Good, bad and ugly of BCIs need consideration

Brain-computer interfaces are in the news again, with Elon Musk's Neuralink company announcing it had implanted its first patient with its brain chip technology.

BCIs have generated significant interest due to their potential to create direct communication pathways between the brain and external devices. Neuralink is not the first company to implant a BCI in a patient. CyberKinetics implanted a BCI in a paralyzed patient in 2006, and some of the researchers involved in that effort are now working at Neuralink.

Other companies are developing BCIs to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities by enabling them to control prosthetic limbs, wheelchairs, or other assistive devices directly with their thoughts. Others are working to use BCIs to restore lost sensory or motor functions in individuals who have experienced paralysis, limb loss or the treatment of neurological conditions; and as a means of communication for individuals with conditions that limit their ability to speak or write.

Many of the BCI devices send signals into the brain through electrical stimulation. Other interfaces are placed into the brain to read the voltage put out by firing brain cells.

But Neuralink's announcement has created a stir as Musk has said in the past that his company's technology could allow humans to form "a sort of symbiosis" with artificial intelligence, which not everyone views as a positive development. Some cautionary voices have raised concerns about the risks of people being controlled by AI through a BCI.

There are also concerns about the potential for BCIs to be misused by humans to coerce or manipulate others, or to obtain information directly from a brain. There are also questions being asked about whether it will lead to societal divisions between those who have access to and can afford such technology and those who cannot.

Ongoing research and discussions are essential to address the ethical, social and practical considerations associated with the technology. Such concerns need clear answers if the BCI technology is to be popularized in the market. It's a great technology with promising potentials, but to win support from the public, those working for this technology need to realize these ethical risks early and do some preparatory work to ensure the risks are fully understood and addressed.