Navigating the ethical landscape of neural implants and biotechnology

Navigating the ethical landscape of neural implants and biotechnology

Navigating the ethical landscape of neural implants and biotechnology
Privacy advocates worry that implanting chips in humans could lead to unprecedented levels of surveillance. (Shutterstock image)
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In the bustling metropolis of Techville, where Silicon Valley meets the cityscape, the latest buzz is not about the newest iPhone or the most advanced electric car. No, dear citizens, it is about something far more intricate and potentially invasive: The ethics of artificial intelligence.

Enter Ms. Sophie Smart, the quintessential Techville resident, armed with a keen intellect, a penchant for coffee, and concerns aplenty. As she navigates the city’s labyrinthine streets, her musings on the intersection of technology and morality have become the stuff of legend.

“I mean, sure, AI is all well and good until it starts deciding what burger I should order for dinner,” Sophie quips, her brow furrowing in mock seriousness. “But when we start talking about implanting chips in humans and animals, well, that’s when things get dicey.”

And dicey they have become, indeed. With advancements in neural implants and biotechnology, the prospect of enhancing cognitive abilities or even interfacing directly with the digital realm is no longer the stuff of science fiction.

But as philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once said: “He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster in the process.”

The ethical implications of such technologies are as vast and complex as the digital networks they inhabit. On one hand, proponents argue that chip implants could revolutionize health care, allowing for real-time monitoring of vital signs and immediate intervention in case of emergency.

“It’s all about efficiency,” says Dr. Max Liver, a leading researcher in the field of neuroinformatics. “With chip implants, we could potentially save countless lives by detecting health issues before they become critical.”

But for every potential benefit, there is a lurking shadow of concern. Privacy advocates worry that implanting chips in humans could lead to unprecedented levels of surveillance, with every thought and action monitored and analyzed by unseen algorithms.

The prospect of enhancing cognitive abilities or even interfacing directly with the digital realm is no longer the stuff of science fiction.

Rafael Hernandez de Santiago

“I don’t know about you, but the idea of some AI snooping around in my brain gives me the heebie-jeebies,” Sophie remarks, shuddering theatrically. “I value my privacy, thank you very much.”

And then there is the question of equality. As philosopher John Stuart Mill famously opined: “The worth of a state, in the long run, is the worth of the individuals composing it.” Will chip implants create a new class of enhanced humans, leaving the rest of us mere mortals in the dust?

“It’s like the Olympics, but for brains,” Sophie says, a wry smile playing at the corners of her lips. “Pretty soon, we’ll have gold, silver, and bronze medals for cognitive performance.”

But it is not just humans who stand to benefit — or suffer — from the rise of AI and chip implants. Animal rights activists have raised concerns about the potential exploitation of our furry and feathered friends in the name of scientific progress.

Indeed, the prospect of implanting chips in animals raises a host of ethical dilemmas. While some argue that such technology could help track and protect endangered species, others fear that it could be used to control and manipulate animal behavior for human gain.

“It’s a slippery slope,” Sophie notes, her tone turning serious. “We have to tread carefully and consider the consequences of our actions, both for humans and for the creatures who share our world.”

As the sun sets over the glittering skyline of Techville, one thing is clear: The debate over AI and ethics is far from over. Whether we embrace the future with open arms, or approach it with caution and skepticism, one thing remains certain: The chips are down and the stakes have never been higher.

Rafael Hernandez de Santiago, viscount of Espes, is a Spanish national residing in Saudi Arabia and working at the Gulf Research Center.

Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers in this section are their own and do not necessarily reflect Arab News' point of view

German president: accept that US won’t heed international rules

German president: accept that US won’t heed international rules
Updated 4 min 4 sec ago
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German president: accept that US won’t heed international rules

German president: accept that US won’t heed international rules
  • “We have to accept that and we can deal with it,” Steinmeier said at the Munich Security Conference

FRANKFURT: Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the international community will have to deal with a disregard by the new US administration for established diplomatic rules.
“The new American administration has a very different world view to ours, one that has no regard for established rules, partnership and grown trust,” said the German head of state, whose office is largely ceremonial.
“We have to accept that and we can deal with it. But I am convinced that it is not in the interests of the international community for this world view to become the dominant paradigm,” he added, speaking at the Munich Security Conference on Friday.


Israel says received names of 3 hostages to be freed Saturday

Israel says received names of 3 hostages to be freed Saturday
Updated 27 min 30 sec ago
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Israel says received names of 3 hostages to be freed Saturday

Israel says received names of 3 hostages to be freed Saturday
  • One of them is being held by Hamas’s militant ally Islamic Jihad
  • Israel had warned Hamas that it must free three living hostages this weekend or face a resumption of the war

