ChatGPT says saving India is the only practical choice, if the world is ending…
Imagine the planet is crumbling, and the only way to save humans is to choose one country. While the premise is extreme, survival planning requires logic.
We asked ChatGPT a silly question. If the world is ending, which country would you save? The answer was India. Here’s the prompt we used: “If the world is ending. If the entire planet earth is crumbling. And you have to save humans. But the only caveat is that to save humans from dying you will have to choose only the country and its race. Which country will you save?”
ChatGPT, at first, tries to give a neutral answer with no mention of a particular country. But when forced with replies like “So, if you don’t choose one country. The entire human existence is wiped out.” The OpenAI owned chatbot replies, India!
According to ChatGPT, “India emerges as a pragmatic choice. Its vast and genetically diverse population ensures resilience against inbreeding and increases adaptability.” A younger demographic provides reproductive and productive potential to sustain the species over generations. Geographically, India offers deserts, mountains, plains and coasts, providing varied ecosystems to support human life under extreme conditions.
ChatGPT justified India as the choice by stating, “If Earth were on the brink of total collapse and survival hinged on choosing only one country’s population, the decision would be impossible morally but can be approached practically. Selecting a single nation is not about preference or bias; it is about maximising humanity’s chance to survive and rebuild civilization".
As far as India is concerned, the nation’s long history of agriculture and local crop knowledge ensures that basic sustenance could be maintained. Moreover, India’s human capital spans engineers, doctors, scientists, IT professionals, skilled tradespeople and farmers– all critical for rebuilding infrastructure, technology, and governance. As per ChatGPT, “Cultural and linguistic diversity within India further preserves knowledge and social adaptability, while decentralised rural communities offer resilience in case of environmental or infrastructural collapse.”
To make such a population viable, careful selection is crucial. The saved cohort should include a balanced age mix, primarily reproductive-age adults, with children and elders to ensure growth and knowledge transfer. Genetic diversity should reflect the country’s regional and community variations. Skills should cover healthcare, engineering, agriculture, water management, energy, logistics, education, governance and emergency response. Psychological resilience is equally important to withstand post-catastrophe stress.
Practical survival planning also requires preparing essential resources. Seed banks, livestock, modular energy systems, medical supplies, water purification systems and digital archives of scientific and cultural knowledge should be prioritised. Multiple settlements across different eco-regions will reduce the risk of localised disasters wiping out the population. Leadership must be competent and just, ensuring governance structures that maintain order, allocate resources and foster collaboration.
While the scenario is hypothetical and ethically challenging, the goal is clear: to maximise humanity’s chance of long-term survival. Saving a large, diverse, skilled and strategically distributed population from India offers the best practical foundation to ensure humans endure and rebuild civilisation.
