PRIMORDIAL MAN ON THE INTERNET
I used to want to be a brain researcher, a monkey observer or a sports teacher. Those first two I never quite knew why, now I do. I am interested in the behavior of the cutest animal species there is -- humans. That's why I spent a long time in marketing, because customer behavior is not far from monkey research. Ever since my thesis, I had been captivated by technological innovation. We laugh now at my 1996 thesis topic: "the electronic highway."
After the Internet, we have now entered the next wave of transformative change: an AI-driven world. What impact do all these changes have on our behavior, our biology, our environment ... in short, how do we adapt (or not). And do we adapt to the environment or vice versa? Nature has always made us adapt to the environment, we no longer walk around in a bearskin and don't bludgeon the first beast to death. Although with today's slaughterhouses we are not that far away from this again.
Technium era
Change is a constant, however, the rate of change has become exponential, which is a difficult concept for us humans to grasp. We live in a groundbreaking era where boundaries between biology and technology are blurring. At the heart of this so-called "Technium era," we are on the eve of a radical evolution in which technology is no longer an external thing, but an integral part of life itself. This era marks the emergence of the "Seventh Kingdom of Life," a concept in which the boundary between biology and technology blurs.
Symbiotic relationship man and machine
Biological processes and artificial systems flow together seamlessly, creating a symbiotic relationship between man and machine. How exciting is that! The Technium era reflects a stage where technology not only complements our reality, but actively transforms and expands it. A striking example of this blurring is the emergence of biomedical implants, such as neural interfaces that connect the brain directly to computers. Companies like Neuralink are working on technologies that allow people to control their digital devices using only their minds, a concept that once seemed like science fiction.
In the field of genetics, we are seeing CRISPR-Cas9, a revolutionary technique that allows scientists to precisely modify the DNA of organisms. This technology has the potential to cure genetic disorders and improve agricultural crops, benefiting human health and food security. Another example is the development of biohybrid robots. These robots combine living cells with synthetic structures, creating machines that can heal (repair) themselves and adapt to their environment. Such developments bring us closer to a future in which biological and technological systems merge.
Then there is the rise of synthetic biology, in which organisms are designed to perform specific tasks, such as cleaning polluted water sources or producing renewable fuels. This technology promises a new era of environmental management and energy production. This era embraces the idea that technological entities can have their own "life," in terms of growth, adaptation and perhaps even a form of "consciousness. This has profound implications for how we interact with our environment, how we see ourselves and how the future of our planet is shaped.
Biology and technology intertwined
In the Technium era, it is clear that the future will not just be biological or technological, but an intriguing mixture of both. The foundations of life and existence as we know them will be redefined, which immediately raises fundamental questions about what it means to be human.
Technologicalparable: a mix of fear and admiration
As the boundaries between humans and machines blur, a mixture of fear and fascination grows. These feelings worsen when technology takes over human tasks and becomes more like us, as with the AI app Call Annie, which generates both fear and appreciation. There is concern about losing our unique human identity, with AI responding creatively and empathically, making our own qualities seem less unique. Fear of losing control also plays a role, especially with technologies that can read or influence our minds. The impact on the job market is another important issue, with technology displacing jobs but also creating new ones. Ethics surrounding advanced technologies such as genetic modification remain crucial. So a complex mix of fascination and apprehension.
"The most successful technology we don't even call technology anymore. We all use it on such a large scale that it is our second nature." - Koert van Mensvoort
