Part 10/15:
Promise and Peril of a Connected Mind
If such neural networks become widespread, the benefits could include seamless global communication, elimination of language barriers, and supercharged productivity that boosts global economies. Economic models suggest even modest improvements in efficiency could add trillions to the world’s GDP.
However, there’s a darker side. This interconnected system could strip away individual independence, allowing central authorities—corporate, government, or AI—to shape, filter, or override thoughts and emotions in real time. The risks resemble those of current surveillance and algorithmic manipulation but are amplified by the direct access to our neural pathways.