Science fiction films often exploit a scenario where people are improved by technology. Often this is done either by evil corporations for the purpose of total control and profit, or only the protagonist gets the upgrade to fight evil. In any case, for a real future where augmented people exist, there are already prerequisites, technologies, and developments. And of course, many business representatives dream with pleasure about a multibillion-dollar industry to improve the human body and brain with the help of high-tech.
By 2100, artificial intelligence and biological technology will become the basis for a new type of human, says Israeli historian Yuval Noah Harari, author of the bestselling book Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow.
Having made numerous achievements and discoveries in the field of science, art, economics, mankind finally began to think about the fact that the body and brain have been working on the same old "software" and "hardware complex" for 200 thousand years and it is time to think about upgrading, says Harari.
Google has been looking for a cure that can defeat death for years. Ray Kurzweil, head of engineering at Google, said that by 2045, humanity will be able to achieve immortality. At first, eternal life will be available only to wealthy people who can pay for the development of nanobots that will be contained in the human body and promptly rid the body of diseases. These tiny machines will support the immune system and get rid of old age diseases forever.
Harari argues that after a century, the species of Homo sapiens will disappear from the face of the Earth, and people, improved by biotechnology, almost to the level of the gods, will come to replace them. The writer warns that humanity may face even greater divisions. In this case - according to the level of "complete set", since not every person can afford a full expensive upgrade. For the first time in human history, economic inequality will be closely linked to biological inequality. Such a gap could lead to a new version of "old racist ideologies where some races are superior to others." “Only this time, the biological differences will be real, designed and manufactured,” says Harari.
According to the scientist, rich people will be able to turn themselves into god-like cyborgs. With the use of biotechnology and genetic engineering, people with large capital will become immortal. Already today there is a theoretical possibility to prolong the process of cell division for an unlimited period. Various kinds of implantations, rejuvenating procedures, transplants of various parts of the body will make certain people able to live for an almost unlimited period of time.
“The revolutionary potential of future technologies is to change Homo sapiens, including our bodies and brains, not just vehicles and weapons. The most amazing things in the future will not be spaceships, but the beings that control them,”said the professor.
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Harari argues that you need not to deny the possibility of war with robots, but to learn how to lead them. The position of the Israeli scientist is supported by many colleagues, as well as business representatives. For example, Elon Musk, the head of Tesla and Space X. Recently it became known that the billionaire has created a new company called Neuralink Corp, which will deal with the implantation of tiny electrodes in the brain. This is how the brain-computer interface is planned to be implemented.
According to The Wall Street Journal, a new company, Neuralink Corp, will develop neural lace technology that will allow people to send messages directly to a computer without requiring a physical interface. For this, electrodes must be implanted into the brain. This way, people will be able to upload and download their thoughts from the computer.
However, by all appearances, such a futuristic scenario is still far away. According to the publication, a new project by Elon Musk at the initial stage of its activity will be engaged in the development of neuroimplants to fight diseases such as epilepsy or depression.
Musk has previously spoken out about the prospects for "neural lace". Speaking at the World Government Summit in Dubai, the executive director of Tesla Motors and SpaceX said that people should merge with machines, become cyborgs of sorts. Musk explained that computers can communicate at "trillion bits per second," while people whose primary method of communication is to type text on a mobile device can transmit about 10 bits per second. In an era when artificial intelligence threatens to occupy all areas of human life, making the person himself useless, people understand that it is necessary to unite with machines, according to Musk. Technologists propose to introduce a new layer of the brain that can quickly access information and connect to the field of artificial intelligence.
By the way, the topic of implantation of electronics into the body was touched upon at the recent Vestifinance forum. Evgeny Chereshnev, founder and CEO of Biolink Technologies, has been walking with a tiny biochip implanted in his left hand for just over two years. Eugene says that formally he can no longer be called a man, he is a cyborg. However, the scientific interest in the Internet of Things is quite human: to experience all the advantages and identify possible disadvantages of such augmentation.
According to the expert, the reprogrammable chip is absolutely safe for human health, since the electronics are hidden inside a hypoallergenic shell; after a short period of habituation, the chip does not cause discomfort, is not felt and does not restrict movement. As for the functionality, it is the most extensive. In the course of the experiments, Eugene experienced on his own skin, or rather the chip, the ability to open / close locks in the garage and the house by touching, block and unlock mobile gadgets, log in to almost any site without having to remember the password, etc. The experiment began while working Evgenia Chereshneva at Kaspersky Lab. “The turnstiles have already been replaced in the office, and I enter the building, fitness, dining room and garage without any keys,” said the cyborg man.
Evgeny says that in addition to a convenient alternative to all types of keys and passes, the biochip can successfully replace a driver's license, passport, medical insurance, as well as a wallet. So far, the infrastructure of cities is not designed for augmented people, so some of the possibilities are technologically available, but not implemented in practice. Well, besides, both in the world and in Russia, there are still quite a few people with "smart" electronics inside their bodies. Among other things, chipping will make it possible to more effectively search and rescue people, including missing children, it is permissible to use chips in the fight against terrorism, and much, much more.
Despite the increasing penetration of technologies into our lives, and according to forecasts by 2020, the number of various devices will exceed 50 billion worldwide, humanity is not yet ready to implant biochips, the expert concludes. Evgeny says that, despite the fact that he voluntarily agreed to the experiment and did not regret it, he would not offer the biochip to any of his relatives yet. And the point is not at all in the development of hardware, a hardware platform. “Chips can be deployed when the data generated by them begins to belong to a person, and not to companies. Now there is no sufficient encryption, and therefore, the data is vulnerable, the infrastructure in the state has not been created,”concludes Evgeny Chereshnev.