Elon Musk just announced that the first ever computer chip brain implant into a human brain has been accomplished. The patient is apparently doing well. The medical community is thrilled at the prospect of being enabled to treat stroke and other paralyzing illness victims so that they can at least regain some (or maybe all) of their motor skills. This is a quantum leap forward in the field. Our only concern here is the use of artificial intelligence. Since “AI” was developed experts in the field have warned us about the dangers it could present. Imagine if you will a million individuals around the country with an AI brain implant that is somehow hacked. We know cyber hacking is not only possible but growing by leaps and bounds. If these implanted people are hacked their brains could be manipulated in such a way as to cause mayhem. Please understand…we’re not pushing to shelve the new technology–we’re simply saying “proceed slowly”. Both the implant and the AI science is unknown and needs to be carefully evolved into a safe and controllable mechanism that can only be used in a productive manner. It may be that, as science uncovers potential negatives, this whole effort will need to be adjusted, re-designed, or at most scrapped entirely. Just because we “can” do something doesn’t mean we “should” do something. Do not let money motivation outrace ethical considerations. It is noteworthy that even the inventors of AI are concerned that the technology may have hidden pitfalls. When has that every happened before?
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