JERUSALEM: Israel said Friday it had received the names of three hostages to be freed by militants this weekend, after a crisis in the ceasefire threatened to plunge Gaza back into war.
The hostages due for release Saturday are Israeli-Russian Sasha Trupanov, Israeli-American Sagui Dekel-Chen and Israeli-Argentinian Yair Horn, the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.
One of them is being held by Hamas’s militant ally Islamic Jihad, which participated in the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that sparked the war in Gaza.
Israel had warned Hamas that it must free three living hostages this weekend or face a resumption of the war, after the group said it would pause releases over what it described as Israeli violations of the Gaza truce.
The January 19 ceasefire has been under massive strain since President Donald Trump proposed a US takeover of the territory, under which Gaza’s population of more than two million would be moved to Egypt or Jordan.
Arab countries have come together to reject the plan, and Saudi Arabia will on February 20 host the leaders of Egypt, Jordan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates for a summit on the issue.
The releases of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, as agreed under the terms of the truce, have brought much-needed relief to families on both sides of the war, but the emaciated state of the Israeli captives freed last week sparked anger in Israel and beyond.
“The latest release operations reinforce the urgent need for ICRC access to those held hostage,” the International Committee of the Red Cross, which has facilitated the exchanges, said in a statement Friday.
“We remain very concerned about the conditions of the hostages.”
Following Hamas’s handover ceremony last week, during which the captives were forced to speak, the ICRC appealed for future handovers to be more private and dignified.
Israeli-American hostage Keith Siegel, who was released in a previous exchange nearly two weeks ago, described mistreatment during his captivity in a video message.
“I am a survivor. I was held for 484 days in unimaginable conditions, every single day felt like it could be my last,” he said.
“I was starved and I was tortured, both physically and emotionally.”
Trump, whose proposal to take over Gaza and move its 2.4 million residents to Egypt or Jordan sparked global outcry, warned this week that “hell” would break loose if Hamas failed to release “all” remaining hostages by noon on Saturday.
Israel later insisted Hamas release “three living hostages” on Saturday.
“If those three are not released, if Hamas does not return our hostages, by Saturday noon, the ceasefire will end,” said government spokesman David Mencer.
If fighting resumes, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said it would not just lead to the “defeat of Hamas and the release of all the hostages,” but also “allow the realization of US President Trump’s vision for Gaza.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was due in Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to discuss the ceasefire after attending the Munich Security Conference, where he will hold talks on Ukraine.
Katz last week ordered the Israeli army to prepare for “voluntary” departures from Gaza, and the military said it had already begun reinforcing its troops around the territory.
Mairav Zonszein of the International Crisis Group said despite their public disputes, Israel and Hamas were still interested in maintaining the truce and have not “given up on anything yet.”
“They’re just playing power games,” she said.
Arab countries have put on a rare show of unity in their rejection of Trump’s proposal for Gaza.
After the Riyadh summit, the Arab League will convene in Cairo on February 27 to discuss the same issue.
Trump has threatened to cut off a vital aid lifeline to long-standing allies Jordan and Egypt should they refuse to come on board.
Jordan is already home to more than two million Palestinian refugees. More than half of the country’s population of 11 million is of Palestinian origin.
Egypt put forward its own proposal for the reconstruction of Gaza under a framework that would allow for the Palestinians to remain in the territory.
Palestinians in Gaza have also voiced opposition to the plan.
For Palestinians, any forced displacement evokes memories of the “Nakba,” or catastrophe — the mass displacement of their ancestors during Israel’s creation in 1948.
“Who is Trump? Is he God almighty? The land of Jordan is for Jordanians, and the land of Egypt belongs to Egyptians,” said Gaza City resident Abu Mohamed Al-Husari.
“We are here, deeply rooted in Gaza — the resilient, besieged and unbreakable Gaza.”
Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,211 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures.
Militants also took 251 hostages, of whom 73 remain in Gaza, including at least 35 the Israeli military says are dead.
Israel’s retaliatory campaign has killed at least 48,239 people in Gaza, the majority of them civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory that the UN considers reliable.


Habib Bank, S&P Global launch Pakistan’s first index to track manufacturing sector

Habib Bank, S&P Global launch Pakistan’s first index to track manufacturing sector
Updated 46 min 55 sec ago
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Habib Bank, S&P Global launch Pakistan’s first index to track manufacturing sector

Habib Bank, S&P Global launch Pakistan’s first index to track manufacturing sector
  • The index will be a standardized economic indicator based on a survey of a diverse panel of industries
  • It will help track economic developments in Pakistan, support decision making by financial institutions

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s largest bank, Habib Bank Limited (HBL), and global financial information and analytics firm S&P Global have launched a new index to track the country’s manufacturing sector, the companies said on Friday.
Rising taxes and power tariffs have led to social unrest and hammered industries in Pakistan’s $350 billion economy, as it navigates a tricky path to recovery under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program approved in September.
The HBL S&P Global Purchasing Managers’ Index will be a standardized economic indicator based on a survey of a diverse panel of industries.
It will be Pakistan’s first comprehensive manufacturing index and a welcome source of information for investors in a country where economic data is scarce.
The industries will be asked about their perceptions of current business conditions and future expectations and the index will be released on the first working day of each month, the companies said in a statement.
“The launch of Pakistan’s first ever PMI is a significant event contributing to the accessibility of timely and high-frequency data to track economic developments in Pakistan and support decision making by financial institutions, investors and businesses,” said Luke Thompson, Managing Director of S&P Global Market Intelligence, in a statement.
Muhammad Nassir Salim, President & CEO of HBL said the series will enhance investor confidence and transparency in Pakistan’s economy.


