Are brain implants the future of computing?

Imagine brain implants that let you control devices by thought alone-or let computers read your
mind. It’s early days, but research into this technology is well under way.
Film supported by @mishcondereya
00:00 - Are brain implants the future of computing?
00:58 - Headsets are changing how brains interact with the virtual world
02:24 - What is a brain computer interface?
03:24 - What’s holding this technology back?
04:00 - How wearable BCIs can read your mind
06:27 - How BCIs physically alter the brain
07:17 - Invasive brain implants
09:14 - The first human cyborg
09:51 - What’s next?
Sign up to our science newsletter to keep up to date: econ.st/3Mn3IR3
Read our Technology Quarterly on fixing the brain: econ.st/3rTay7o
What does a brain-computer interface feel like? econ.st/3z07haD
Crossing the brain’s electrical frontier: econ.st/3Vo3Pjk
How could brains and machines work together? econ.st/3Vsfn5p
Using thought to control machines: econ.st/3eqI3eq
How can obstacles to brain-computer interfaces be overcome? econ.st/3S08OUH
Neuroscientific research on monkeys is ethically troubling-but vital: econ.st/3yE1Yxg
Organoids and neuron transplants give new ways to study the brain: econ.st/3EA2j7X

[@donaldjack5487]

We are already in the big crash , inflation is a catastrophe. This CPI report is a colossal failure. To bring the housing market to a halt,the FED will have to pull all the stops . The unfortunate issues is that the other market are being decimated. If you want to stay green ,you have to rely on a lot of diversification. Currently up 15% and being carful. Still a better deal than leaving it in a savings or checking account yielding 0-1 percent interest.

[@aliannarodriguez1581]

It’s pretty obvious to me that once this technology becomes practical, you won’t have a choice about having an implant. Not because the government will force you, but because it will simply become impossible to function in society without one. Initially people will add them to give themselves an edge in getting a job. Soon this will be expected by companies and you won’t get hired (you loser!) if you don’t have one. The next step will be when organizations cut costs by no longer providing support for anyone who doesn’t have an implant. We’ve seen this same dynamic play out with credit cards, the internet, and most recently with smart phones.

[@robertbones326]

It's like ever since we've invented the hand held telephone we've been subconsciously trying to insert it into our brain

[@notaburneraccount]

you got a point

[@SeanKula]

It's like each generation gets closer and closer to our brain.

[@ClintochX]

@@SeanKula 😂 😂 😂

[@Ssunset24]

Hopefully all BCI and BMI startups get extremely motivated by this comment and will come out with something better and safer than Neuralink. I hope ASAP or in a few years from now amazing things will happen. Suffering is happening in alot of people with schizoaffective disorder, fear of germs/ ocd, bipolar and even conditions such as dementia and alzheimers for the elderly. Hopefully these types of technologies can make all humans more empthatic, smarter and as mentioned more at 100 percent peace with themselves. Prayers for a better tomorrow and please keep this in mind:) Also many people aren't fans of ECT and TMS therapy! All we can do is pray for better types of therapies and treatments:)

[@Rangetechusreviews]

😂😂😂😂

[@MarcF.Nielssen]

I approve of this tool. My name is Big Brother.

[@notaburneraccount]

😂

[@dragonmaster909]

"Under the spreading chestnut tree"

[@kelvink9141]

It's crazy how human knowledge has increased overtime

[@carlrodalegrado4104]

it's way crazier since the Rennaisance or Rebirth then also the Enlightenment Era we got back to our feet with science

[@banalucki]

and "ethics" never keeps pace...

[@carlrodalegrado4104]

@@banalucki sadly only the knowledge part of ethics not the action part

[@generous_coconut]

It’s crazy that we now have technological developments (like fusion energy, gene therapy, brain implants, AI) in its infancy but may in the future become an everyday occurrence.

[@Ahmed_Ayoubier]

Especially in the last years

[@MrKlemczak]

can't wait to have ads running in our brains 24/7

[@smith1849]

Buy premium to make your brain ad free. 👍🏻🙂

[@gemilangrahmandhika7509]

or inevitable Rickrolling

[@MegaGraceiscool]

@@shockcat5988 terrifying!

