Elon Musk to Show Working Neuralink Device This Friday

[PowerPC]

This is just the logical outcome of a long process that began when the first seed was sown 10,000 years ago... This (including AI) is the inevitable outcome of that first step and all motivated by the same desire, namely the obsession to dominate nature.

The implications of this are much more profound and deeper than most people understand. For example, this is headed toward nanotechnology in the biomechanical medical field and let's just imagine when it's possible to repair the brain with nanotechnology and actually replace damaged parts of it with that same technology.... Now let's say you are involved in a car accident with severe head trauma and the result is that 51%, or more of your brain is repaired with that nanotechnology... If more than half of your brain is synthetic, are you still thr same person? Can you still even be considered a person? When you dream, would it be you or the nanotechnology powered by general AI dreaming?

This may sound crazy, but I'm 36 and I strongly believe that in my lifetime, we will witness such things as the first Supreme Court case deciding what it actually means to be human and what can still be considered human (predicated upon examples like I offered above). While some enthusiastically welcome the advent of "transhumanism", I prefer to understand it as the death of our humanity... The death of nature, and on levels deeper than physical reality.

Technology isn't "neutral", as some would contend, with the only determining factor being how it is used, rather every piece of technology has an inherent and embedded set of values that fundamentally alter not only the individuals relationship to that technology, but to the greater reality they exist in as well. Our existence is already inundated with vast and very real dependencies on technology which has also sacrificed our own personal autonomy to an almost priestly class of engineers and technicians we now utterly depend on to create and maintain that technology as our daily existence now relies on both. Because the vast majority of individual's skill sets are so specialized to a singular purpose, almost entirely dictated by their line of work or profession, they cannot learn and implement the many differing skills required just to exist in our technological world without needing the additional skills of technicians. Most cannot fix their own cars, so they rely on mechanics, most cannot fix their own computer (maybe not here though) so they rely on a technician... So what happens when your own body becomes one of those technologies and then you depend on a technician for your own direct survival in the most literal sense? What happens when your brain functions are disturbed or attacked and under threat from the inevitable malware that will evolve to attack these nano sized biotechnologies and now your very existence isn't just dependent on Healthcare and doctors, but biotechnologies and technicians as well? What happens when an authoritarian government (and they're seemingly all moving in such a direction) decides to more or less hold people hostage for their "good behavior" under threat of withholding access to those technicians or new firmware for that biotechnology to mitigate the ever increasing threats of malware? What happens when the state or even your employer demands and requires full access to your biotechnologies for "security purposes" and can basically access your thoughts or memories? How would the ability of law enforcement to remotely scan the biotechnology in your brain effect such things as the fourth amendment (search and seizure) and the fifth amendment (right to not self incriminate/remain silent)?

I realize it may seem like I'm getting ahead of myself, but wouldn't it be infinitely wiser to confront these issues now rather than when they're already manifested? The whole concept of AI/Skynet is the largest and most obvious threat from advancing technological progress, but even if we can guarantee that we avert or neutralize such a threat, there still exists an infinite plethora of individual issues created that when taken as a whole, have the same ability to challenge and threaten the very understanding of the foundations of our existence and our relationship to that existence.

"... somehow the project of a humanized technology has proven groundless and result-free; only technified humanity has come to pass. Technology is the embodiment of the social order it accompanies, and in its planetary advance transfers the fundamental ethos and values behind that technology. It never exists in a vacuum and is never value-neutral." - from "Twilight of the Machines" by John Zerzan

That's a really negative view and the first part makes almost no sense.

"Now let's say you are involved in a car accident with severe head trauma and the result is that 51%, or more of your brain is repaired with that nanotechnology... If more than half of your brain is synthetic, are you still thr same person? Can you still even be considered a person? When you dream, would it be you or the nanotechnology powered by general AI dreaming?

This may sound crazy, but I'm 36 and I strongly believe that in my lifetime, we will witness such things as the first Supreme Court case deciding what it actually means to be human and what can still be considered human (predicated upon examples like I offered above). While some enthusiastically welcome the advent of "transhumanism", I prefer to understand it as the death of our humanity... The death of nature, and on levels deeper than physical reality."

