More AI Dilemma
With Elon Musk's Neuralink getting FDA approval to move forward with human trials, humanity could be on the path to a big transformation in which there will be two kinds of people in the future. Humans and superhumans. Another way of saying it is man and man-machine.
On a visit to Neuralink's website, I was welcomed with their mission statement which reads; Create a generalized brain interface to restore autonomy to those with unmet medical needs today and unlock human potential tomorrow.
It's spot on right? Solve for the lowest hanging fruit today and tackle the whole tree tomorrow. I'm personally not strictly against it but I believe it will come at a very high cost.
One of the reason being that a human being is more than his/her physical body. Implanting a chip on the brain will mess up an intricate process that could lead to the human being having a hard time in controlling the body or maintaining their individuality.
'Unlock Human Potential'
The above heading can be interpreted differently. But it is a generally accepted view that the average human is using only a fraction of their potential. In our brains, most of the things we do is concentrated on a few areas.
Neuralink's mission statement raises intriguing possibilities for the future. The ability to restore autonomy to individuals with unmet medical needs is an admirable goal. And the concept of unlocking human potential through brain-machine interfaces is captivating to say the least.
Because it holds the promise of enhancing cognitive abilities, memory retention, and overall mental performance. But will the body be able to cope with the mental boost? How will the mind and body imbalance be corrected?
In technological terms, the body is like a hardware while the mind is like a software. What happens if the upgraded software keeps crashing the hardware?
Also, ethical and philosophical considerations can not be overlooked. Things like privacy and equality. Will this technology be accessible to everyone or will it be on an exclusivity for the few that can afford it? How will it influence personal identity and human interactions?
Of course, a generous trillionaire can come forward and make it free for everyone. But how about the second question dealing with privacy? If telepathy is introduce, wouldn't the creator of the chip have the ability to intercept and listen to the conversations? Or a malicious hacker hijack the chip and read everything that's in it.
The Stakes Are Getting Higher
The path towards brain-machine interfaces, as pursued by Neuralink, presents both extraordinary opportunities and profound risks.
Maybe I'm a bit paranoid. But it seems that humanity is gradually entering into adulthood in which we're not allowed to shrug and hope for the best every time we encounter a complex situation. Being indecisive is also a decision. Albeit a decision in which others will make for you without your best interest at heart.
For me, I will not be getting near this chip for the reason stated in the introduction and others. How about you?
Thanks for reading!! Share your thoughts below on the comments.
I’m going to stay further away from this chip than I did from the covid vaccine. I know crazy when I hear it.
I sometimes see it as a progression of the covid vaccine. Similar aims, different methods. Crazy world we live in where humans are trying to play god on their fellow humans.
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I can only say that it is this sort of thing that makes me happy to be old!
Indeed!! I wish I was born earlier lol. At least a decade or two prior to the 90s. Life is more complex and chaotic now.
Thanks for stopping by :)
Life is more fun too with the right tools too
Yes, that's a good point. The olden ages seem to lack the fun we readily have with the tools at our disposal.
but they’ll claim they had more fun at the time
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Don’t worry, anti ageing technology will come at you soon, where it’ll be against the law to grow old 😂
That’s the issue we technologist are used to comparing the human body with computers, if one part is not working well, the other parts won’t work well, no, humans are very malleable, or better put, adaptable, this is why a blind man can master other parts of his senses and be better than the man who has his sight in combat, humans have always evolved, this seeming problem will probably take its toll but you’ll see people adjust and just generally evolve into it? The body will handle it just fine.
This is why like AI and other technological advances, you resist it at your own detriment. It will be made readily available for anyone, open source protocol, just as we see with ChatGPT, these guys have envisioned these things, ChatGPT is a baby compared to where we are going and what the tools of the future will be.
Interesting thoughts here
Yes, I'm emphasising its toll on that part. No doubt the body is resilient and will adapt over time but before that, things could look pretty ugly in a sense that the body will not be able to cope and the human will have a hard time living in the body.
I think it's a bit subjective. It would not be entirely a detriment if one refuses to used them. Sometimes, the price to pay or what needs to be given up to benefit from these technologies is not worth it in my view. This brain chip will be like ChatGPT on steroids.
Thank you! And thanks for the insightful comment :)
This toll we are talking about, we don’t know the extent yet, it might just be 4 minutes headache, everybody has headache from day to day, nothing new. I think the body will do just fine.
Okay fine it won’t be detriment but it’ll be like traveling on a horse when you can be in a Self driving Tesla that has full air conditioning and quality sound system, or it’ll be like selling music tracks on Mp3 discs when everyone else is using YouTube.
True, we indeed do not know the extent of it yet. But I don't want to be hopeful that it could be a 4 minutes day to day headache. This thing is different.
Good analogies. Evolution happens and standards change. Trade-offs are evident with each one. Being superhuman is super cool and all but I want to stay being a human.
Lol interesting discourse bro
Yes bro. Good talk! I see your point. But I have to take an opposite stance and make my case with it. The technological tidal wave will sweep us all away whether we want to get wet or not. I think the goal is to die inside it and be reborn again.
See the direction in which technology is taking us. While I have a deep appreciation for technology, I believe that technologists are pushing boundaries excessively. It appears that the world is becoming increasingly overwhelmed by technology, and at times, we tend to overlook its potential negative consequences. As long as it serves a purpose, then it's ok, this seems to be widely accepted by most individuals.
Yes, it's excessively being pushed to unchartered areas. This in itself is good as far as it is guided by a clear vision and direction. But that is not always the case. Sometimes it is guided by other things that are not in the benefit of the consensus. Neuralink is a business, for profit organisation.