Elon Musk says the microchip implant is the human race's best chance against emerging artificial intelligence. The SpaceX CEO foresees a future when AI becomes so advanced it will start to treat humans as house cats.
Musk muses on the fear that has been bugging humans, ever since AI was created. Can robots take over the world? Also, how can humans prevent real-word scenarios similar to "Terminator" and "I, Robot"? Musk says the best way is to implant humans with neural interface, or in crude terms, turn them into cyborgs.
A report by the Collective Evolution weighs in on Musk's proposal, which he elaborated on in a Code Conference panel interview. With the exponential progress of artificial intelligence, there's concern that computers and robots will eventually render humans obsolete and expendable.
Cyborgs Keep Robots Docile?
Musk says the best way to prevent AI from overtaking the human race is by implanting 'neural lace,' microchip upgrades that update, patch, or boost human intelligence. It's also likely the neural lace will function as a tether to emerging and future technology.
Microchip implants are existing technologies, and in many regions these are implemented for identification or security. A US company called Applied Digital Solutions also have an implant the size of a grain of rice approved by the FDA, ready for distribution and deployment.
The Dark Side Of Human Implants
The idea of human implants is fodder for conspiracy theories, but existing technology justifies these concerns. If implants are eventually required in purchasing goods and verifying identity, people would be forced to choose technology or live without it. Musk's comments mused on the potential of implants, but failed to discuss the flip side.
The SpaceX CEO is also heavily investing in research to ensure AI remains safe and complementary to humanity, sinking in $10 million in research to develop more capable and more beneficial AI. "You can construct [AI] scenarios where recovery of human civilization does not occur. When the risk is that severe, it seems like you should be proactive and not reactive," Musk said in a Verge report.
