Classic episode: Can technology make us more than human?

A human and robot shaking hands with "Can technology make us more than human" overlaid.

Using technology to achieve things normally outside the grasp of the average person has been a dream of humanity since the dawn of time. From Icarus to Star Trek and beyond, our works of fiction are plump with characters who use technology to augment their body’s abilities – but increasingly science fact is catching up with science fiction.

In this classic episode of the ITPro podcast, first broadcast in March 2021, Adam and Jane discuss the state of human augmentation technology and if it will ever have a place in business.

Highlights

“Where do you draw the line? Is a car human augmentation technology? I mean, it lets you move along a lot faster than your natural feet do. Is a telephone human augmentation? I think unless you set a pretty clearer boundary it gets a bit ridiculous before too long.”

“I think a lot of people are in danger of thinking of this as a big bang, rather than more incremental, longer term, step by step that really most technology is. There are occasionally huge leaps in progress, but it’s rare … so I don’t think there will be a chance to be the first [augmented human].”

“I think for a good long time, if not forever, it’s going to remain just in the world of medicine unless you can take some of the elements of dirty, dangerous work – which you normally use automation to deal with – if you can also use augmentation to deal with some of it then that would be the area of application.”

Footnotes

Jane McCallion is ITPro's deputy editor, specializing in cloud computing, cyber security, data centers and enterprise IT infrastructure. Before becoming Deputy Editor, she held the role of Features Editor, managing a pool of freelance and internal writers, while continuing to specialise in enterprise IT infrastructure, and business strategy.

Jane holds an MA in journalism from Goldsmiths, University of London, and a BA in Applied Languages from the University of Portsmouth. She is fluent in French and Spanish, and has written features in both languages.

Prior to joining ITPro, Jane was a freelance business journalist writing as both Jane McCallion and Jane Bordenave for titles such as European CEO, World Finance, and Business Excellence Magazine.