The study of technologies that can be used to enhance directly humans’ intellectual and physical capabilities. A Whole New You.
Physicist Dick Bruere posted an article earlier this year on the Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies Web site pondering a truly compelling question: Is believing that it’s a moral imperative for humans augment our own intellect synthetically via any given technology the final religion?
Read the article: IEET.org
It’s become a trope in science fiction that humans will be left behind by strong AI, that we will be too slow and clumsy, in every way, to serve the new AI overlords in any way other than becoming AA batteries for their mobile shells. Brian Hanley, though, thinks otherwise. He believes humans will be at the center of a Web of augmented thought, and that’s the real singularity.
Hanley is a PhD microbiologist with another degree in computer science, and he writes for the Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies. Plainly, we are currently developing ways to help people with cognitive issues, such as Parkinson’s Disease, to use implanted prostheses to regain functionality, and this type of augmentation is the path towards a this human-centric singularity.
At some point there will be people without any disability who want to be augmented. Mark Zuckerberg has talked about something on the order of telepathy, but I think that we will go beyond that. Just as our cell phones evolved from simple voice devices to text, apps, and vide, with videophone arriving as an almost unnoticed afterthought, what is possible with direct brain interfaces has yet to be known.
It’s a fascinating read, and it’s one that posits a question we’ve yet to ponder with any depth: Would such technology be equitable? How will we ensure some people, the unaugmented, won’t be left behind?
Read the article: IEET.org
You may remember this idea as the basis of Domhnall Gleeson’s excellent 2013 episode of “Black Mirror,” the Channel 4 series. If you haven’t seen the series, now’s the time to do so. Here’s the pertinent trailer:
Spoiler alert. Spoilers start… here!
In the episode, a woman mourning the abrupt death of her husband turns to a company that analyzes his social media posts, all the pics and video and text he posted, to create a virtual version of him. His personality formed the basis of a new AI that, for all intents and purposes, is him.
It’s such a good idea, a new startup, Eter9, aims to bring virtual versions of you to digital life. As in “Black Mirror,” the company will analyze your posts to create your digital replica, which it calls your Counterpart.
“The Counterpart is your Virtual Self that will stay in the system and interact with the world just like you would if you were present.”
As in, even if you, say, perish abruptly in an automobile accident, you’ll still be able to have furious arguments about politics with your distant relatives on Facebook. Which may be a huge positive. If you like the idea of trolling your distant relatives for the rest of digital eternity. Or at least until Eter9’s budget runs out.