'This is the beginning of the hive mind, where everyone is interconnected to one another.' A pair of wealthy Americans are looking for brain implants on the black market that will allow them to communicate with each other using the power of thought. That's according to presidential candidate Zoltan Istvan who believes that in a few decades, we could all be plugged into an AI 'matrix'

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Edited by| Hugh Gey

  Research  section -  CJ journalist

World – March,26,2023

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The technology works by using the basics of electroencephalogram (EEG), which can read electrical signals produced by the brain.

'But it will also have technology that can stimulate your brain back, likely through tiny electrical signals it can administer, that allows one to "feel" what the device's input is,' said Istvan.

'If a machine creates this input, then true communication with a machine - or AI -in this case, has been created.'

And despite the risks, such procedures on the black market may become more popular.

'This practice is very new, but nearly all biohackers have shown interest in brain implants and neuroprosthetics,' Istvan said. The ability to commune with AI is almost like the Holy Grail for the community.'

Istvan says he's volunteered to be put on a list to have this type of surgery done. He already has an implant in his hand.

'The more connectivity we have, the more peaceful and prosperous our world will become,' said Istvan.

 Officials from the US Navy met with US presidential candidate and 'transhumanist' Zoltan Istvan to discuss the 'merger of humans and machines'. Mr Zoltan  said they were keen to draw up policies about microchip implants that can be used to track and carry information inside the human body

The technology works by using the basics of electroencephalogram (EEG), which can read electrical signals produced by the brain.

'But it will also have technology that can stimulate your brain back, likely through tiny electrical signals it can administer, that allows one to "feel" what the device's input is,' said Istvan.

'If a machine creates this input, then true communication with a machine - or AI -in this case, has been created.'

'It's rudimentary right now, but in 5 or 10 years, this type of technology could become widespread.'

Transhumanists believe we can do this through technologies such as mind uploading, cyborg body augmentation, and genetic manipulation.

 Artificial intelligence is progressing at a frightening pace leading humanity toward its ultimate destruction.

This is according to British theoretical astrophysicist, Sir Martin Rees, who believes we are facing an 'inorganic post-human era'.

By some estimates, he says, the process will begin in the next 25 years as robots begin to achieve intelligence rivaling that of humans.

Sir Martin, who is one of the world's most eminent astronomers, says that while Earth has existed for 45 million centuries, this century is special.

Over nearly all of Earth's history, threats have come from nature, but from now on, the worst dangers come from us – and specifically artificial intelligence.

He says that by any definition of 'thinking', the amount and intensity that's done by organic human-type brains will, in the far future, be swamped by the intelligence of AI.

'There are chemical and metabolic limits to the size and processing power of organic brains,' wrote Sir Rees, in an opinion piece for the Telegraph.

'Maybe humans are close to these limits already. But there are no such constraints on silicon-based computers.'

While these technologies might sound far-fetched, various companies are already making huge strides in achieving transhumanist goals.

Istvan says another Transhumanist vision is to upload parts of his personality to a machine so that future generations can reconstruct a realistic avatar that recreates his being.

‘What happens is you take a complete scan of the brain with incredible detail using technology that is already available to some extent,’ he said.

‘Then in 20 or 30 years when the technology arrives, we upload these detailed scans to a machine, which reconfigures the brain circuitry using sophisticated algorithms.’

If all goes well, it may be possible to have an uploaded consciousness that exactly resembles someone’s personality.

From this point, he says, people could transform themselves into an avatar and live in virtual reality.

By then, robotics would be so advanced that you wouldn’t necessarily be able to tell the difference between who is a real human and who is a machine.

The technology allows humans to plug into a real-life Matrix. 'It's rudimentary right now, but in 5 or 10 years, this type of technology could become widespread,' said Istvan.

In a more far-fetched application, it could even give humans new features such as tails.

That may not be needed, however, if cyborg body augmentation delivers on its promises.

‘I believe within 10 years, a quadriplegic is going to be able to put on an exoskeleton suit, tie it to his skeleton, and run faster than the fastest sprinter on planet Earth,’ he says.

‘In the 20-year window, I'm almost positive that artificial intelligence will be here, that will be such a crisis and potential benefit of humankind.

‘People will electively start taking out one eyeball and putting in a robotic eye. It will allow us to see germs on each other and poisonous gases.’

Istvan admits he doesn’t think he’ll win the presidency on his own, but he is hoping to get a significant presidential candidate's attention, like Libertarian Gary Johnson, and run as vice president – and perhaps raise the profile of transhumanism along the way.

‘When you think about yourself just bear in mind that we’re dealing with a universe that is almost 14 billion years old.

‘We’re also dealing with the fact that there are probably 20 billion habitable planets out there. We’ve got to see ourselves in a very long form of evolution happening.

‘Just remember, we’re only now getting started as a species.’

 

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