Chip in your brain? UAE futurist expects 'science fiction to become reality' as soon as next year

Belhoul listed seven changes he expected, including the appointment of the first AI board member by a Fortune 500 company

Nasreen Abdulla

Published: Tue 19 Nov 2024, 12:40 PM

Last updated: Tue 19 Nov 2024, 2:52 PM

In the next year, a computer chip may be implanted into the brain of a healthy person, a UAE futurist predicted.

“What once felt like science fiction will become reality,” Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of Dubai Future Foundation said, speaking at the opening of the Dubai Future Forum (DFF) on Tuesday. “It opens possibilities we've only dreamt of. Enhancing memory, improving focus, even interacting with technology through thought alone.”

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He explained that Elon Musk's Neuralink has already implanted brain chips into two patients with spinal cord injuries. However, soon brain chips may be trialled on healthy people, Belhoul predicted. “This breakthrough will redefine connections,” he added.

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Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of Dubai Future Foundation, delivers the welcome address on the Dubai Future Forum 2024 opening day. KT Photo: Muhammad Sajjad

However, he added that it raises profound questions as well. “Indeed, brain computer implants have been a controversial topic for a while. What does it mean to blur the line between human and machine? Does this redefine what it means to be human?” he asked.

The largest gathering of futurists in the world, the DFF will see more than 2,500 representatives from over 100 countries discuss and debate about various futuristic topics including the concept of time, philanthropy, healthcare and longevity. Returning for its third edition, the forum will take place over two days at the Museum of Future.

KT Photo: Muhammad Sajjad

First AI board member

In his speech, Belhoul listed seven changes he expected in the world over the course of the next year. One of it was that the world will see a Fortune 500 company appoint its first artificial intelligence (AI) board member. “We've seen AI accomplish incredible things, from diagnosing diseases, to driving cars, predicting financial trends, and even creating arts,” he said. “But we've also seen the emergence of AI in executive roles. Last year, the first AI humanoid CEO was appointed leader of a company to lead with data-driven precision.

"I expect a Fortune 500 company to have its first AI board member in the upcoming year. This will force us to rethink what it actually means to lead. Can AI possess vision and purpose? Or will it simply optimise for efficiency?”

KT Photo: Muhammad Sajjad

In recent years, technology has been used in a wide number of fields, including healthcare.

Belhoul explained how international genome banks may soon reach one million samples. Both UAE and UK genome banks already have more than half a million samples, he said.

“It means we're entering an era where healthcare can truly become personalised, where we can anticipate and prevent certain diseases before they even develop,” he said. “But it also gives rise to profound questions about how we will use this knowledge responsibly. This one million milestone would not just be a scientific achievement, it would be a gateway to reshaping our approach to health and identifying and human protection.”

KT Photo: Muhammad Sajjad

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