Saudi Arabia praises US-Russia call, welcomes possible summit in Kingdom

Ukrainian President Zelensky, US President Trump and Russian President Putin. (AFP/AP)
Ukrainian President Zelensky, US President Trump and Russian President Putin. (AFP/AP)
Updated 44 sec ago
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Saudi Arabia praises US-Russia call, welcomes possible summit in Kingdom

Ukrainian President Zelensky, US President Trump and Russian President Putin. (AFP/AP)
  • Foreign ministry statement reaffirmed Kingdom’s commitment to mediating resolution to war in Ukraine

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Friday welcomed a recent phone call between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as the possibility of hosting a summit between the two leaders in the Kingdom, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia commends the phone call that took place between His Excellency President Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America, and His Excellency President Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, on February 12, 2025,” the statement read.

It further expressed Saudi Arabia’s readiness to host any potential summit and reaffirmed its commitment to mediating a resolution to the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has reiterated the Kingdom’s support for mediation since the beginning of the war, and during separate calls with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on March 3, 2022.

“The Kingdom affirms its continued efforts to achieve lasting peace between Russia and Ukraine,” the statement added, underscoring Riyadh’s ongoing diplomatic initiatives over the past three years.


LEAP 2025 concludes with multi-billion dollar investments and global expansion

LEAP 2025 concludes with multi-billion dollar investments and global expansion
Updated 56 min 1 sec ago
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LEAP 2025 concludes with multi-billion dollar investments and global expansion

LEAP 2025 concludes with multi-billion dollar investments and global expansion

The fourth edition of LEAP 2025, held in Riyadh, has reinforced Saudi Arabia’s position as a global hub for artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and digital infrastructure investments, securing total investments exceeding $14.9 billion.

It was the region’s premier technology event, which concluded at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Center in Malham under the theme “Into New Horizons.”

The milestone highlighted the Kingdom’s growing influence in the digital economy and innovation landscape.

The success of LEAP 2025 is a testament to the unwavering support of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, whose vision continues to drive Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation.

This aligns with Vision 2030’s objectives, solidifying the Kingdom’s leadership in technology, AI, and entrepreneurship.

As a global platform, LEAP brings together top thinkers, industry leaders, and investors to drive innovation and accelerate the shift toward a prosperous and sustainable digital economy.

Organized by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, in collaboration with the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming, and Drones and Tahaluf Company, LEAP 2025 featured over 200,000 attendees; participation from 1,800 international and local entities; more than 1,000 global speakers; a showcase of 680 startups; and major deals with asset managers overseeing $22 trillion in portfolios

These figures underscore Saudi Arabia’s role as a global innovation hub, attracting top-tier companies and talent in the tech sector.

LEAP 2025 witnessed the announcement of landmark investments that will accelerate digital growth in the Kingdom, including a $1.5 billion partnership between Groq and Aramco Digital to boost AI-powered cloud computing investments; a $2 billion investment between Saudi-based Alat and China’s Lenovo to establish an advanced AI and robotics-driven manufacturing and technology hub; and the launch of several digital infrastructure and innovation projects, reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s position as a top destination for global tech investments.

Eng. Abdullah Alswaha, minister of communications and information technology, emphasized that LEAP 2025 reflects the Kingdom’s leadership in global technology innovation.

He said that the international investments and success achieved by Saudi Arabia’s technology sector "are a direct result of the support and empowerment" of the crown prince.

"This momentum drives Saudi Arabia toward its Vision 2030 goals, strengthening its position as a leader in AI, digital transformation, and entrepreneurship,” he added.

Faisal Al-Khamissi, chairman of the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming, and Drones and Chairman of Tahaluf, said: “None of these achievements would have been possible without the support and vision of the crown prince, who has transformed Saudi Arabia into a global hub for advanced technology, innovation, and a sustainable digital economy.

“LEAP 2025 was not just a tech event — it was the largest and most impactful edition to date. It connected startups with investors, drove innovation, and unlocked new opportunities for entrepreneurs.”

Al-Khamissi added: "LEAP will expand globally, with two editions planned for 2026 — one in Riyadh and another in Hong Kong. This marks a significant step in Saudi Arabia’s leadership in the global digital economy and AI-driven innovation."

LEAP 2025 has already accelerated the growth of several startups, with notable success stories including Ejari, which started with a small booth at LEAP and secured a $1 million seed round, followed by another $15 million investment. It has since expanded its team to over 30 employees and attracted $50 million in business opportunities.

Data Lexing, a Saudi startup that debuted at LEAP 2022, has since expanded to 10 international markets with over 2,000 clients, 65% of whom are outside Saudi Arabia.

Quant secured $2 million in investment in a single day at LEAP.

With its record-breaking deals, global partnerships, and visionary expansion plans, LEAP continues to shape the future of AI, innovation, and technology investment worldwide.