Report: There's a 20 to 50 percent chance we are living in a simulation

Are we living in a simulated world?

Business Insider has written that Bank of America Merrill Lynch, or BAML, recently sent clients a report which states, "Many scientists, philosophers, and business leaders believe that there is a 20-50% probability that humans are already living in a computer-simulated virtual world."

It goes on to say that "It is conceivable that with advancements in artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and computing power, members of future civilizations could have decided to run a simulation of their ancestors."

The communication reportedly drew inspiration from technology leader Elon Musk and Oxford University philosopher Nick Bostrom who have expressed the possibility of the world being run by artificial intelligence or a simulation, respectively.

BAML also included an infographic with statistics about this future reality; analysts estimate that the market for augmented, virtual, and mixed realities could be worth $150 billion globally by the year 2022.

According to Business Insider, "The investment implications remain unclear."