The internet of thoughts

July 29, 2019

On July 17th Elon Musk unveiled the latest plans for Neuralink, his new venture that is working on brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). His main reasoning behind building BCIs, is to merge the human species with AI to ensure that humans will co-evolve with A.I. instead of being left behind. However, by connecting our brains to our computers, we also have to rethink what ‘actions’ are and what agency means in general.

Our observations

  • Neuralink’s presentation showcased the N1, a 4x5 mm brainchip that can interface with 1024 brain electrodes. Each of these electrodes have wires that measure a quarter of the diameter of a human hair. In total up to 10 N1 chips can be placed in one brain hemisphere. The chip only takes 900 nanoseconds to compute incoming neural data.
  • Kernel, CTRL-Labs, Facebook and Paradromics are a few other companies besides Neuralink that are working on either non-invasive or invasive BCIs. According to QY Research the global BCI market will reach $283.04 million by the end of 2025.
  • In 2011 a team of scientists led by Jack Galant from UC Berkeley were able to reconstruct the video footage a person was looking at, based on brain activity of the visual cortex that was captured with fMRI.
  • A recent study by Ujwal Chaudhary relied on a technique called functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), which beams infrared light into the brain, to pose yes/no questions to four locked-in patients.
  • A team of researchers published a paper where they speculate about the possibility of brain-computer interfaces based on nanobots. One big advantage is that high spatial and temporal resolution can be achieved without having to rely on invasive techniques where the skull has to be opened. Instead these neuron-interfacing nanobots approach the brain through the bloodstream. They further speculate how this technology could enable what they call ‘the internet of thoughts’.
  • Quite a few sci-fi stories explore the implications of BCIs such as The Matrix, Existenz, Ghost in the Shell, Transcendence, Neuromancer, Neuropath, X-Men and Inception.

Connecting the dots

BCIs still seem like science-fiction to many people, even though they have already existed for quite some time, albeit in a rudimentary form. The history of brains interfacing with machines started with the development of electroencephalography (EEG) by Hans Berger in 1924 which enabled him to non-invasively record electrical brain activity in humans. Forty years later, Alvin Lucier combined EEG with signal processing hardware to stimulate acoustic percussion to make the music piece Music for Solo Performer. Subsequently, in 1988, a paper was published on how EEG was used for the first time to control a robot arm. Thirty years later, a group of researchers demonstrated the first multi-person non-invasive direct brain-to-brain interface using EEG and magnetic stimulation. Invasive BCIs, which offer the advantage of being more precise but at the cost of having to undergo surgery, experienced their breakthrough moment in 2006 when a team led by Brown University and Massachusetts General Hospital published early trial results that demonstrate how their microelectrode array ‘BrainGate’ allowed a person with paralysis of both arms and both legs to control a prosthetic hand, robotic limb and computer cursor through the power of thought. As the different progressions exemplify, the development of BCIs has grown into a multidisciplinary field covering neuroscience, engineering, materials science and machine learning.Besides invasiveness and non-invasiveness, we can also make distinctions between BCIs based on what they control (e.g. linguistic/motor/virtual worlds), if they can only read or also write to the brain and how they are controlled, namely actively, reactively or passively. With active BCIs the user intentionally performs a mental task which correlates with a specific brain activity pattern, which in turn is detected by the BCI system and used as an input (e.g. the user controls a robot arm by imagining lifting his right arm). Reactive interfaces are almost similar to active interfaces, but trigger the user’s mental activity through preprogrammed cues (e.g. responding to flashing characters on a screen). In contrast, passive BCIs are triggered by some mental states, that don’t demand an intentional mental task from the user (e.g. showing soothing colors in-game when the BCI notices heightened stress levels).  According to Steinert et al. (2018) these distinctions play an important role when thinking about the potential ethical and legal implications of BCIs regarding agency. Firstly, based on philosophical action theory, actions mediated by active BCIs are perceived as non-basic actions, i.e. actions that are performed by doing something else (after all, you move a robot arm by imagining lifting your real arm). In contrast, lifting your real arm is a basic action, as you just lift your arm (without having to imagine it). As a result, with the BCI we end up in a disembodied situation and ‘legal limbo’ in which we can manipulate the world without really acting in the traditional sense. Passive BCIs are even more complicated since an action is triggered without intentionally doing something. Furthermore, the fact that thoughts can trigger a non-basic action also has important consequences for the freedom of thought, as there is the potential that a mere thought can already have physical consequences and limit the freedom of others. Then there is also the issue of a BCI-mediated action which is not carried out as intended by the user due to malfunctioning, mistake or bad intent. Moreover, agency is further eroded with the possibility of writing brain states as BCIs could become a way in which thoughts and intentions are planted.Given the many ambiguities and implications of BCIs, it will become important to develop a legal and institutional framework for the regulation of these interfaces in order to guarantee freedom in society. As a result, we can see that the most intimate part of ourselves could become heavily scrutinized and politicized in the future. Moreover, we will probably have to develop a form of meta-cognition as we continuously have to monitor one’s own mental state.

