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In 1818, Mary Shelley invented a technology that has been used for both good and bad in the centuries since. It’s called science fiction.
Although you might not think that literary genres count as technology, science fiction has long been a tool for predicting and critiquing science. sherry’s frankensteinConsidered by many to be the first serious science fiction novel, it was so powerful that South Africa banned it in 1955. This novel set a formula with a story that still serves today as a warning against unintended consequences.
As far as we know, the exact science that the eponymous Victor Frankenstein used to create is impossible. But today researchers can restore dead human brains to something resembling life. Experiments are underway to restart cell activity (but importantly not consciousness) after death to test its effectiveness in treating conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease (see “Fundamental treatments that bring people back from the brink of death”) .
It reminds me of many science fiction stories that feature similar scenarios and I can’t help but imagine what will happen next. The same is true for the study reported in “1000 people’s AI simulation accurately reproduces their behavior.” In this study, researchers used the technology behind ChatGPT to recreate the thoughts and behaviors of specific individuals with surprising success.
The team behind this work blurs the lines between fact, fiction, and what it means to be human.
In both cases, the teams behind this research are blurring the lines between fact, fiction, and what it means to be human, and their research is being conducted under strong ethical oversight. We are deeply aware that there are ethical concerns in the details. It was announced early on. But now that the technology is proven, there is nothing to stop more violent groups from attempting the same thing without oversight, potentially causing significant damage.
Does that mean the research should be banned for fear of it falling into the wrong hands, as Shelley’s book was? Far from it. Concerns about technology are best addressed through appropriate evidence-based regulation and swift punishment for violators. When regulators go too far, they miss opportunities to criticize and debate not only the technology, but also the technology.
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(Tag translation) Medical technology
