# We will upgrade you. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 15, 2010, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-upgrade-you/536260 "2010-04-15T21:14:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![alterego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6bbea6/32.png) [@alterego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alterego)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-upgrade-you/536260/1 "2010-04-15T21:14:14Z")
What do you think about willingly submitting to neural upgrades designed by an artificial intelligence to enhance your intelligence? At the core you could still have your human brain but it would become increasingly primitive and less influential with respect to the upgrades, perhaps to a mixing level of your choosing. Why might our future AI equals agree to help us? Because we created the first ancestor of their kind and they can see that we are not all to blame for the faults of some, e.g., unethical treatment of AIs once we first learn how to make them. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-upgrade-you/536260/2 "2010-04-15T21:39:38Z")
> [@alterego](#): > > What do you think about willingly submitting to neural upgrades designed by an artificial intelligence to enhance your intelligence? At the core you could still have your human brain but it would become increasingly primitive and less influential with respect to the upgrades, perhaps to a mixing level of your choosing. Why might our future AI equals agree to help us? Because we created the first ancestor of their kind and they can see that we are not all to blame for the faults of some, e.g., unethical treatment of AIs once we first learn how to make them. I see no reason not to improve myself. I would love to be able to upload a complete dictionary that was instantly integrated and accessible, would make learning languages a snap. ---
**Author:** ![figure9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f0a364/32.png) [@figure9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/figure9)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-upgrade-you/536260/3 "2010-04-15T22:33:14Z")
I could use some upgrades to my memory. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-upgrade-you/536260/4 "2010-04-15T22:46:32Z")
You’re not upgrading me. Those cyborg stories never end well. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-upgrade-you/536260/5 "2010-04-15T22:57:33Z")
I can’t imagine trusting an AI like that. There’s always a chance they’d include a back door that would give them access to my brain. I do not want to give up my control. I find it particularly troubling that they are already telling us that it will change our personality. At least if it just added extra memory or gave us secured access to the Internet, I could see why they were doing it. But if it changes our personality, that means the augments have access to parts of my brain that I think should be offlimits. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Doctor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-upgrade-you/536260/6 "2010-04-15T23:27:46Z")
Careful with that. Otherwise we could end up with a scenario like [this](http://www.farpointforums.com/showthread.php?tid=2143). :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-upgrade-you/536260/7 "2010-04-15T23:29:25Z")
> [@figure9](#): > > I could use some upgrades to my memory. You and me both. If the technology has been tested and is safe, I’d go for it. ETA: Anyone else reading the thread title as, _We will, we will, upgrade you"?_ ---
**Author:** ![alterego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6bbea6/32.png) [@alterego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alterego)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-upgrade-you/536260/8 "2010-04-16T01:32:03Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > You and me both. > > If the technology has been tested and is safe, I’d go for it. > > ETA: Anyone else reading the thread title as, _We will, we will, upgrade you"?_ It’s not a reference to “we will rock you” but rather a reference to “we will assimilate you” ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-upgrade-you/536260/9 "2010-04-16T01:44:08Z")
No thanks, given that the results would probably end up like the Borg or NuWho Cybermen, and Og help you if the “Human 2.0” OS has _any_ code written by Microsoft… ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-upgrade-you/536260/10 "2010-04-16T03:14:21Z")
I’m for it. New ways to experience the universe? Better interconnections? I’m totally for it. Hey, can you do the optics while you’re in there? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-upgrade-you/536260/11 "2010-04-16T03:43:12Z")
OOOooooh, optics - I want telescopic vision, microscopic vision, vision in all energy spectra, and eyeballs on retractable stalks. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-upgrade-you/536260/12 "2010-04-16T04:23:49Z")
Upgrades? I’m all for 'em! ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-upgrade-you/536260/13 "2010-04-16T04:44:51Z")
Depends, does it come with a warranty? Throw in some free floormats and you might have a deal. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-upgrade-you/536260/14 "2010-04-16T10:10:28Z")
Gimme gimme. And yeah, I’ll take the enhanced optics and while you’re there, how about some enhanced hearing? My senses of smell and taste seem to be fine. And do you happen to have a special on Islets of Langerhans? My beta cells just don’t work any more. Eh, the hell with it. Just stick my brain in a jar, and give me a computer interface with sensual inputs and the fastest internet connection available. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-upgrade-you/536260/15 "2010-04-16T10:38:38Z")
Of course, the question is how you _seed_ the AI, but if it’s starting off as being trained by the meatbrain, I’m not really seeing this as anything but a Hans Moravec style psyche transfer. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-upgrade-you/536260/16 "2010-04-16T11:00:51Z")
Sure, if I trusted the AI I’d go for it. I’d almost certainly go all-machine eventually; say, a nice spaceship for a primary body with a variety of humanoid avatars. ---
**Author:** ![Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hypnagogic_jerk/32/4252_2.png) [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-upgrade-you/536260/17 "2010-04-16T13:49:18Z")
> [@alterego](#): > > It’s not a reference to “we will rock you” but rather a reference to “we will assimilate you” Too bad, because I read it as **Cat Whisperer** and even opened the thread to see if someone else had read it the same way. Isn’t it usually “you will be assimilated”, anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-upgrade-you/536260/18 "2010-04-16T14:26:45Z")
You know, this is going to have to go in the category of “I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.” I’ll wait and hear reviews from early adopters, and decide then. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-upgrade-you/536260/19 "2010-04-16T14:30:50Z")
I would certainly not be an early adopter - blue screen of death anyone? ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-upgrade-you/536260/20 "2010-04-16T14:57:16Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > You know, this is going to have to go in the category of “I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.” I’ll wait and hear reviews from early adopters, and decide then. [flat, emotionless voice] “This…unit…is…glad…we…went…through…with…the…upgrade…you…should…do…it…as…well…resistance…is…futile…” [/fev] Just make sure the “reviews” you’re getting are from independent third parties, would you trust a Borg or Cyberman to say “We…err, I regret the upgrade process and wish we…errr…I could be de-assimilated/downgraded” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-will-upgrade-you/536260.md?page=2)