VIDEO: Elon Musk's Next Quest Is A Mind-Machine Meld. Let's Consider The Implications

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We're ever-more reliant on our devices, whether it's mobile phones or voice-powered home assistants, such as Amazon Echo.

If today's science continues apace, the future of humanity will likely include further symbiosis with technology. Tech entrepreneurs such as Elon Musk are going all-in on brain-machine interfaces; you saw it with Musk's company, Neuralink's announcement about plans for brain chip implants.

But is a more direct connection between our brains and our technology something we want? What are the possibilities and the pitfalls? In this Future You with Elise Hu, tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson, founder of neural interface company Kernel (a Musk competitor), and technology ethicist Tristan Harris talk about what brain-machine interfaces can offer — and the ethical considerations to make in designing the future you.

Future You's first season is dedicated to the human body and what it will be able to do in 2050. You can find the latest episodes on YouTube or npr.org/futureyou. And send us your ideas about upgrading humans by email at futureyou@npr.org or through Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.

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