Ok, so if you're in a car accident and lose half of your brain, wouldn't you be faced with the decision to either die on the spot or become a cyborg? In that case, your survival instinct wants you to stay alive, even if it means carrying a "prosthetic brain". Isn't much different than what we do today with robotic prosthetic limbs, just a couple of levels more complex.

And the part about not being human, we already know how these things go. Same as with gays and transsexuals, anything "different" will be considered bad at first but then be accepted and humanity will be better for it. The only problem can arise when people with this kind of "prosthesis" start becoming more able than 100% healthy people. It could become a huge advantage to have one of these cyborg brains. I think this is kind of where Neuralink is going. Musk doesn't want to just heal people with brain disabilities and traumas, he wants to give everybody the same advantage who would want it. Either way, it's clear that many people will start wanting one when more and more people start using it because of certain benefits.

Will probably happen similar to when people started switching to smart phones, I remember people (me included) were very skeptical at first and hung on to their old phones way too long but at some point you look around and see everybody is using this new technology and enjoying it, so you go out and buy one for yourself. Now 99,9% of people have smart phone, even the skeptical people from before (again, like myself).

So it's not going to be a sudden thing where everybody suddenly has one. Gradually, people will start evaluating pros and cons and testing it out. I think only if the pros actually overweigh the cons will this be something you are accepted to have. Only if this brings us further in humanity, will society get behind this technology. Because we're still human and we still decide by human standards usually. Maybe we even have to actually become more like machines to be more human, or more like the ideal we hold in our minds of being human. Because let me tell you, right now, it's not really working. Maybe we need to leave the "human condition" behind at some point to be more like what we actually see ourselves as.

 

[droopyRO]

No, thanks. As much as i like technology, i like it separated from human beings. As the great Bill Burr said it, technology should have stopped at around 2010 level

 

[bug]

Crying all day about how dangerous are all the AI projects from other companies and then wants to shows us that... hmmm gg Elon.

The real kicker is most AI branded things have little to nothing to do with AI. Best case scenario, the product is using a neural network that was trained using AI, but having no on-board AI whatsoever. Worst case scenario, the code uses if...then...else to make decisions. I have yet to see an AI-branded product actually learn anything.

 

[jayseearr]

So uhhhh, the potential to fix blindless and paralysis amongst thousands of other things within the brain is what elon was claiming not too long ago...I am skeptical but it is a very exciting thought to entertain

 

[Chomiq]

I'm all in if this can be used for treatment of Alzheimer of Parkinson and not to feed you ads.

 

[windwhirl]

and not to feed you ads.

Though I definitely want three things running on this: Anti-malware software, firewall and ad-blockers

 

[jayseearr]

^agreed I'm sure this will be something only the richest could afford to even think about, but even if it somehow only helps a select small amount of people with brain injuries or disabilities who would have otherwise had 0 options...that really would be something incredible.

 

[Steevo]

People with perfect recall often have very troubled relationships due to their ability to remember exactly what happened without the ability to temper thoughts against their own immaturity at the time.

They will need more than perfect memory to make a better human, and I forsee a lot of failure while they try.

 

[jayseearr]

I don't even think making the "perfect human" is on anyone's agenda that is just fantasy sci fi stigma b.s that would naturally get attracted to things like this. In reality it's just a tool...no different than the tool a surgeon would use to cut you open...is there a chance for failure? Sure, one would assume so...but should fear of failure necessarily be a reason not to try and innovate? I know I wouldn't be the first one to put my name on the list but somewhere, somebody will inevitably find themself in a situation where maybe it's worth it

 

[Lucas_]

i m waiting when he is going to announce " I m Iron Man " and built the suit .

 

[PowerPC]

People with perfect recall often have very troubled relationships due to their ability to remember exactly what happened without the ability to temper thoughts against their own immaturity at the time.

They will need more than perfect memory to make a better human, and I forsee a lot of failure while they try.

How about an AI powered judgement assistant that runs on those memories and evaluates which ones you should reevaluate?

I don't believe all people with such naturally good memories have troubled relationships. I think people like that only have good memory for certain negative moments in their relationships, which this technology could actually help to balance out by also helping you to remember more of the good parts as well.

