Brain-Computer Interfaces: Enhancing Human Capabilities or Redundant Technology?

[Posty McPostface]

Technology will render having a high IQ redundant. Elon Musk is working on a implantable brain–computer interface that would mesh or link one's self to such things as computers, Google, the internet and such. Apart from the notion of treating some serious impediments the goal is to enhance the bandwidth of the brain, which I'm not entirely sure how this would happen.

I would like to ask other members if they would want to ever consider meshing with computers in some manner or form? The most prominent candidate is a company with this goal in mind called Neuralink, which I believe will actually be able to deliver on their promise. I don't have any idea what the costs might be; but, am seriously interested in becoming a more intelligent and productive human being.

What would your motivation be for ever undergoing such a transition or any arguments against such an idea?

Moral dilemma's aside, my personal motivation would be to enhance myself and become more rational and possibly return to college with super-human capabilities, like doing an instant search for information via my phone.

 

[berkeman]

Elon Musk is working on a implantable brain–computer interface

Your links are too generic Wikipedia articles. Do you have a link to journal articles about Musk's work? Or any other journal articles about this work? That would help your thread start, IMO...

 

[Posty McPostface]

Your links are too generic Wikipedia articles. Do you have a link to journal articles about Musk's work? Or any other journal articles about this work? That would help your thread start, IMO...

Sorry berkeman, I'm afraid I don't have any studied to share. It's all pretty much in its infancy as far as I'm aware. Was hoping any other members could share any information or thoughts on the matter.

Here's Neuralink's website.

https://www.neuralink.com/

 

[Rive]

Here's Neuralink's website.

The only thing that site tells me is that they are looking for people who can make miracles happen. (Almost with the exact words.) If they themselves think that it would be a miracle, then I think there is not much can be expected from them...
Unless, of course, if some miracle happens.

like doing an instant search for information via my phone.

Well, something like that were on my phone already: the first thing I did when I got my phone was to switch it off.
The human 'mind' is quite fuzzy. Who would need a search on everything you carelessly think in a way across the city? Any average fellow would make all the fuses of any net-watching intelligence agency machines blow in minutes

 

[anorlunda]

https://spectrum.ieee.org/biomedical/bionics/how-to-control-a-prosthesis-with-your-mind

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain_implant

 

[jim mcnamara]

Please stick to what is known or reported by reputable resources. We are an educational forum. Speculation is not helpful and encourages people with unusual and very uninformed opinions to step and and pretend to an answer. Thanks. @anorlunda got us off to a reasonable start.

 

[jim mcnamara]

Sorry berkeman, I'm afraid I don't have any studied to share. It's all pretty much in its infancy as far as I'm aware. Was hoping any other members could share any information or thoughts on the matter

So what you are asking for, in part, is speculation - "thoughts" in your words. Please do not do this.

 

[StoneTemplePython]

Technology will render having a high IQ redundant.

It's worth pointing out that this opening statement is quite speculative and not necessarily true. (Ignoring usual nits about IQ vs other ways to measure human intellect...) People have a habit of viewing things as being mutually exclusive (e.g. vast majority of simplistic discussion on AI vs workers) when in fact they are quite often complementary in some dimension.

A very simple example comes from chess playing 'AI's. Currently they demolish the best humans in 1 on 1 competitions and have for a while. However if you pair a grandmaster up with a chess 'AI' the pair consistently beats the pure 'AI'. Such a pairing also beats an amateur plus 'AI'. The idea is the grandmaster gets an awful lot out of pairing up with the chess 'AI'. The approaches and paths taken to solving problems /making inferences, is rather different by (skilled) humans vs computers in this case and in most cases that I'm familiar with.

It is certainly conceivable that a very smart person will be able to do a lot more with a brain implant than a not so smart person + brain implant. The effects could very well be complementary. They may not be though. Point is: it's premature to assume 'natural' smarts will be made redundant by tech (even if such technology arrives and is eventually available to the general public).

 

[Posty McPostface]

So what you are asking for, in part, is speculation - "thoughts" in your words. Please do not do this.

Hello, jim. I apologize for the ambiguity. It's just that the concept is new and I have no information to contribute to the discussion. If you feel it is pertinent to close the thread due to this, please do. I hate spouting nonsense or promoting it in any manner or form.

Thanks for your understanding.

 

[berkeman]

It's just that the concept is new and I have no information to contribute to the discussion. If you feel it is pertinent to close the thread due to this, please do.

Given the early state of the research, it probably is too speculative to discuss right now. Maybe in a couple of years...

Thanks to all who contributed. Thread is closed.