Meta AI chief says he wants to wait for Elon Musk’s Neuralink before having kids

Meta AI chief Alexandr Wang expressed his intention to postpone fatherhood until brain-computer interfaces, such as Elon Musk's Neuralink, reach a more advanced stage. The tech executive made this statement during a podcast interview where he discussed the future of AI, human development, and brain-computer interfaces. Wang believes that allowing Neuralink or similar technologies to mature before having children will enable his offspring to leverage the technology in ways adults cannot, due to the unique phase of brain development in early childhood.

Wang cited the high neuroplasticity of a child's brain during the first seven years of life, comparing it to an order of magnitude higher than at any other point in their life. He used the example of children born with cataracts, stating that if the cataracts were not treated during the crucial early years, the child's vision may not develop normally, even after corrective surgery later in life.

Wang drew a parallel to the potential impact of brain-computer interfaces, stating that when Neuralink and other similar technologies become widely available, children born with them will learn to use them in innovative and remarkable ways. Wang also connected his thoughts on brain-computer interfaces to the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence, expressing his belief that AI will become increasingly powerful and take various forms, including robots and other systems.