Actually, I admit I'm one of those people. I can remember every moment someone else f'd up in detail but I can barely remember the nice situations or words that have been exchanged. I could use that kind of reminder from time to time. As Musk says, you could even relive the best situations and memories in your life like you're really there again with this technology. That could actually be amazing for people just to not forget these things and be more grounded in reality. It's the things that we remember, voluntarily or not, that form our world view. Many times it's not what you choose to remember but what you are conditioned to remember, and that is often negative for multiple reasons (neglect and abuse as a child comes to mind that leads to only bad memories and focusing on the bad side of things). So having the choice to remember more good memories even thought you would forget them without help, sounds really cool to me.

 

[Caring1]

^agreed I'm sure this will be something only the richest could afford to even think about, but even if it somehow only helps a select small amount of people with brain injuries or disabilities who would have otherwise had 0 options...that really would be something incredible.

Who wants to volunteer to try the AliExpress version when they appear?

 

[MicroUnC]

Cyberpunk 2020

 

[chodaboy19]

As long as Musk doesn't use a steel ball to test it, it should all go smoothly...

 

[jayseearr]

sorry to post an external link but i stumbled across this video and i thought it was interesting and worth sharing as well as on-topic.

the joe rogan podcast was interesting but this guy did a much better job of asking pertinent questions and actually extracting some thought provoking information from elon rather than lighting up a joint and just joking around the whole time.

 

[Caring1]

Elon isn't the first to try this, DARPA has been on this too in conjunction with Melbourne University, it also reminds me of the movie Upgrade, which I found to be quite good.

 

[Space Lynx]

It's important to keep in mind Elon did state the first major goal of neuralink will be medical field related. There is massive money/investment in that kind of stuff, even if he can only help reduce symptoms of certain diseases this will probably be financially very successful. It's a smart move. and spacex will be supported financially from its subsidiary - Starlink internet subs.

Boring company supported by governments in need of fixing gridlock

Gigafactories getting massive funding from successful stunts like when Australia needed backup power fast and Elon delivered not only fast but with the highest quality in the world.

 

[Caring1]

Gigafactories getting massive funding from successful stunts like when Australia needed backup power fast and Elon delivered not only fast but with the highest quality in the world.

Hmm, I don't recall that happening, it's not like we don't have an abundance of power suppliers or sources already.

 

[Prima.Vera]

I want that device from "Horizon ZD" which gets powered by the human body only.

 

[Space Lynx]

Hmm, I don't recall that happening, it's not like we don't have an abundance of power suppliers or sources already.

No I meant, such acts generate trust in a organization, further increasing contracts/sales, etc

Two Years On, Elon Musk’s Big Battery Bet Is Paying Off in Australia

Two years after Tesla Inc. installed it, the world’s biggest lithium-ion battery is helping to avert blackouts and lower costs as Australian grids struggle to handle surging renewable power generation.

www.bloomberg.com

Batteries smooth out power flows which can threaten network stability when they become volatile. The Tesla battery can respond to these frequency events much more quickly than coal or gas-fired generators, which have traditionally performed the role in Australia, and at a much lower cost, said Garth Heron, Neoen’s head of development in Australia.

 

[Octopuss]

So is that Neura-link, or Neural-ink?
Musk needs to hire a new guy in charge of spelling.

Advancements in the tattooing technology? Where do I sign up?
Fuck wires in the brain.

 

[AusWolf]

Has anyone watched the film "Upgrade"? Sounds awfully similar.

 

[bug]

Has anyone watched the film "Upgrade"? Sounds awfully similar.

Have you seen Nebula? She turned out just fine in the end, so no worries

 

[R-T-B]

No, thanks. As much as i like technology, i like it separated from human beings. As the great Bill Burr said it, technology should have stopped at around 2010 level

I don't see any reason to stop it at 2010. I do generally draw the line at my brain as of now, though. It'd be a hard sell to convince me otherwise.

Has anyone watched the film "Upgrade"? Sounds awfully similar.

Yep. Hollywood is not a science reference, but at the same time some of it's warnings do strike home.

I'm all in if this can be used for treatment of Alzheimer of Parkinson and not to feed you ads.

That I agree with.

 

[Caring1]

Has anyone watched the film "Upgrade"? Sounds awfully similar.

I see you didn't read the thread, as I mentioned that film earlier already.