The moment when humans become cyborgs
Throughout history, humans have played with the idea of becoming super intelligent. Leveraging new technologies in ways that redefine our mental and physical capacities. In the modern world we live in, extending the human lifespan and living forever is becoming a possibility. We are also on our way to installing hardware chips on our brains that can create a seamless brain-computer interface. The possibilities are endless. Data and AI play a key role in developing these technologies. Data is the raw material that AI algorithms analyze and learn from to perform various tasks. AI are machines that can think and act intelligently in various domains. It’s not far-fetched anymore to visualize a future where AI technologies are literally integrated with our biological bodies. The moment when humans fully become cyborgs.
The beginning of Infinity and the AI revolution
In his book, ‘The Beginning of Infinity’, David Deutsch shares a thought-provoking exploration of the philosophy of science and its direct implications for human progress. Science, can be argued, is essentially the engine that powers humanity’s progress. Science is technology. Science is what allows us to test and create new things that further advance our understanding of the reality we live in. From the domestication of fire to the advent of agriculture, to the creation of languages. Human’s curiosity and resourcefulness have taken us to where are today. If we take a quick glance at our history, we can connect the dots and observe how we’ve progressed to this present moment.
Deutsch also points out on how knowledge and the scientific method are limitless, allowing us to make infinite progress in understanding and manipulating the world around us. We are entering an era where the potential for humans and machines is boundless.
As our cognitive capacities evolved, so did our technologies. In the agricultural revolution, we saw the shift from a nomadic, hunter-gatherer lifestyle to settled agricultural societies. The development of agriculture and the domestication of plants and animals allowed the growth of human populations across the globe. In the industrial revolution, we saw a shift from agrarian economies based on agriculture to industrial economies driven by manufacturing and mechanization. This transformation led to an increased production of goods and services, economic growth, and the rise of capitalism as the dominant economic system.
Today, we are seeing the modern world being shaped through the combination of data and AI. Never before in our history, had we seen such an exponential rate of improvement of our technologies. At this rate of progress, soon enough we won’t be able to distinguish a videogame from reality.
AI as a force of nature challenging our world order
Elon Musk. Love him or hate him, he’s a humanist at heart. Every chance he’s talked in public, his rhetoric has been consistent. In one of his most recent interviews, he shared his view on Open AI’s current trajectory and signaled some of the inherent threats that AI poses to humanity if we are not careful. The beginning of a robocalypse may very well be here.
The power and influence that AI has in today’s world are unprecedented. What’s scary is that its mechanisms of action can go unnoticed. For instance, AI can go as far as subtly infiltrating and redefining public opinion. AI can be righteous and politically correct. Machines like Chat GPT can be trained to avoid truths. If we lose our discernment and critical thinking capacities, we can be easily manipulated by the output of machines like Chat GPT.
Humanity is facing many uncertainties around AI. People are scared, and with reason. People want answers, and most importantly, truth. People are trying to find order in this new world that is emerging with AI. Forces like nuclear bombs and global warming have threatened the livelihood of our planet and species. AI can also be considered a force of nature, something that is beyond our control. We must tread carefully and not underestimate the threat that these machines can pose.
We believe that even though AI can be used as a force for good, it can also be used as a force for evil. One important question to ask ourselves is: How can we maximize all the benefits of this technology while minimizing the inherent threats that come with it?
Thanks to Eugenia Olavarria for suggestions and for reading drafts.