Tesla and Space X CEO, Elon Musk said on Monday that humans must merge with machines in order to avoid becoming obsolete in the age of artificial intelligence.
Speaking before the World Government Summit in Dubai on Monday, the billionaire entrepreneur known for his futuristic ideas and bold concepts, posed the necessity of merging the human body with artificial intelligence to remain relevant.
A CNBC report also quoted Musk as saying that robots will eventually become better at doing jobs once done by humans and replace them in the workforce. This is the reason behind his proposal to create a “high-bandwidth interface to the brain” which he said would help humans enjoy the best of both human and machine intelligence.
Elon Musk’s proposal to create a “high-bandwidth interface to the brain”
Popular Science expounds on Musk’s theory. The tech pioneer stressed that a human brain needs artificial intelligence to compute faster and handle more complex tasks. However, although this sounds like an ingenious solution, the technology is still decades away from being ready. Current brain-computer interfaces are limited at best, so this daring challenge may be nothing but another fanciful idea.
Real Problems
But while Musk’s suggestion is far from achievable, the problem he wants to address is very real. Industries have been looking at automating jobs which have previously heavily relied upon manual labor. Researchers said 78% of these jobs, including majority of processing and data collecting tasks, will soon be taken over by machines or robots.
The transportation sector for one, will be replaced by fleets of self-driving vehicles. The technology is still being tested, but manufacturers are inching closer and closer to having a system that can ensure safe and accident-free travel for millions of people.
Musk believes that when machines take over tasks previously done by humans, economies will collapse. This is why he believes that people should get an “upgrade” through human-brain symbiosis.
Additionally, the Tesla chief stressed on being prepared economically and socially when the AI age is ushered in. Digital transformation, as well as advancements in computer technology, is making this day arrive sooner than we think.
