| Concept | |
| Concerns | Ethics • fairness • policy |
| Industry | Skill-building |
| Applications | Sports training • Artistic training • Cognitive enhancement |
| Skill enhancement | Athletics • creativity • reasoning • physical abilities • mental abilities |
| Alternate timeline | True |
| Philosophical question | What it means to be naturally talented or a human being |
The development and widespread use of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) has enabled humans to directly enhance a wide range of both physical and mental skills. In this alternate timeline, BCIs have become a common means of self-improvement that takes place in multiple domains.
Two primary types of BCIs are used for skill-building purposes. Implantable devices require brain surgery to be inserted, but can provide highly detailed and accurate brainwave mapping to help program skills. [[Non-invasive]{#narrow-id-5} devices], such as electrode-studded helmets, are less precise but can still be effective for a variety of skill enhancements.
Hard skills, such as athletic coordination and mastery of fine motor movements, can be imparted through BCI skill-building. Musicians and Artists can learn new playing and digital rendering techniques in a fraction of the time it would normally take through traditional instruction.
Soft skills like creativity and divergent thinking can be honed via BCIs, improving productivity and problem-solving ability. Even personality characteristics, such as charisma and leadership, can be enhanced using these brain-training devices.
The impact of BCIs on skill-building has had a dramatic effect on many industries, particularly sports and the arts. Coaches increasingly rely on programming skills into players, rather than actual training, to improve their craft and performance. Musicians and artists use the technology to learn and perfect complex techniques.
A new industry formed around BCI skills programming, with companies offering tailored skill-sets for a wide range of uses and clientele. At the consumer level, individuals can purchase pre-packaged "skill kits," offering common skills such as teamwork, critical thinking, and social intelligence.
The ethical and social implications of this technology are profound and have sparked intense debate from all sides. Some embrace it as a means of human enhancement and self-actualization, while others argue that it is inherently unequal and poses serious threats to the human condition. Legal battles over BCI-enhanced performance in sports and intellectual property rights of "programmed" skills continue to this day.
Governments grapple with the regulation of skill-building, weighing concerns over safety, privacy, and the dehumanizing effects against the potential economic benefits and improved public welfare. The question of whether to make access to BCI training broadly available or limit it to a select few remains unresolved, as society charts a course into an unimaginable future.
