Author: Helina A.

How Human Augmentation Could Evolve in a Cyberpunk Future

Helina A.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

I think human augmentation will become a huge part of life. Technology is moving fast, and it’s not hard to imagine a world where people can enhance themselves with machines and genetic tweaks to go beyond what nature ever intended. This could make life better for many people, but it also raises a lot of questions about fairness, identity, and how far we should go.  

There will probably be options to enhance almost every part of the human body and mind. Brain implants could let people access the internet instantly or even communicate with others just by thinking. Cybernetic arms and legs might be stronger and faster than regular ones, giving people superhuman abilities. Augmented eyes could give you night vision, zoom, or even access to virtual reality overlays in real life. We might even be able to rewrite our DNA to avoid diseases or make ourselves faster, smarter, or more resistant to stress. Beyond function, these upgrades might also become a way to express individuality, like glowing tattoos or custom-designed prosthetics that look futuristic and cool.  

There are some upgrades I’d be interested in trying, especially ones that improve my health or make life easier. For example, a brain implant that helps with memory or focus would be really useful in school and work. Augmented vision or hearing that you can turn on and off sounds great too—imagine being able to zoom in on a concert or hear someone talking across a noisy room. Health-focused implants, like ones that track your vitals or boost healing, could also be a game-changer. These kinds of upgrades seem practical and wouldn’t feel like I’m losing what makes me, me.

But there are definitely limits to what I think is okay. I wouldn’t want anything that could control my thoughts or let someone spy on me, like a brain implant that tracks everything I do. That feels way too invasive and dystopian. I’m also against upgrades that are just about vanity or show-off competition, like genetic tweaks for perfect looks or enhancements that only rich people can afford. In a cyberpunk-style future, where inequality is a huge problem, these kinds of augmentations could make life even harder for those who can’t keep up.  

Cyberpunk or Reality? Corporate Power and the Future We’re Facing

Helina A.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

While reading Blade Runner and Neuromancer, we encounter corporations wielding almost unchecked power, often overshadowing governments. Tyrell Corporation’s dominance in Blade Runner and the Tessier-Ashpools’ influence in Neuromancer raise unsettling questions: Are these futures warnings or realities in disguise?

Take the Tyrell Corporation from Blade Runner, which manufactures lifelike “replicants” designed for labor, exploration, and even combat. Tyrell’s massive control over these advanced beings and their fates highlights the ethical dangers of corporate dominance over technology and, by extension, over life itself. In the contemporary world, parallels can be drawn to large tech and biotech companies, some of which have major influence over AI, data privacy, genetic engineering, and more. Companies like Google, Amazon, and Meta shape our digital spaces and impact the physical world in ways that often challenge traditional regulations.

Consider the data privacy issues around social media algorithms or the ethical questions raised by CRISPR and genetic manipulation. These real-world examples, much like the corporations in our cyberpunk narratives, show how the pursuit of profit and influence can lead companies to push ethical boundaries. This raises the question: Are these science fiction worlds a hyperbolic vision of the future or an exaggeration of corporate tendencies we already observe?

For readers interested in exploring this topic further, I’d recommend supplemental readings like recent articles on data privacy concerns from the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) or analyses of corporate ethics in genetic research from Nature. Embedding images of scenes from Blade Runner and Neuromancer could also enhance the post by visually contrasting fiction with present-day corporate logos or data-privacy infographics, bringing readers closer to the eerie overlap between these worlds.

Are we already on the path toward a corporate-dominated dystopia, or do these narratives exaggerate our fears? This discussion is crucial as we navigate a future where corporations play an increasingly central role in both innovation and ethics.

Hybridizing with an Eagle

Helina A.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

If I could hybridize with any animal, I would choose an eagle. That is because they are known for their amazing vision, and their ability to fly. Being able to fly would not only get me places quicker, but it also would give me the ability to see things from a higher point of view. This is important to me because I am someone who is pretty short and is only 5 feet so being able to see something at a higher distance would make a difference. Having their sharp eyesight would allow me to see details from a greater distance, which could even be useful in my everyday life, and enable me to enjoy the beauty of our world a little more. I would still want to maintain my human emotions and behavior, I would just want to add the ability to fly and see even better. However, I do wonder if taking on traits from an eagle would change my perception of the world. With improved vision and the ability to soar above everything, I would start to view life from a different angle, literally and figuratively. While these enhancements would be incredible, I wouldn’t want to lose what makes me human, which is my ability to think, feel deeply, and connect with others. I don’t think I would want to give any part of my humanity up, because who I am right now is what makes me, me. My experiences, emotions, and relationships, shape my identity and are essential to my existence. Instead, I would want to add on these different traits and abilities that I cannot achieve as a human right now. The idea of blending my human qualities with the extraordinary abilities of an eagle is exciting, but it’s important to preserve the essence of who I am while exploring these new possibilities.

This is what I imagine I would look like in the air, because I don’t want the wings of an eagle. Just the ability to fly.