[@nandanshettigar7261]

In an implicit way, that is already happening shown by society's authoritative hierarchy exerting the most influence to promote certain themes which drives the trajectory of our thoughts, beliefs and support for public and private matters (not necessarily a bad thing as there are alot of useful/benefit effects as well; however, there are some inefficient negative effects). BCIs/BMIs will just increase the rate at which that can occur for better or worse. If used in the right way, can improve the current state of things as many technological progress has in the past

[@lexfunni]

yeah cant wait

[@DuongThuy-mk2fm]

Not related to the content, I have to say that I really love the editting way of The Economist. How passionate the editors are!

[@venusproject8202]

Today more than ever, non biased factual information is highly valued

[@theplasmatron3306]

with the development of social media and this, it's not hard to see that we're getting closer to mind control

[@dallassegno]

haahahaaa ok

[@indethbed2546]

@@dallassegno already there for sometime

[@astralwerks4]

Or freeing of the mind

[@user-bu4dv5hn3d]

@@dallassegno what's funny about that?

[@courtneywilhelm0820]

Mind control is already here and easily being used to control the populous.

[@BongoFerno]

1984 with Big Brother direct access to brains, is worse than the worst dystopia ever imagined.

[@nwgverified]

Yep we've known it was over for a long time, technology is just getting too strong

[@mohammaduddin5939]

Transhumanism. Nothing to see here folks, move along...

[@BongoFerno]

@@nwgverified The problem is not technology, but politics.

[@IonorRea]

Don't worry, the military industrial complex is already working on some interesting projects to be implemented on future soldiers and likely also in Guantanamo Bay or whatever black site for alternative interrogation methods...

[@trapaneezus]

Bad actors are of course going to try and use it for their gain but there will be pushback and they'll retreat like they always do!

[@PotatoMan007]

Nothing is creepier than brain implants.

[@banalucki]

"..it's alive! it's alive!...:

[@poisonousbite]

Order 66 intensifies

[@jonatand2045]

And so promising.

[@Zukalski]

@@jonatand2045 if you are a WEF follower, yes

[@jonatand2045]

@@Zukalski No. Can you really not see potential useful applications for this technology when it matures. Treatment for neurological diseases and addiction, increased productivity, escapism becoming outdated, maybe faster learning and higher intelligence. Of course i am not saying there aren't risks.

[@Rafaranne]

Make Orwell Fiction Again.

[@noahhultgren1710]

Even Orwell's world lacked brain implants, I think Orwellian totalitarianism where I just hate a parade of manufactured enemies and work in a factory is better than having advertising pumped directly into my brain for improved "productivity"

[@beasaroseco5840]

That last frontier in slavery.

[@anirbanghosh7987]

Exactly. and also they say that it will be used for benefit of humanity. Thats a joke

[@eXxSe]

Bold of you to assume it as the last.

[@whatareyousaying339]

This the beginning to the end of freedom and privacy. Not even your thoughts will be safe in the future. Thankfully this won’t take place in our life time. Where billions of humans are chipped and monitored simultaneously.

[@Alexzunderthegreat]

@@whatareyousaying339 livestock...

[@best1000]

I’m deeply in love with such mind-blowing tech. This tells me that everything is possible to do even reversing the age or living for ever

[@kevindogaru4080]

Love how they don’t tell you the side effects

[@freewheeler8924]

Every bit of software ever written is buggy or can be hacked. But let's get brain implants!

[@matttamal8332]

There's something eerily scary about knowing that human brains would be the best computational devices. An entire black market industry would pop up inevitably

[@ruhulbro]

Great video! I found it really interesting to learn about the potential for brain implants to enhance human cognitive abilities and allow for more direct communication with technology. It's definitely an exciting and potentially revolutionary area of research. However, it's also important to consider the ethical implications and potential risks of such technology, as well as making sure it's developed and implemented in a way that is fair and accessible to all. Overall, I think brain implants have the potential to be a major game-changer in the field of computing, and I can't wait to see where this technology goes in the future.

[@stancooper5436]

Feels more like an a promotional piece than a news report.

[@connection7405]

KZbin recommends me following videos - how will businesses use the metaverse and how self-driving works on everyday roads. Crazy what are the topics we're talking nowadays! But I'm glad technology is further developing

[@Senor21]

Just because we can, doesn't mean we should

[@brickbrigade]

Having only read the title and not watched all the way yet, I believe that BCIs are the future of interfacing, but more likely they will interface with a mobile phone as a relay to the greater web

[@notaburneraccount]

yeah... we're gonna end each other with this. i don't know that any amount of ethics can stop the destruction possible with this tech.

[@kaiserchief9319]

Ethics, No. Spirituality, yes.

