Humanity in 50 years: What will we be?

With the ever-growing tech industry, humanity can potentially become techno humans. Super soldiers and a ruling class of robot citizens may be on the horizon. What’s not to love?

BY: KHALIL ADEN

Artwork by Pete Linforth via Pixabay

As a child, I was eager to quickly grow up and see what the future would be like. Flying cars, robots, and inhabiting planets were among the few that I thought would become a reality by the time I was 20. The older I got, the more I began to understand how those expectations were unrealistic due to how groundbreaking and sophisticated those objectives are. These ideas need to be worked on for generations before we can have roads in the airwaves or hop on a flight to Mars. 

But we have made advancements in other fields of technology. Take human enhancements for instance. Humans can replace their non-functioning limbs with artificial limbs to partially restore their lost feeling. We’ve even begun testing with brain implants. Things like bionic arms and legs are very common in today’s society. Amazingly, those who have lost limbs have an option to restore their lost feeling. But what if it doesn’t stop there? My only gripe is the unfortunate future where this alternative will become the norm. I feel that with artificial enhancements, our sense of humanity will slowly be forgotten and replaced with this new sensation. 

Now don’t get me wrong, I love sci-fi as much as the next person. On paper, having robotic arms and legs sounds like a great investment that can be beneficial.  Over time, the state of these artificial limbs will continuously change in regards to the capabilities. The standards for humans with artificial limbs could transcend those of our previous selves. The new standard can be that those with artificial arms are able to throw a football over 200 yards. Or the increase in speed for those with artificial legs. Besides these feats being impressive, there isn’t much purpose to have these enhancements. 

The current state of prosthetic limbs could be improved upon in order to create a stronger neuro-link between the user and the artificial limb. The neuro link is the connection between the brain and the limbs. Strengthening this connection can potentially replicate the feeling of using a regular limb. The only purposes where drastic changes were to be needed would be for either financial gain, or for military usage.

If cyber enhancements were to be readily available to the public, every aspect of our lives would change. The type of enhancements that immediately come to mind are those that would affect our human fitness levels with skills such as strength and speed since I believe those would be the most marketable. What's scary is some of these have already undergone testing individuals  have already undergone testing from individual companies. Whoever perfects this technology first and sells it to the public to purchase is bound to rake in money because of its revolutionary product. Regardless of the dangers that this type of technology can ensue. The opportunity to enhance our bodies is something that every person would be interested in. Humanity hasn’t changed in terms of our bodies for millennia. The next step in human evolution can potentially be through enhancements. That's something no one wants to miss out on.

Artwork by 00Mate00 via HuffPost

My concern is that this new technology will end up being used to discriminate against those who may not afford or have access to this tech. We already have classes within our society that are governed by our financial status. If cyber enhancements were to be distributed at a high cost, the class that can afford it will have another tool to oppress those below them. Although there are materialistic products that also separate the classes within our society like cell phones, clothing, etc., the gap is much farther apart. Comparing someone with the newest iPhone and someone with an iPhone 4 or 5 is minuscule in comparison to someone with an entire limb that is unnaturally superior to your own. With this clear distinction in human capabilities, there’s no doubt that those who have the wealth and can afford this technology will exert that power. 

I’m a sucker for post-apocalyptic shows and video games. So what’s more post-apocalyptic than an army of limb enhanced soldiers? My theorization of a market for human enhancements and the potential hierarchy issues that would follow is speculation and may not convince you of the potential dangers of cyber enhancements. The Pentagon released a report discussing the future of cyber enhancements in 50 years, specifically regarding the military which is just as dark.

The Pentagon's U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center research team wrote a report regarding the potential integration of enhancements and augmentations to the human body in the next 30 years. The Pentagon’s theories on what soldiers in the military may look like consisted of many futuristic abilities such as robotic eyes, as well as robotic limbs that are controlled by light rays. In order for both of these upgrades to work, they need to be used on soldiers who have already lost their limbs or organs. This is concerning as they would seemingly be the guinea pigs for these enhancements if they are developed.

These upgrades would give soldiers who lost their eye a new eye that is able to scan the battlefield and identify enemies regardless of the terrain or weather. Those who have lost an arm would receive a replacement that would be controlled by an optogenetic control system. To keep it short, the new arm responds to light pulses in the arms that control the motions. This is much more terrifying than it sounds as the wielder of the arm can be ordered by external forces to perform actions, even against their will. The arm will also allow you to directly control other military systems such as drones.

As of now, these enhancements haven’t been developed by the military or any tech company. We currently have prosthetics that can partially replace the feeling in one's limb. But if these upgrades were to be developed, it's hard to assume that this technology won’t be limited to those in the army and in need of prosthetics.

These potential military enhancements have undergone a research assessment from the Pentagon determining the plausibility in these enhancements. Publishing such a report and giving the public access to these files is bold and to me, expresses confidence. The capabilities of these new soldiers are Terminator-like and far exceed our human capabilities. A captain in an army or a government official can decide to control your body movements. At that point, it’s easier to consider that person as a non-human. 

Photo via DARPA

Depending on the circumstances of these enhanced humans, you could argue that they are still human until they lose their sense of self. If the majority of our body becomes tech-infused, then our physical self will no longer be just human. Much of the argument around our humanity being replaced with technology can be explained through a saying. If you change the parts in a ship until none of the parts are recognizable, is it still the same ship? It would be safe to say that humans would no longer look like humans. But I believe that if we continue to express the character traits of a human, then the soul of humanity can never die. The way that humans express ourselves is like none other.

Robotic shells can distort our appearance but it can’t change the essence of what it is to be a human. Feelings of love, anger, happiness, despair, pain, can’t be expressed in any other way outside of human expression. The way that those emotions make us feel and how it influences our actions is extraordinary. Losing that sense of emotion and expression is the only way our humanity can be forgotten.

Human enhancements are what many believe could be the next big step for humanity. The idea is prospering when it comes to the creation of a new form of humans. Having technology integrated into our bodies is by all means futuristic. Whether or not we need this technology remains to be seen. Outside of those who may have lost a limb and are amputees, the rest of the world doesn’t need to replace their body parts with enhancements. What determines the production of these enhancements is the militaries of the world. If they feel that the next step of warfare needs Cyber enhanced humans, then there's the potential that this technology can reach the rest of society.

There's no need for us and the military to have access to this technology. We humans are fine the way we are.