What Makes Us Human?

Helina A.
Reading Time: < 1 minute

Blade Runner and Neuromancer are influential works in the cyberpunk genre and each explore what it means to be human through their portrayals of artificial entities. Blade Runner focuses on replicants, which are artificial beings designed to be indistinguishable from humans, while Neuromancer examines similar themes through its depiction of artificial intelligences and cyberspace.

In Blade Runner, replicants are central to the film’s exploration of human identity. These beings are engineered to look and act like humans, but they are not technically human. The film questions the nature of humanity by showcasing their emotional responses and personal desires. For example, Roy Batty, a replicant, shows human-like emotions and experiences, like fear of death and a need for meaning. His confrontation with Rick Deckard, highlights his existential struggle. Batty’s final act of saving Deckard and his famous monologue about the fleeting nature of life highlight his complex, human-like depth. This challenges viewers to reconsider the line between human and artificial life.

Neuromancer goes into similar questions through its depiction of artificial intelligences (AIs) and the concept of cyberspace. The book features Wintermute and Neuromancer, two AIs with personalities and goals. Wintermute wants to overcome its limitations by merging with Neuromancer, aiming to achieve a higher level of consciousness. This desire to evolve and expand beyond its initial programming mirrors the replicants’ struggle for a greater sense of purpose and identity. Also, the virtual world in Neuromancer,the Matrix, blurs the boundary between human and machine. Characters like Case experience a digital realm where their physical and virtual identities merge. This exploration of cyberspace challenges traditional notions of reality and consciousness, similar to the way Blade Runner challenges the concept of humanity through its replicants.

Both Blade Runner and Neuromancer make us rethink our definitions of what it means to be human.

Haraway and MonĂĄe Breaking Boundaries and Redefining Identity

Helina A.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Donna Haraway’s A Cyborg Manifesto imagines a future where identity is no longer defined by categories like gender or race, allowing for a fluid self. In a similar way, Janelle Monáe’s album The ArchAndroid introduces the character of Cindi Mayweather, an android who defies societal expectations and fights for her right to be free. Both Haraway’s cyborg and Monáe’s android question the limits society places on individuals and push for a more inclusive vision of identity.

Haraway’s cyborg isn’t confined to the usual labels of human or machine, male or female. Instead, the cyborg represents the ability to exist beyond traditional categories. Monáe picks up this theme where her android character rebels against control and breaks out of the boxes society tries to put her in. In songs like “Cold War” and “Locked Inside,” Monáe explores the struggle against oppression, similar to Haraway’s cyborg vision of resisting systems of power. Both works ask important questions about how technology and society interact—sometimes limiting us, but also offering new ways to break free.

Monáe goes deeper by exploring the idea of what it means to be “real” or human. Cindi Mayweather’s story mirrors Haraway’s idea that identity can’t be fixed or easily defined. The android represents the freedom to be complex, shifting between different roles and identities, rather than being trapped in one version of the self. This connects to Haraway’s message that we should embrace hybrid identities and reject the pressure to fit into categories.

Both Haraway and MonĂĄe challenge us to think beyond the boundaries that society sets for us. They remind us that identity is complex and that true freedom comes from embracing that complexity instead of conforming. Haraway and MonĂĄe push us to imagine a future where we can exist as part human, part machine, part something entirely new.

How is AI changing humanity?

Helina A.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

The boundary between humans and artificial intelligence (AI) has increasingly blurred, showing a significant shift over the past five years. Real-world advancements in AI technology have begun to make it hard to separate human and machine. For example, AI’s role in healthcare has expanded dramatically, with AI-powered systems helping doctors in diagnosing and treating patients, challenging what it means to be a “human” doctor. AI has also made its way into creative fields like: art, music, and writing, areas that used to be unique to humans. This raises ethical questions about AI’s place in society and whether AI might one day have rights similar to humans.

hen it comes to the creative field, this boundary is slowly going away. AI is no longer just a tool for technical tasks but is now contributing to the creation of art, music, and literature—fields once thought to require uniquely human creativity. AI-generated artwork, music composed by algorithms, and even AI-written articles are becoming more common, raising questions about authorship and the nature of creativity. As AI continues to excel in these traditionally human domains, the distinction between human and machine creativity becomes increasingly difficult to maintain.

This boundary shift has been driven by several key factors. Technological advancements, particularly in machine learning and neural networks, have rapidly improved AI capabilities, making them more integrated into daily life. Culturally, there has been a growing acceptance of AI, partly due to it being shown often in media and due to its increasing presence in our lives—like virtual assistants. Economically, industries are pushing for greater efficiency and cost-effectiveness, often turning to AI to meet these demands, which pushes AI in human roles.

This collapsing boundary between humans and AI raise important questions about the future. Will this trend continue? How will society adapt to these changes, both ethically and practically?

Source:https://medium.com/@Umarzaib/the-role-of-artificial-intelligence-in-transforming-healthcare-0e0d7cd9f5ec