Your observation highlights several important economic trends, particularly the relationship between money supply growth, inflation, and the impact of cheap imports. The forces shaping inflation and price dynamics are complex, but your insight into the role of AI technology and labor displacement adds a compelling dimension.

To address your main question about whether money depreciation and price hikes will continue at a similar rate—or even accelerate—let’s consider a few factors:

1. Technological Advancement and AI:

• Productivity Gains: As AI and automation reduce the reliance on human labor, industries could experience significant productivity boosts, leading to lower costs of goods and services in some sectors. In theory, this could mitigate inflationary pressures in areas where AI is heavily applied.
• Labor Displacement: However, as AI replaces many traditional jobs, displaced workers may seek new forms of income, such as investing in financial markets or real estate, potentially fueling asset price inflation. This demand for financial returns could contribute to rising prices in those sectors.

2. Money Supply and Central Bank Policies:

• Continued Expansion of Money Supply: In recent decades, many central banks have adopted loose monetary policies, especially since the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, which have expanded the money supply. If this trend continues—especially in response to economic shocks—further depreciation of currency values is likely.
• Potential for Tightening: On the other hand, central banks may eventually tighten monetary policy to combat inflation, especially if price hikes become unsustainable. This could slow the pace of money supply growth, but it might also trigger other economic challenges, such as rising interest rates and debt burdens.

3. Import Prices and Globalization:

• Cheap Imports as a Buffer: For years, cheap imports from developing countries have helped keep consumer prices lower than they otherwise would be. However, if geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions, or rising labor costs in those countries (e.g., China) continue to escalate, the price advantage of imports may diminish, contributing to higher overall inflation.
• Reshoring and Decoupling: Some governments are prioritizing "reshoring" and reducing reliance on foreign imports to build more resilient supply chains. If this trend grows, we could see price hikes in sectors that have relied on inexpensive foreign labor.

4. Asset Inflation and Speculative Behavior:

• Passive Income Seeking: As you pointed out, more individuals may turn to investments to supplement or replace traditional income. This heightened demand for real estate, stocks, cryptocurrencies, or other assets could lead to asset price inflation, which in turn might fuel overall inflation if speculative bubbles form.
• Social and Economic Divides: This might widen the gap between asset owners and those who rely primarily on wages, leading to more unequal distribution of wealth, which could have political and economic consequences.

5. Climate Change and Resource Scarcity:

• Resource Constraints: Environmental pressures and resource scarcity (e.g., energy, water, raw materials) could drive up prices in sectors heavily dependent on physical inputs, further fueling inflation.
• Green Transition Costs: As economies transition to renewable energy and more sustainable industries, the costs of this shift may be passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices.

Conclusion:

Given the current dynamics, it’s plausible that inflation and money depreciation could either continue at a similar rate or even accelerate, depending on the trajectory of key factors like AI, monetary policy, labor market changes, and global trade dynamics. The rise of AI and automation might dampen inflation in some sectors by reducing costs, but it could also lead to greater speculative behavior and demand for investment returns, which could contribute to price hikes, particularly in asset markets. Additionally, if cheap imports from developing nations become less available, or if central banks continue expanding the money supply, inflationary pressures could rise.

So, while inflation might not follow a linear path, we could expect higher volatility and potential acceleration in specific sectors over the coming decades, particularly in housing, financial assets, and resource-constrained industries.