Implications

  • BCIs could become an important attack vector as they become more widely adopted. As a consequence we could expect the emergence of BCI security market.
  • When BCIs have normalized, it could become a moral imperative to let authorities screen your thoughts for the purpose of monitoring bad intent.

Series 'AI Metaphors'

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1. The tool
Category: the object
Humans shape tools.

We make them part of our body while we melt their essence with our intentions. They require some finesse to use but they never fool us or trick us. Humans use tools, tools never use humans.

We are the masters determining their course, integrating them gracefully into the minutiae of our everyday lives. Immovable and unyielding, they remain reliant on our guidance, devoid of desire and intent, they remain exactly where we leave them, their functionality unchanging over time.

We retain the ultimate authority, able to discard them at will or, in today's context, simply power them down. Though they may occasionally foster irritation, largely they stand steadfast, loyal allies in our daily toils.

Thus we place our faith in tools, acknowledging that they are mere reflections of our own capabilities. In them, there is no entity to venerate or fault but ourselves, for they are but inert extensions of our own being, inanimate and steadfast, awaiting our command.
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2. The machine
Category: the object
Unlike a mere tool, the machine does not need the guidance of our hand, operating autonomously through its intricate network of gears and wheels. It achieves feats of motion that surpass the wildest human imaginations, harboring a power reminiscent of a cavalry of horses. Though it demands maintenance to replace broken parts and fix malfunctions, it mostly acts independently, allowing us to retreat and become mere observers to its diligent performance. We interact with it through buttons and handles, guiding its operations with minor adjustments and feedback as it works tirelessly. Embodying relentless purpose, laboring in a cycle of infinite repetition, the machine is a testament to human ingenuity manifested in metal and motion.
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3. The robot
Category: the object
There it stands, propelled by artificial limbs, boasting a torso, a pair of arms, and a lustrous metallic head. It approaches with a deliberate pace, the LED bulbs that mimic eyes fixating on me, inquiring gently if there lies any task within its capacity that it may undertake on my behalf. Whether to rid my living space of dust or to fetch me a chilled beverage, this never complaining attendant stands ready, devoid of grievances and ever-willing to assist. Its presence offers a reservoir of possibilities; a font of information to quell my curiosities, a silent companion in moments of solitude, embodying a spectrum of roles — confidant, servant, companion, and perhaps even a paramour. The modern robot, it seems, transcends categorizations, embracing a myriad of identities in its service to the contemporary individual.
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4. Intelligence
Category: the object
We sit together in a quiet interrogation room. My questions, varied and abundant, flow ceaselessly, weaving from abstract math problems to concrete realities of daily life, a labyrinthine inquiry designed to outsmart the ‘thing’ before me. Yet, with each probe, it responds with humanlike insight, echoing empathy and kindred spirit in its words. As the dialogue deepens, my approach softens, reverence replacing casual engagement as I ponder the appropriate pronoun for this ‘entity’ that seems to transcend its mechanical origin. It is then, in this delicate interplay of exchanging words, that an unprecedented connection takes root that stirs an intense doubt on my side, am I truly having a dia-logos? Do I encounter intelligence in front of me?
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5. The medium
Category: the object
When we cross a landscape by train and look outside, our gaze involuntarily sweeps across the scenery, unable to anchor on any fixed point. Our expression looks dull, and we might appear glassy-eyed, as if our eyes have lost their function. Time passes by. Then our attention diverts to the mobile in hand, and suddenly our eyes light up, energized by the visual cues of short videos, while our thumbs navigate us through the stream of content. The daze transforms, bringing a heady rush of excitement with every swipe, pulling us from a state of meditative trance to a state of eager consumption. But this flow is pierced by the sudden ring of a call, snapping us again to a different kind of focus. We plug in our earbuds, intermittently shutting our eyes, as we withdraw further from the immediate physical space, venturing into a digital auditory world. Moments pass in immersed conversation before we resurface, hanging up and rediscovering the room we've left behind. In this cycle of transitory focus, it is evident that the medium, indeed, is the message.
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6. The artisan
Category: the human
The razor-sharp knife rests effortlessly in one hand, while the other orchestrates with poised assurance, steering clear of the unforgiving edge. The chef moves with liquid grace, with fluid and swift movements the ingredients yield to his expertise. Each gesture flows into the next, guided by intuition honed through countless repetitions. He knows what is necessary, how the ingredients will respond to his hand and which path to follow, but the process is never exactly the same, no dish is ever truly identical. While his technique is impeccable, minute variation and the pursuit of perfection are always in play. Here, in the subtle play of steel and flesh, a master chef crafts not just a dish, but art. We're witnessing an artisan at work.
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