[@zinzhao8231]

Ethics is whack. Ethical issues are derived from people that are scared that the humans that want to do this and will do this will become smarter than the rest.

[@savagepro9060]

in the future The Economist will have a chip for subscription planted in the brain!

[@jtee4103]

If this can get rid of my sciatica I’m sold !

[@SouthernCom]

What a beautifully made and informative video. Thank You

[@Super5UN]

@The Economist, you totally missed the work that Blackrock Neurotech is doing for minimally invasive BCI’s. They’ve implanted them in 8+ humans who have some form of paralysis and they can communicate, type, scroll, and play all via computer. This stuff is closer than y’all think

[@Nata-ch2bk]

Blackrock Neurotech ? Sounds like the name of a company we could see in a dystopian movie

[@janedoe2119]

They know! It is conditioning the masses now...

[@tunes012]

@@Nata-ch2bk I don't want to say anything too defamatory, but blackrock is an international organisation which funds most of our ills in society. They are currently buying up houses during inflation but have done for a while to sell off to large multi-national housing development companies (which specialise in mostly unaffordable builds). In other words they are a powerful and significant contributor to the housing crisis in several capitalist countries.

[@htf5555]

and most people dont even know them. very clever. beware

[@tunes012]

@@happydaze7386 I wasn't aware of that connection and to be honest I wish you had not told me. They are horrifying as is :(.

[@chrisleon27]

Human is human Computer is computer

[@favesongslist]

Unless you become a cyborg, people already accept thing like cochlear implants. Ethics of how humanity progresses particularly if you are a paraplegic or some neural disorder like blindness etc.

[@tastytoast4576]

Dasein my friend. We are all one

[@criticalpizza8123]

Eye opening video, love this channel it always keeps me on my toes

[@Ryan-gh4iz]

I can't wait for the day when they can install me a personality.

[@Ausbos5]

They already did when you scroll any social platform. 😂 your thoughts were never yours I suppose 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@zinzhao8231]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@bhuvaneshwarjoshi3683]

Facinating ! Bridging the gap between possibility and scientific experimentation.

[@Wib0]

You must be older then 50 at least. Cheering your jailers on, lol.

[@Lp-ze1tg]

When I told my friends the future of communication devices could be brain implants. They said I am being ridiculous and nonsense.

[@alihaydarnar9543]

Consequences of progress and innovation...

[@Quantum-Omega]

The deprivation of free will where even your own thoughts will not be private.

[@suthishofficial]

It helps astronauts and severely paralyzed. But we all know who's gonna use the most 😏😏😏

[@linqua1728]

There is reasonable doubt anyone with a brain implant continues to have free will, therefore would forfeit any legal rights as a human being, and would need to appoint a guardian, be unable to sign contracts, secure credit, the list goes on and on. You should contact your legislator to ban development or implemntation of brain implants, the risk to the healthy far outweigh the benefits to crippled or blind people, such as involuntary implants. They are not necessary.

[@syedmudassarhassanshah3585]

👍 very informative.

[@soup100]

5:29: the shot of the Magneto's helmet and Cerebro. COOL!

[@NataliyaKosmyna]

Thank you!

[@graemeandrew8643]

So I take anti inflammatory tablets for pain in my back...apparently it bocks some signal in my brain so I don't feel the pain...how that works I don't know....I have to take for rest of my life..am worried about effects of long term use on other organs..... is this brain implant stuff able to do the same??? Just curious

[@EndySefa]

With the ever-increasing amount of knowledge in the world - from books, music, and movies, to TV shows and all manner of cultural artifacts - it seems that we have no option but to develop some form of brain-AI interface to help us digest and comprehend all of this information. Without reliable technology to aid us, the task of managing such a vast wealth of knowledge would surely become overwhelming. Looking to the future, it's clear that the volume of information is only going to continue to grow - a hundred years from now, who knows how much new information will have emerged? It's hard to imagine how we could ever hope to keep pace with this constant flow of knowledge using only our slowly evolving human brains, especially when compared to the ever-advancing progress of technology and the vast accumulation of knowledge it enables.

[@IALatAmPro]

Es una tecnología maravillosa ❤ excelente trabajo felicitaciones

[@traceler]

Imagine if we can have access to general population nervous system! We can control what they think, know where they are and what are they up to. We need this to educate population in our ways! We can even terminate them or make them act the way we want.

