Future: Angkor Wat
In the AI future, Angkor Wat’s remote jungle location is consumed by high density urban development, creating its own, less symbolic, version of a mountain range. The stunning bridge that leads to the temple is replaced by a road, allowing people to drive right up to the base of the structure. The entrance has been altered to extend the main staircase; before adding the roadway, it was accessible by bridge to a short staircase. But much of the temple remains intact, despite the modern city that seems to loom over the skyline behind it. And, of course, the drones fly in the temple’s air space, which could be dangerous for the artistic peaks rising from the main temple.