If given the opportunity, would you want an implant in your brain that gave you heightened mental abilities?

👍 Definitely want (13%) – "I lost my sense of smell in an accident and I would like to know if I can get it back."

• "Because of the book Insignia by S.J. Kincaid and the fact that I believe in the development of advanced technology."

🤔 Probably want (15%) – "Let's just say I wouldn't be an early adapter, but I am intrigued by the thought of being able to maximize my ability to communicate and think."

• "There is so much to know nowadays and to be on top of everything is impossible. I would love to be able to expand my capabilities to learn more. I would be slightly leery of the insertion process, would absolutely need to know about side effects, as well as long term use effects. I definitely wouldn’t be the first in line but I’d be giving it some serious thought."

😬 Probably not want (22%) – "Would love to have super powers... but I'm not going to be their corporate guinea pig. I'll wait until someone comes up with solid anti-virus, ad-block, and open sourced before it goes in my head."

• "I don’t have the need for one right now. However, if I were to develop some sort of disability in the future, I imagine it would be hard to pass up on."

👎 Definitely not want (36%) – "I believe that humans have a certain ability and that it should not be heightened by a technological chip inside someone's brain. There could be many downsides to this situation. If everybody had a chip in their brain, what if they malfunctioned? Or how easy would it be to get the chip implanted? What about schools, or the fairness of grades? I think that we should just live by what we already know."

• "The best learning comes from trial, failing, and discovery, whether intentional or serendipitous. Chips that would enhance mental abilities would take the humanization out of this process."

"I was MADE to be this way. Aside from questionable business ethics and zero legal protection, I refuse to let technology enter my body. I am the one in charge, and I flat-out refuse to give ANYONE (in whatever form) gain control of my body. Period!"

• "I definitely do not want a company to have direct access to my brain. They already clutter my social media feeds and other high-traffic areas with advertisements, why wouldn't they want ads to go straight to my brain?"

"We don’t know enough about the brain as it is. It also has so many nefarious uses.. it’s not out of the question to believe the potential for mind control is huge. I’m not going to trust that a corporation or a government has my best interest at heart when so many bad actors can get involved.. it’s potentially a great idea for people with disabilities but it wouldn’t stop there. We can’t even get a handle on AI."

🤷 Unsure/other (14%) – "I wouldn't want the implant in my brain just to have it, but if there were a medical reason to get it and I had no other feasible alternatives I would be one of the first to volunteer. The implications of people having 'heightened mental abilities' just to have them has far-reaching consequences. Using technology to help people increase quality of life when they wouldn't otherwise have it is a different story."

• "I’m all-in on using this technology for helping out those with disabilities. But I’m very concerned with the ethics of augmenting humans beyond our normal limits. It’s not too hard to imagine a world where those with means gain a distinct mental advantage over those without."