[@ioio8021]

Why are you enthusiastic of the possibility of human beings as portable objects that have no privacy and become like little controllable robots???

[@evanmathias7490]

@Economist, how did you not include stentrode? They are already at human trials. This technology is so important... you really need to do more digging. Cyborg with AI, and you have an evolutionary leap that is already happening and profound... it is a global augmented intelligence race; akin to the space race, but with far higher stakes.

[@kaitlyn6853]

bump

[@ayushsinha1947]

Great info!, and very well produced. I don't think the background music fits the content though. Have you tried putting in any funereal music or death march?

[@lovelace24]

Star Wars Imperial March theme

[@Tiandesta]

We are getting closer to new black mirror episodes everytime

[@kayde2981]

Mindhacks are going to be wild, imagine having a cerebral implant be hacked and allow it to completely wreak havoc…

[@bluemiltank]

In eye advertising, blink twice to skip

[@murdock7943]

Yes

[@bluemiltank]

@@murdock7943 0

[@murdock7943]

@@bluemiltank 0

[@bluemiltank]

@@briondalion3696 now you can't skip ..or look away

[@missfatimajinnah8776]

Loosing power over yourself choosing to become tool is someone else's hands..It's fascinating now because of the way the present it but believe me it's terrible...Screen it & read it after a decade.This is exactly what is going to happen !! i feel sorry

[@enlighten92]

I can only tolerate this if there are no ads.

[@easonhuang3849]

Eventually we may find out we are not more than a bunch of electric signals from the brain.

[@kneesnap1041]

arguably there's already pretty strong evidence for this

[@m3ll0f3ll0]

Meat machines

[@BelieveOneGod]

In the matrix movie people were enslaved by machines but they way things are going people will plug themselves into matrix willingly

[@JesusChristDenton_7]

Humans were acting like a-holes towards artificial intelligence.

[@qhuizatlantis8484]

Hackable animals - Noah Harari

[@mikeboate208]

You first ! gives all new meaning to the old phrase " Blue screen of death" , and what keeps the "hacker /puppeteer/controller " out ?

[@ananiaspereira8839]

the movie alice in wonderland talks about a girl who hears voices; but not of people but of animals...

[@smith1849]

Buy our 'premium membership' to make your brain ad free. 🙂👍🏻

[@smith1849]

Only $10000

[@dammitmatt6426]

I know this isn't necessarily the point but, the matrix is a cautionary tale, we don't want the matrix lol

[@JesusChristDenton_7]

That only happened because humanity were a-holes to A.I.

[@kevinbennett4945]

This technology has existed at smaller than nanoscale for many decades.

[@RavarsenBlogspot]

Someday we might have no choice but implant or fall behind

[@Coco-iy4lx]

Exactly this. Revelation 13:16-17 "16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name."

[@StephenAndrew777]

People will never become miseducated enough to fully engage with that.

[@cosmicpsyops4529]

Absolutely, they are. At least, if you don't want to be a serious disadvantage, or unless some paradigm shift happens to divert us from our tendency toward technology.

[@Novastar.SaberCombat]

Unfortunately, it will only be available to the rich, influential, and powerful. Everyone else will be like squirrels. Idiots. Pets, at best.

[@TahaJelani]

@@Novastar.SaberCombat what other technological advancement has played out like this? Why do so many people fetishize persecution, weird.

[@anubis7457]

@@TahaJelani There's plenty of medical treatments locked behind large paywalls already.

[@thetruthyoucantfight212]

This is the type of stuff that will cause someone to be arrested and thrown into prison because of what they was thinking. But there is a *HUGE* distance from thoughts to actions, atleast here. edit : We all have bad thoughts some times or am I the only one?

[@jasonmartinez9676]

Of course, technology is optimal and reliable, as long as it is used in a responsible, progressive and ethical manner with the purpose of improving aspects of human daily life, without affecting or transgressing its nature

[@svegritet]

No, it is only cyberphysical systems and a new infrastruture for cognitive radio systems.

[@Daivd1111]

I want a SD card slot in my head so I can ace any test, LOL

[@sandiharris3915]

This is truely revelational, we have watched in movies and now it is becoming reality, this will change peoples lives for the better

[@HindustaniYT]

Economist topics are #1

[@mattd8725]

It isn't pitched as a technology for joy or discovery, but a technology for productivity and life extension for the winners in society. If it is "evil" or "sinister" it is just a familiar level of those traits as so many things which are valued.

