I am scheduled to die on August 10, 2060, at the age of 74.
So says my iPhone screen, where Death Clock, an AI-powered longevity app that predicts life expectancy based on your medical habits and lifestyle, has produced an image of a smiling grim reaper to celebrate my expiration date. There he was one September morning, looking especially thrilled about the reveal, gesturing with a peace sign as he reclined in a doughnut-shaped pool inflatable under that giant number: 74.
I have never resented getting older, but I suppose that’s younger than I’d like to be when my time is up. In the last four years—years that brought the passing of my grandmother and aunt within 18 months—I’ve become hyperaware of how finite my days are. Since turning 40 in January, I’ve also experienced daily reminders of aging: inexplicable pains that rotate between my back, neck, and hips. Spiritually, I feel young; physically, my body screams otherwise. Aging is natural, but I had a creeping suspicion I could buy myself more time.
Our collective obsession with life extension has given rise to a multitrillion-dollar longevity industry, bolstered by wannabe prophets like Bryan Johnson. Threats like climate change and AI doomerism only seem to have intensified existential fears, even as LLMs promise a new era of personalized medicine to address any health issue. Track enough pieces of data, the thinking goes, and algorithms can help you hack your own demise.
All of which led me to Death Clock, an app launched in 2024 aimed at tracking users’ health habits in an attempt to prolong their lives.
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