Implanting Elon Musk's chip in your brain could make you lose your mind

[crazytown]

The Next Web, August 16, 2019
https://thenextweb.com/tech/2019/08/16/implanting-ai-chips-in-your-mind-could-cause-you-to-lose-yourself-says-scientist/

Implanting AI chips in your mind could cause you to lose yourself, says scientist

Last month, Elon Musk’s Neuralink, a neurotechnology company, revealed its plans to develop brain-reading technology over the next few years. One of the goals for Musk’s firm is to eventually implant microchip-devices into the brains of paralyzed people, allowing them to control smartphones and computers.

Although this Black Mirror-esque technology could hold potentially life-changing powers for those living with disabilities, according to Cognitive Psychologist Susan Schneider, it’s not such a great idea, and I can’t help but feel relieved, I’m with Schneider on this.

Musk, who’s also the Chief Executive of both Tesla and SpaceX, aims to make implanting AI in the brain as safe and commonplace as laser eye surgery. But, how would this work? In a video presented unveiled at the California Academy of Science, Musk said the implant would record information emitted by neurons in the brain.

The tiny processors will connect to your brain via tiny threads significantly thinner than a human hair (about 4 to 6 μm in width). These sensors will fit on the surface of your skull and then relay information to a wearable computer that sits behind your ear, called The Link. With this all in place, your brain can then connect to your iPhone via an app — we are truly living in the future and it’s terrifying.

In an op-ed for the Financial Times, Schneider argues that the project could amount to “suicide for the human mind.” Although Schneider says brain intelligence could be augmented with chips, “there will be a point at which you end your life. I call this horrific ‘brain drain.’”

[abqtommy]

1. I've thought for a long time that some technology

is undesirable since it lacks common sense and practical applications for the improvement of
society and individuals. My judgment is that this proposal falls under the undesirable label.

[Oneironaut]

6. I agree. Just bc we can do something doesn't mean we should.

Examples include needless microchips or rfid chips in human bodies, human cloning, super-virus engineering, “growing” designer babies, or creating super soldiers through genetic modification.

I’m worried that these things will soon leave the realm of Sci-Fi, and will be misused. I’m worried about mindless Capitalism enabling corporations to, as Ian Malcolm put it, act like a kid who just found a loaded gun.

[blugbox]

2. This is a stupid scare piece

The technology isn't anywhere close to people just putting a chip in their brain. Absolute fear mongering tactics, lacking any scientific depth. Horrific brain drain...

Augmenting our bodies and minds WILL be the future of humanity. I'm sure it will not be done in a manner where we end up with mindless zombies walking around.

Sorry, the technology is really cool and this is click-bait fear tactics

[crazytown]

3. Why so serious?

[BannonsLiver]

11. How can the technology be nonexistent and "really cool" at the same time?

[ismnotwasm]

4. This is the future

As is virtual reality. I’m sure this is cutting edge now, in a hundred years I imagine implanted chips will be commonplace

[rownesheck]

5. I want a chip implant!

I would hope it could store my info on it so I could just look at a credit card reader and it would charge my card. Or maybe it could add strength to my body so I could lift cars! Endless possibilities!

[eppur_se_muova]

7. Any such hardware should be as simple and robust as possible.

NO re-programming ability. Strictly signal processing. Nothing more is needed.

The idea that *EVERYTHING* should be solved by microprocessors -- even when reprogrammable processing ability isn't essential -- is just a form of laziness, using the tools you know to solve every problem, rather than developing a specific, but unhackable, tool for a particular problem. Yes, it's cheaper and faster to prototype, but once the problem can be handled, strip out every single non-essential component and reduce the solution to its essential minimum.

[not_the_one]

8. Every advance ever invented has been misused by someone

I would let the people affected, or who may benefit, have the final say as to whether they want to volunteer or not. I imagine the wait list will be really long.

I got my interest in reading by way of science fiction, starting with the original deans of science fiction, Heinlein, Asimov and Clark. I branched out.

But I have always been fascinated by the universe, and what's out there. I have tried to wrap my brain around the two literal definitions of infinity, time and space. (OK, three, if you include trying to count to the highest number...)

That is also why I am an atheist.

Anyway, I recently watched an incredible series through Amazon Prime. The Expanse. Watch it if you can.

It is in the future, and we are already out there, and spreading. It does have some use of brain implants.

But it also made me wonder... I wanted to live long enough to experience some of it. But the plot lines of The Expanse really made me realize that no matter what we can imagine, what we actually encounter will, quite literally, blow our minds. And not necessarily in a good way.

The future is coming, and there is not a damn thing we can do about it. We can try to guide it, but we will never be in control. If it is possible, it will be done.

As Bette says "Buckle up. We are in for a bumpy ride." Bette actually said "bumpy night", but it still works.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

9. Selling the movie rights should bring in enough to cover the research.

Or have they made this movie already?

[crazytown]

10. Stumbling out of a Tesla,

crawling towards the SpaceX launch pad, yelling "Elon! Elon!" Sounds good to me