

Finally, I came back to Earth and asked it to imagine humans 50,000 years in the future and we really don’t change very much. Although I did use this prompt: “Imagine humans in 50,000 years, assuming no significant ecological changes on Earth.”

It said we'd be a bit taller, have larger eyes due to increased screen usage, a reduced jaw size as we don't need to chew as much and a more homogenized global feature set. It also said we'd be more intelligence and more reliant on technology, including through neural implants to enhance memory, learning and communication.

Homo-Venusian

The prompt: "A highly detailed photograph of a Homo-Venusian, a descendant of humans living on a terraformed Venus for 50,000 years. The individual has a tall, slender body with long limbs to dissipate heat, and their skin has a reflective, metallic bronze or gold sheen, evolved to withstand intense solar radiation. Their eyes are large and golden, with reflective irises adapted for long days of intense sunlight and UV exposure. Facial features include slightly flattened noses and prominent cheekbones, evolved for breathing efficiently in a dense atmosphere. They wear lightweight, natural fabrics, designed for a hot and humid climate. The background shows a lush Venusian landscape with dense vegetation, golden skies, and a warm glow, hinting at the planet's unique proximity to the Sun. Captured using a 35mm f/2 lens, with natural lighting and realistic depth of field, as if taken by a traveller on Venus."

Homo-ceresian

Prompt: "A photo of a Homo-ceresian, a human species evolved over 50,000 years on Ceres. The individual has a tall, lanky body with elongated limbs and fingers, adapted for efficient movement in the asteroid belt’s low gravity. Their skin is dark with a subtle metallic sheen, providing protection against cosmic radiation. Their facial features include sharp, angular bone structures and slightly flattened noses, optimised for living in low-pressure environments. Large hands and feet assist in stability and movement on uneven terrain. They wear lightweight, layered clothing suited for radiation shielding and temperature regulation. Standing beside an exposed briny crater, their surroundings include rocky, dusty plains under a pale, sunlit sky with faint asteroids visible in the background. The image is captured with a 50mm lens, creating sharp detail and soft contrast to highlight their unique physiology."

Homo-plutonius

Prompt: "A photo of a Homo-plutonius, a human species evolved over 50,000 years on Pluto. The individual has a compact, stocky frame with thick layers of subcutaneous fat and dense muscles for insulation and survival in near-cryogenic temperatures. Their skin is pale with a frosted, almost crystalline texture, resistant to the extreme cold. Large, reflective eyes with an orange or golden hue dominate their face, adapted for low light and capable of detecting infrared radiation to sense warmth. They wear tightly wrapped, thermally insulated garments made from organic materials. Standing on a frozen, nitrogen-ice plain with faint methane frost shimmering under a dim, bluish sky, they gaze toward the faint Sun, appearing as a small, bright star. Captured with a 35mm lens and soft lighting, emphasising the stark, alien coldness of the landscape."

Homo-titanus

Prompt: "A photo of a Homo-titanus, a human species evolved over 50,000 years on Titan. The individual has pale, thick skin with a waxy texture to retain heat and resist the frigid cold. Their stocky body conserves energy, with broad shoulders and short limbs. Large, dark eyes with reflective surfaces dominate their face, adapted to Titan's dim light. Their nasal passages are broad and surrounded by subtle ridges to warm the dense, nitrogen-rich air. Wearing minimalist, insulated clothing made from local hydrocarbon fibres, they stand beside a methane lake under a hazy, orange sky, with Saturn's rings faintly visible in the distance. Captured with a 35mm lens, natural lighting highlights the icy, alien landscape."

Homo-europaeus

Prompt: "A photo of a Homo-europaeus, a human species evolved over 50,000 years on Europa. The individual has a tall, slender frame with webbed hands and feet for navigating icy oceans. Their skin is translucent, with faint blue veins visible beneath the surface, and bioluminescent patches glow faintly along their arms and face, used for communication and navigation in the darkness. Their eyes are large and reflective, adapted to low light under Europa’s ice. They wear lightweight, organic clothing suited for an aquatic environment. Standing near a jagged ice fissure with a faint blue glow from beneath, they gaze into the distance as Jupiter looms large in the sky, casting faint shadows. Captured in low-light conditions with a wide-angle lens, showcasing the icy, alien terrain."

Homo-ganymedis

Prompt: "A photo of a Homo-ganymedis, a human species evolved over 50,000 years on Ganymede. The individual has a moderately tall build with compact, dense musculature to adapt to the moon’s low gravity. Their skin is a metallic bronze tone, evolved to resist radiation and reflect solar energy. Their eyes are almond-shaped and slightly larger than Earth's humans, designed to maximise visibility in low light. Their facial features include high cheekbones and a broad chest, housing lungs adapted for Ganymede’s thin oxygen atmosphere. They wear layered, natural fabrics, woven from bioengineered materials. Standing on a rugged, icy plain with faint traces of liquid water and cracks in the terrain, they look toward Jupiter’s massive form, glowing faintly in the dark sky. Captured with a 50mm f/1.4 lens for sharp detail and a shallow depth of field."

Homo-proximus

Prompt: "A photograph of a Homo-proximus, a human species evolved over 50,000 years on Proxima-c. The individual has a stocky, muscular frame with dense bones and compact proportions to adapt to the planet’s higher gravity. Their skin is dark with a subtle metallic sheen, evolved to resist intense radiation from Proxima Centauri’s flares. Their eyes are large, almond-shaped, and faintly glowing red, designed to see in the dim, infrared-rich light. Their facial features include broad cheekbones and a low, wide nose, adapted to processing the dense, cold air. Standing on rocky terrain beneath a dim, reddish sky, the background shows rugged cliffs and a hazy atmosphere lit by the faint, fiery glow of Proxima Centauri. Captured with a wide-angle lens, the photo focuses on their unique physiology while showcasing the alien yet ruggedly familiar environment."

Conclusion

This was little more than a fun diversionary activity, but what it offers is an insight into how AI tools can be used to bring imagination to life. Or how you can work through a problem with a platform like ChatGPT in a methodical way.

Yes, asking about human evolution through the solar system is a fantastical idea, but it could just as easily have been working through plans to redecorate a home office, or discuss the finer points of building your own gaming PC. It is a companion that doesn’t judge you.

More from Tom's Guide

• I sent myself on a series of incredible adventures with AI
• Flux just got a huge upgrade for generating AI images
• I put ChatGPT vs Grok to the test with 7 prompts