Technology causes problems as well as solves problems. Nobody has figured out a way to ensure that, as of tomorrow, technology won’t create problems. Technology simply means increased power, which is why we have the global problems we face today.

Diamond is stressing the double-edged nature of technological advance: every increase in human capability also increases the scale of unintended consequences. Because technology is essentially amplified power—over ecosystems, resources, and other people—it can outpace our ability to foresee outcomes or build institutions that reliably prevent harm. The quote aligns with Diamond’s broader work on societal collapse and environmental limits: global crises (climate change, biodiversity loss, resource depletion) are not merely “failures of science,” but failures of governance, incentives, and collective restraint in the face of expanding technical capacity. The implication is not anti-technology, but pro-responsibility: progress must be paired with foresight, regulation, and cultural norms that manage risk.