'Took a page from Elon Musk's book of parenting': Billionaire CEO sparks outrage with sci-fi parenting plan to ‘stay relevant' in AI age
The Neuralink Dream, or Nightmare?
Silicon Valley's Wild Take on Parenthood
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Forget diapers, cribs, or college funds. For Alexandr Wang , billionaire CEO of Scale AI and a rising architect of artificial superintelligence at Meta, the decision to have children hinges on something far more futuristic: brain-computer interfaces . Specifically, he's waiting for Elon Musk 's Neuralink—or similar tech—to become advanced enough to merge babies' brains with AI from birth.Yes, you read that right. The 28-year-old AI wunderkind is putting off parenthood until brain implants are ready for newborns.In a recent episode of The Shawn Ryan Show, Wang explained, 'I want to wait to have kids until we figure out how Neuralink or other brain-computer interfaces start working.' He believes that if children grow up with this tech embedded from the earliest years—when the brain is most malleable—they could evolve into a generation that "uses [AI] in crazy, crazy ways."This revelation, which some have called visionary, others outright dystopian, has ignited a social media firestorm—and prompted many to question how far Silicon Valley is willing to push the human-machine frontier.Wang's reference point is Musk's Neuralink, which hit a major milestone in early 2024 when a paralyzed patient successfully posted a tweet using only their thoughts. Since then, developments like 'Blindsight'—a device aiming to restore vision via neural stimulation—have pushed the boundaries of what brain-computer integration can achieve.Wang's logic rests on the concept of neuroplasticity—the brain's ability to reorganize and adapt, especially during early childhood. 'Kids born with these technologies will learn how to use them like second nature,' he predicted, drawing parallels to how today's toddlers swipe iPads before they can even talk.But even Wang acknowledged the risks, conceding, 'It is potentially dangerous… but we just are gonna have to do it if humans are to remain relevant.'Wang's statement has drawn fierce backlash online. Reddit users were quick to label his reasoning as detached from human reality. 'Holy s**, installing it in a baby is a huge leap and needs to wait until we have thoroughly vetted it,'* one user posted. Others compared Wang's parenting ambitions to Elon Musk's infamous 'legion of children' plan.'He's clearly taken a page from Elon's book of parenting,' one commenter quipped, referencing Musk's goal to populate the Earth with dozens of genetically gifted offspring—often through unconventional or surrogate means.This isn't the first time Wang has raised eyebrows with his philosophical musings about AI. As one of the youngest self-made billionaires, his bold vision often blurs the lines between technological ambition and science fiction. But with this latest comment, critics fear the ambition has crossed into something more troubling—viewing children not as individuals, but as conduits for digital evolution.The deeper issue critics raise is the underlying ideology: that human biology is too slow to keep pace with AI, and therefore must be 'upgraded' from birth. It's a mindset that seems to ignore the emotional, ethical, and medical complexities of child-rearing in favor of transhumanist ideals.Mary Sabat, a nutritionist who has commented on the role of neurodevelopment in childhood, wasn't directly addressing Wang's ideas—but her concerns over early-life tech integration resonate. 'It's important to focus on developmentally balanced exposure,' she noted in a separate USA TODAY report on nutrition and brain health in children.Wang's perspective, on the other hand, reimagines children as native users of superintelligence—born not just to live in a digital world, but to be fused with it.If Neuralink and its rivals—like Synchron and Motif Neurotech—continue progressing, Wang's AI-native child may not remain hypothetical for long. Synchron is already working with Apple to turn brain signals into smartphone inputs. Motif is testing mood-stabilizing implants for mental health disorders.Still, bioethicists and tech-watchers warn that the race toward AI-human integration shouldn't come at the cost of consent, safety, or childhood innocence.
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