Give me the blue pill!

Brain-Computer-Interfaces have the potential to link human brains and AGIs. They will allow humans to experience unknown pleasures, but also expose them to new dangers such as addiction and mind control. This is the sixth newsletter addressing the opportunities and risks of the ongoing AI revolution. For more detailed information please read my new book: "Rise of the God Machines".

In his Sci-Fi novel “We can remember it for you wholesale” (filmed as “Total Recall”) Philip K. Dick describes, how memories of a reality that never happened can get implanted electronically through a Brain-Computer-Interface (BCI). In “The Matrix” (1999), the protagonist has the choice of taking the blue pill, which will make him continue believing the BCI input or taking the red pill, which makes him face the grim reality. On a philosophical level, the underlying question, whether our reality is truly real or just an illusion dates back by at least 2.400 years to Plato and the Gnostics .

Even assuming our reality is actually real, this might change, once the Brain-Computer-Interface is perfected. It allows an external computer to send information to a microchip connected to the brain of a human (or an animal). The microchip is either implanted or mounted to the head. It can write, i. e. provide the brain with impulses that cannot be distinguished from its own ones, and it can also read the changes in electronic activity produced by the brain’s thoughts and processes. In an early version, it allowed a chimpanzee to play Ping, a simple video game, while moving the paddle through his thoughts alone.

A BCI has multiple uses, as it could allow people to move artificial limbs or operate in a dangerous environment. That is the easy bit, causing no controversies. A BCI could also replace missing or damaged senses, like a hearing or seeing implant. That sounds unproblematic, but when we start to not only export muscular commands but also import sensual inputs, the question of reality becomes relevant. Once we can create multiple sense inputs, a Matrix-scenario becomes possible, where we are being fed completely wrong information about the outside world. Just imagine you need to camouflage a top-secret military installation. All external observers would receive a fake optical input through their BCI displaying only a power plant, instead of a military facility.

In the above case, (totalitarian) governments would make a BCI mandatory to achieve their aims. It does not require force, though. Consumers are very likely to pay a hefty premium to have a BCI installed. Consumers might elect to connect their BCI with an external AI engine to receive inputs that allow them to enjoy an exotic holiday, amazing never-ending experiences during the sunrise of an exotic planet, gory battles with Klingons, becoming chess world champions, or whatever else their hearts desire. Think of an R-rated video game, only far more immersive. These activities can also be undertaken as a group, with all participants connecting their BCIs.

Even worse however will be the use of BCIs as drug supplies, since the production of endorphins and dopamine, body internal opiates, can be stimulated through BCIs. Forget Heroin, Fentanyl, LSD, Ecstasy, Speed, and all the other illicit drugs. They are weak compared to the mother of all drugs, dopamine. In the 1950s, rats were injected electrodes into their brains. If the rats pushed a specific lever, they would get a small dose of dopamine, like in a never ending non-stop honeymoon. The rats quickly turned into addicts, pushing the levers up to 7.000 the hour. They stopped eating, drinking and caring for their babies and preferred to die before they would stop pushing the dopamine lever.

Getting an unlimited supply of the best drug ever, which is essentially free after the initial implementation of a BCI, from which you cannot OD, do not suffer from a hang-over, do not have to worry about quality, do not become physically dependent, sounds like the ultimate killer-app. It will be very easy to convince a lot of people to get a BCI, which opens the treasure chamber of dopamine. The adoption rate could easily exceed that of ChatGPT, #1 in history with 100 million users after two months, if two issues are resolved: 1) production of sufficient number of biochips and 2) easy and safe installation procedure without the need of a surgeon.

A BCI has the potential to replace literally all currently available drugs, as the BCI can also create other mind-altering effects like lack of inhibition, aphrodisiac stimulation, hallucinations, the feeling of the whole world really being one and religious visions. At some stage, a BCI might also be effective to help fighting certain neurologically caused diseases like depressions and schizophrenia. For illicit drug dealers, pharmaceutical companies and alcohol producers, the introduction of BCI is likely to impact their business severely, as most of their current users will switch to BCI. Since the main segments of organized crime (drugs, gambling, porn) are all heavily impacted by BCIs, this will probably mean the end of the Mafia, Mexican Cartels, La Cosa Nostra, Biker Gangs, Triads, and Yakuza in their current form.

Most BCIs will probably be restricted in use (like current AI tools), to avoid drug abuse. But given the strong incentive, a black market for BCI tuning and jailbroken BCIs is going to appear, which will help users overcome this restriction.

How realistic are BCIs in the near future? Human brains are complex and large. Individual functions like prosthetic limbs can be operated through BCIs already, some sensory inputs can also be processed, but it is still the early days.

Summary

Brain-Computer-Interfaces (BCI) already exist in early versions. Going forward, they will at least partially replace multiple industries: VR entertainment, adult entertainment, travel, but also illicit drugs, massively impacting organized crime. Their frequent use will cause serious addiction problems, though. Since BCIs can also be used to control the respective subject without them noticing it, this creates additional use cases including empowering humans with new skills, but also forcing them to act as slaves, without them noticing their lack of freedom.

Further Information:

The newsletter is an abbreviated version of the original article from my recently published book: "Rise of the God Machines: ChatPT, AGI, and the End of Human Supremacy" (ISBN: 9694792401, LIMIT 2024). If you want to read the whole book now without waiting for the future newsletters, please go to Amazon and selected other bookstores.

Alternatively you can also download it here: PDF-Version

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