[@apelsinuke]

are those you refer to as "winners", are those *who think they are* the controllers? 😂

[@ItsReek]

Of course now in its infancy, it’s mostly used to help improve the lives of people with disorders. But I’m the future, this will definitely be used for entertainment and pleasure as the technology develops and more research is done.

[@morganwade1497]

the winners could not survive alone. not yet atleast.

[@randyjohnson3412]

Wow. To think that one day I can order food online by just thinking about it...amazing.

[@evanm6739]

I hope to work with these BCI companies when I graduate from college

[@karlheinz4059]

this is the only way to keep up with AGI

[@orishadray]

True!!!

[@Quranexposed]

New possibilities, new risks. Corona learned us a lesson.

[@ananiaspereira8839]

the batteries of the brain machines of the future, will they be through human speech? or the Hungarian beszel?

[@Novastar.SaberCombat]

I'd do anything for a marketing implant.

[@michealcoulson3692]

Being able to control drones to target just by thinking about it and many other things the possibilities are endless

[@CopperDigitalInc]

Brain implants, or neural implants, could potentially be used as a form of computing. However, there are ethical and safety concerns to consider. Will they become mainstream in the future? Only time will tell.

[@zinzhao8231]

It's only an ethical issue because a group of people are scared that others will use it to become smarter

[@zweiwing4435]

So, no longer have privacy?

[@just1it1moko]

me: "hey brain whats 2+2?" Brain: "ad 1 out of 4, upgrade to premium to think without being interrupted by ads."

[@MrSimonw58]

I'll have them asap

[@omnigeddon]

Amazing stuff.. soon as I get my money I can only imagine how great life will get for all with my technologies

[@tribe3828]

Yes

[@Anders01]

I like Elon Musk's Twitter initiative. Neuralink on the other hand seems horrible to me, unless they will be able to develop non-intrusive brain interfaces. I believe something like headphones will be able to read and perhaps even send brain waves. That would be pretty interesting I think.

[@josephvanname3377]

Elon linkes Neuralink because Elon is a lot like Jeff D.

[@nanihobo1416]

3:12 meg (family guy) 😳

[@entropicpedro]

Pantheon and black mirror by Tuesday...

[@Shacontrol]

Lol he expected to live longer using human technology knowing that humans don't even know the origin of life... I dont know if I should laugh or cry.

[@Adam-nw1vy]

Nothing funny about someone dying

[@I_0..0_I]

The future of computing most probably will be a quantum computers OR biocomputers simpler than the brain.

[@romiagua2746]

Quero participar 👍

[@orlandoviera3898]

And you can be CONTROL TOO! THIS IS INSANE

[@trinityblood5622]

"This device also has the potential to physically alter the brain and how they work" (6:26)... As a Data Engineer, I know how dangerous it can be. It's one step towards politicians/government controlling you. I strongly protest against this kind of experimentation... This is both ethically and morally wrong.

[@The_Revolutionist]

You're a conservative.

[@Victoria-mv7fs]

Very true! This is not moral at all!

[@YasminCarli]

People with disabilities and so many physical limitations could do so much with this tech, but people just regurgitate "big brother".

[@metalicminer6231]

Lovely I'll have 2 please

[@markrich7693]

My favorite video game is the legend of Zelda as no need for a brain chip unless it’s safe

[@sowinski4]

Did Peter's autopsy last year reveal damage to his brain from the implant?

[@jerrodhanks8477]

All this brain talks gives me reincarnation vibes after becoming cyborgs

[@creatorschild8247]

Not a chance! Very demonic 👹👹

[@Paul-ow3nx]

I think in years people will have their brain put into robot bodies thus becoming total cyborg

[@zackandrew5066]

Interesting ideas

[@auro1986]

future of computing is the pen or pencil and the notebook or a black sheet of paper

[@majorkeeb7493]

netrunner build when?

[@JefriZainjz]

Let's be sometime cyborg

[@indi1st517]

The Matrix isn't a Hollywood dream, it's a warning.

[@JesusChristDenton_7]

It only started because humanity were d*cks to artificial intelligence.

[@irinat9521]

All these novelties scare me big time. Human lives, minds being controlled by a handful of sick individuals

[@hameed-kakar]

What does BCIs stand for

[@andreassag]

Brain-computer interface

[@chlorophyllheart]

The man with the light pink jumper has a voice too similar to a computer

[@chepedamian9828]

We f**** up 💀💀💀💀💀