Resistance is Futile

You will be assimilated.

How far will our connection to the digital realm go? Science fiction has warned us of the loss of our humanity as our reliance on technology has grown.

For those who want true immersion, there is wearable gear. These augmented reality devices can be clunky and uncomfortable, but they are removable. An improvement for immersive folks would be implantation. This would allow constant connection for these types of people.

The prevailing culture may not be ready to fully accept cyborgs walking around town at this point, but exposure to people with implanted gear could be a step toward acceptance. We don’t really notice the machine heart valves and hips that some have implanted, but full-on external devices and tools may be a bit too far.

One improvement could be to make this gear invisible, or at least unobtrusive. The next step could be the AI pin, a “body-worn device with a laser projector, an always-on camera, and lidar sensors” (Scott, 2023). This seemingly innocuous device is a magnetic pin worn on your shirt that “monitors your surroundings” using these high-tech innovations, theoretically recording your view, and it responds to voice and gestures (Scott, 2023). This can eventually be far more than the personalized assistant that it’s touted as.

Perhaps when the practicality of such devices outweighs societal concerns and costs, more people will be willing to assimilate.

For now, check out this video to learn about other “improvements” possible for AI.