Artificial intelligence is the hot topic. The big questions are: will AI exceed human intellect, and what will the ramifications be?

The crucial discussion should center on AI’s revolutionary impact on jobs and the labor landscape. A central element of this transformation is the integration of AI into humanoid robots. Tesla is already pioneering this, and it’s predicted that within five years, all major car manufacturers will likely develop their own robotic models. This is a natural progression, considering their existing infrastructure and expertise in component manufacturing. We are already astonished by AI’s current capabilities; envision its potential in the next decade, especially when embodied in robots. Commercial interest is confirmed, with major fast-food and transportation chains slated to pilot humanoid robots in their operations. AI is already proficient in programming and is rapidly evolving to self-improvement. I believe that AI will soon be able to code ten times more efficiently and effectively than even the most skilled human programmers. Despite my thirty years of development experience, I realistically acknowledge AI’s future superiority in this domain.

However, AI lacks genuine human creativity.

That’s largely irrelevant. A significant majority of jobs, around 80%, and the majority of work time, approximately 80%, don’t demand exceptional creativity. They primarily require objective thinking and accurate task completion. While this might be a contentious point, objective analysis of technology’s societal impact is crucial. The distinction between genuine human creativity and AI’s “simulated” artistry is already blurring. Consequently, within the next five to ten years, discerning between human-created and machine-generated art will likely become impossible.

Does this mean humans are in danger of becoming obsolete?

The tech world’s substantial AI investments are driven by the potential to replace human labor across industries. Despite regulatory attempts to mitigate societal impact, hindering this AI revolution is futile. To maintain relevance, humans must enhance their cognitive and creative capabilities beyond present limits. We need something akin to a mathematical coprocessor directly integrated with our brains to accelerate our thinking. The human brain, while remarkably creative, has finite processing capacity. If we could augment it with instant access to global information and exponentially greater computing power, our ideation, creation, discovery, and innovation would accelerate dramatically, giving us a chance to remain the dominant intelligent species. This isn’t assured if our evolution doesn’t outpace machines. The current cognitive disparity between humans and fish could mirror a future gap between humans and AI – a future we ironically are setting in motion ourselves.

However, brain-computer interfaces offer a solution. By integrating a chip with our brains, we could fuse human creative strengths with immense computational power. This synergy could revolutionize scientific progress, enabling researchers to achieve vastly deeper and more precise comprehension of the universe, physics, our biology, and our environment – all at an unprecedentedly accelerated pace.

Consider this simple analogy to clarify the issue. As a journalist, imagine writing an article. You formulate the idea mentally, then translate those thoughts into written language by typing on a computer (English or Italian, in your case). Then, you visually review, refine, and retype. This process takes considerable time, and the richness of your initial concept is inevitably diminished by the limitations of natural language. Natural language can only approximate thought because its vocabulary is finite. To perfectly express every nuance of thought, a language would require an infinite lexicon – an impractical impossibility. For instance, the Italian language has only around 50,000 common words to describe the entirety of our universe.

Think of a perfume: our senses can discern countless subtle variations, yet our verbal descriptions are always approximations. Similarly, the concept of “love” is conveyed by a single word, which fails to capture its infinite variations. Extend this inherent limitation of language to the complexities of scientific inquiry.

If we could perform all these cognitive stages internally, bypassing the translation and expression steps, and directly communicate via thought representation, the fidelity of communication would be vastly superior. The more we rely on external systems, including natural languages such as Italian, English, or Chinese, the more precision is inevitably lost.

Reiterate the transformative effect this enhancement could have on accelerating scientific breakthroughs. Therefore, human relevance hinges on enhancing our intelligence, achievable through boosting our brains’ computational capacities.

It is paramount that this transformative, yet potentially invasive, technology remains publicly accessible, not controlled by a select few. Tether is committed to open development, collaborating with global universities to ensure free access. Our investment in BlackRock Neurotech supports a BCI pioneer. Unlike companies like Neuralink in early development, BlackRock Neurotech has led BCI innovation for over a decade, with its technology currently used by over 40 patients globally. Their proven technology empowers paralyzed individuals to control robotic limbs, type with their thoughts, pilot drones, and restore communication – demonstrating tangible real-world impact and adoption.

Furthermore, Tether Data is leading the development of BrainOS, an open-source platform designed to democratize access to advanced brain augmentation tools. By championing decentralization and transparency, Tether reinforces its commitment to individual empowerment through ethical, open innovation. These initiatives showcase Tether’s dedication to fostering revolutionary technologies while ensuring that human enhancement advancements prioritize accessibility, collaboration, and universal freedom, preventing monopolization by a small elite.

What is the EU’s current stance on AI regulation? Is Europe, characteristically, prioritizing regulation over innovation?

The EU is trying to regulate AI prematurely, with politicians framing it as citizen protection. However, the global AI revolution is irreversible. Europe risks being left behind in a rapidly advancing world. This is supported by the data on technology investment in European companies and startups.

Source: tether.io