Dead Monkeys and the Future of AI
AI generated image.
By Luke Strong
Currently we stand at a precipice, says philosopher and author Toby Ord, whose similarly-named book, The Precipice, approaches the existential risks posed to humanity. By precipice he means a moment in history, where action is necessary to mitigate these risks, or else we precipitate them far more. Of the risks mentioned, one anthropogenic risk is that of artificial intelligence. Seeing the lack of regulation binding the ambitions of Silicon Valley, Ord foresees that issues of bias, inexplicability, and the eventual point where artificial intelligence supersedes human intelligence, present an incredible risk to humanity. Arguing that we may very well create intelligence that destroys us, he recommends an increase of foresight into the ethical consequences of each new creation, restraining the ambitious ethos that has brought us to this point. Recent history shows anything but foresight.
It was just two months ago that Elon Musk’s Neuralink opened their patient registry to the public, seeking people with quadriplegia, paraplegia, vision loss, and more to participate in their human trials. To many, this moment was incredible. Front and centre on Neuralink’s website is a mission statement describing their goal to:
“Restore autonomy to those with unmet medical needs today and unlock human potential tomorrow”[1]
Backed by the benign images of an implant and a friendly-looking interface, these words undoubtedly give hope and opportunity to people with physical impairments looking to take control of their bodies. However, this optimism masks a darker reality.
Neuralink, founded in 2017, is quite simply defined by its main product: an implant that allows people to use their brains to control computers and mobile devices. The implant is surgically placed and integrated into the brain, allowing for brain waves to be understood and translated into computerised actions.
Far before the human trials opened for registration, Neuralink utilised pigs and macaque monkeys to test the implants on, conducting these trials at the University of California, Davis. These trials showed incredible promise. Many people have seen videos of Neuralink’s monkeys playing video games with their minds, a prime example of the potential of this implant. Watching that video, one cannot help but think of the incredible potential such an implant could have.
Progress was made quietly as Neuralink continued their trials, though not for long, as employees soon started to speak up. More and more scrutiny was raised as these employees came forward and discussed animal deaths caused by rushed experiments and botched surgeries. For example, in 2021, 60 pigs were implanted with the device, but 25 of the implants were found to have been the wrong size, causing the company to euthanise all 25 of the pigs[2].
The monkeys faced even worse fates. From consistent bacterial and fungal infections to partial paralysis and bleeding in the brain, WIRED notes that the veterinary reports are “gruesome portrayals of suffering reportedly endured”[3]. Each monkey’s report is a blunt depiction of a painful decline at the hands of Neuralink, all of which leading to the same conclusion: euthanasia.
Elon Musk initially responded to the reports of all the monkeys involved being euthanised by stating that they were close to death anyway, a prerequisite for the trial. However, given that the behavioural training for the trials were completed in about a year’s time, much doubt can be brought upon that claim. This can be backed by the aforementioned veterinary reports that expose the extent of suffering that went on at UC Davis. Despite this and the public concerns from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine[4] and the initial reluctance from the FDA to approve trials on humans, Neuralink received such approval in September, a scary reality given the suffering already endured.
It is in many ways inevitable that novel biotechnologies tested on animals will lead to some form of injury when in the testing phase, yet they can be mitigated by careful planning and slowed roll-out. Neuralink embodies an environment built on haste and a desire to immediately create a game-changing product that makes a dent in the universe and satisfies its shareholders.
Elon Musk is full of incredible ambition, and that is an amazing thing. It is ambition that drives change, creates innovation, and can significantly alter the world. But too much ambition leaves us ten steps behind such lofty goals.
Ambition is central to the Silicon Valley ethos. Each and every tech founder has a new plan to revolutionise the way we do something, pure of hope for what their technologies will offer. Their ambition precedes any sort of recognition of the potential adverse ethical consequences of their technologies, however. AI especially embodies this thought process, encapsulated by the strong desire to immediately see how far we can go in terms of building super intelligence.
Reckless exploration into the unknown limits of AI is rash and precipitates a cataclysmic event in the domain of AI. While this event is undoubtedly far in the future, we still stand at a precipice currently, wherein change is necessary to mitigate the risk of AI. Action is needed right now to curb our ambition and create reason in the field of AI to guide years of safe, thoughtful AI development to avoid going down a path where there is no return from.
This foresight requires a leading voice for AI, who understands the existential risks presented by this technology. For a long time, many thought the voice of reason could be Elon Musk, a man whose fame originally consisted of his extreme fear of AI. Neuralink instead depicts a failure to demonstrate the reluctance and foresight required to develop ethical AI. Left in the dark at this precipice, the future of AI is incredibly hard to discern. The only certainty is our dire need for a change to the way we innovate.
[2] https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/23899981/elon-musk-ai-neuralink-brain-computer-interface
[3] https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-pcrm-neuralink-monkey-deaths/
[4] https://www.pcrm.org/news/news-releases/us-department-agriculture-look-monkey-experiments-funded-elon-musks-neuralink
Edited by Tiffany Murnaghan
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