Some of science fiction's most outlandish visions might be within an arm's reach. From the ability to fly to reading minds, time travel, or mind control, some of these supernatural abilities may become a reality soon.
Big tech promotes a future in which anyone can acquire superhuman abilities. Some have gone as far as claiming that a mother somewhere has already given birth to a superhuman. We will because we can, the narrative goes. But how would it be possible, and what impact would such abilities have on humanity as a whole?
Having become a reality, humanity must look at their evolution, what, if any, entails superhuman powers, and whether such powers would produce new 'masters' and 'slaves'.
Evolution Obsession
The human desire for supernatural powers goes back to ancient times. Ancient Greek Mythology is filled with gods possessing supernatural abilities that let them control all sorts of natural phenomena. From Pandora to Talos, Prometheus, and Zeus, these mythical deities had the ability to shape the human and animal kingdoms. According to Greek mythology, Zeus, the chief god, delegated the creation of man to Prometheus and animals to Epimetheus. While the former sought beauty in the human body, the latter granted animals many of Zeus' super abilities: speed, night vision, sharp horns and tusks, and furr that protects from the harshest weather conditions. Humans, by comparison, were created weak. Thus the tendency to create mythical beings with supernatural abilities.
With the fourth industrial revolution and unprecedented technological advances, more questions about the purpose of human evolution have become more relevant. Driven by self-preservation, most of these technologies were purposed to address physical disabilities or problems. But profit remains at the heart of these technologies, regardless of their ethical utility. A case in point is the rapid development of plastic surgery post WWII to recover soldiers who experienced disfiguration in combat. Today, plastic surgery has become one of the biggest and most profitable industries in the world.
Technology has permeated every aspect of daily life. Microchip brain implants and other technologies that improve cognitive abilities are well-developed and ready to be commercialised soon. The first body implant was invented in 1998 by Kevin Warwick, an English engineer and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) at Coventry University, who's most famous for a first-of-its-kind implant in his hand. Back then, the chip simply had a contactless feature and cost a few dollars, but the potential of these chips for the next generation is anyone's guess.
Since the success of Warwick's first experiment, many corporations have experimented with chip implants in their employees. In 2006, City Watcher, Ohio-based surveillance and CCTV company, implanted chips in two volunteer employees. Another Swedish company, Epicenter, offered its employees in 2015 the option to implant chips the size of a stamp. A year later, Dangerous Things, a tech company specialised in manufacturing chip implants, told CNBC that it had sold more than 10 thousand chips and accessories.
During the peak of Covid-19, a Swedish company named Disruptive Subderma invented a chip implant that can carry vaccine information that replaced papers. The chip-enabled users to easy access to areas where vaccination is required. The chip cost less than 100 Euros and offered access to updates and other features that could be added in the future. The chip can last up to 40 years.
Yet these chips remain simple in their functionalities compared to smartphones. Smartwatches, too, can offer far more advanced functionalities than implant chips. However, the rate of technological advancement in the field remains very promising.
'Upgrading' the Brain
Elon Musk may be compared to 'Iron Man', though he's not the only one. Indeed, his company, Neuralink, is among many other tech companies developing implantable brain-computer interfaces. But Neuralink, which plans to release its first trial chip this year, has been outrun by Australian competition, Synchron, having managed to secure FDA approval.
Synchron successfully performed its first implant on an American patient and four other Australian patients. The implants enabled the patients to send WhatsApp messages and do online shopping, an impressive feature for a microchip that is just 1.5 inches. More coming features would allow users to transform thoughts into emails or text messages.
Thus, Elon Musk's pessimistic view that artificial intelligence could lead to the destruction of human civilisation may be understandable. The learning capability of some AI applications has become incredibly high, and access to vast information in all fields is virtually limitless to these machines, outperforming collective human ability, as these AI applications are capable of sharing their learning. In a sense, these machines could act like one.
The AI brain would be more intelligent and faster than a human brain. And if it acquires cognitive ability which allows it to recognise its superiority, even in theory, these artificial thinking machines would consider humans inferior, for its error margin is very small, and its access to human history, literature, and knowledge is incredibly vast. The concept of superhuman cognition would become a thing of the imagination unless tech aid and accessories technology improve the cognitive ability of humans in future. That way, the human race might be able to keep up with artificial intelligence.
The moral dilemma underpinning the application of chip implants is equally challenging. In future, chip technology could help identify and cure brain-related conditions, such as Alzheimer, dementia, motor nervous system disorders, spinal cord injuries, paralysis, anxiety, and more. It could improve pain management or aid in treating sight and hearing impairment.
Additionally, Musk has speculated future armies could use chip technology to control their troops. Governments might use it to control their citizens, prevent crime, instil loyalty, or categorise them based on various classifications. Musk has gone as far as speculating that authoritarian governments would mandate these chips under claims of medical and security use. But the true aim would be to control the minds of society, deprived of free will, dutiful, easily programmable, and submissive. And those who dare to rebel against the new order would face expulsion.
The Cyborg
Experimenting with chemical and biological technology may produce humans that are pretty different to the present. Artificial intelligence, combined with biochemical experimentation, could improve human ability quite rapidly. A new "superhuman" could emerge, with 3-d printed body extensions and organs like the heart. Physical performance and cognitive abilities would grow to unprecedented levels. Humans would remain, after all, humans, regardless of how long they live or how much they procreate.
Granted, human ability could improve in more than one way: to carry heavy weights, survive extreme environments, solve highly complex problems, and improved memory. But do we really need such super abilities? Would any of us want to remember the loss of a loved one for the rest of our lives? Or, perhaps, erase the memory of someone one knew forever? And even if a solution was to be found, how comfortable would one be with the risk of one's most private memories being hacked or leaked on the internet? Would one want to risk their past mistakes being published online? Or one's dreams and wants to become a commodity monetised by big corporations?
Would we then really enjoy these super abilities? Or would the basic fabrics of society crumble? Who would control and police individuals' privacy? Or would one rather have a 'reset' button, losing all memory and becoming someone entirely different to who one had been?
Another set of questions concerning justice and fairness. Would everyone have access to such technology or just a lucky few? One could only imagine that in a scenario in which everyone had access to super abilities, society would plunge into carnage. And, then, the only way out is through another sort of technology that would create balance. But, again, who would have the 'control switch'? And would one stop a few from extorting the wider society?
Some could argue that these super abilities may be more suitable for certain professions, such as first aid workers, firefighters, or law enforcement, who carry high-risk work. But a risk of infiltration remains, and whoever could access the chip would have the ability to control them.
Finally, the man who built grand civilisations of history has indeed possessed incredible abilities without the need for such technology. The ever-growing human civilisation and its advancement are the most significant proof. From space to deep sea exploration, man has acquired magnificent knowledge and extraordinary abilities. Paradoxically, the microchip might impede humanity's progress.
