Could Mind Uploading Become a Reality?

Could Mind Uploading Become a Reality?

This article relates to UnWorld

In Jayson Greene's novel UnWorld, people can create sentient copies of their memories. The concept of creating a digital afterlife may sound strictly from the realm of science fiction, but attempts are already underway to make it a reality. It's known as "mind uploading" and is a form of transhumanism, a movement that advocates using technology to enhance and transcend humans' cognitive and bodily functions.

The essence of what makes us who we are—our thoughts, feelings, memories, and personalities—is believed to be encoded into a highly complex web of neurons and synapses in our brain. In theory, if an exact copy could be made of your neurological blueprint, it could be replicated or transferred digitally, allowing a version of your consciousness to exist beyond your body. It's a prospect that invites all sorts of ethical and philosophical questions, some of which are explored in UnWorld. If we achieved the ability to store and transfer digital copies of our minds, what would it then mean to be alive? Would our consciousness be able to cope without the means to physically interact with the world? And given the immense costs involved in developing the necessary technology, there would also likely be major problems with equity and accessibility.

But on a more practical level, there is the sheer technological complexity to consider—mind uploading is still so far from reality because of how challenging, costly, and time consuming it would be. For example, in 2020, the brain of a fruit fly was mapped out in much the same way required for mind uploading, a project that took twelve years and cost more than $40 million. For context: A fruit fly's brain has 20,000 neurons and 20 million synaptic connections, while a typical human brain has 90 million neurons and 100 trillion synaptic connections. Even if the process is theoretically possible for humans, it would be a colossal undertaking. Current imaging technologies, like MRI scanners, are simply not sophisticated enough to capture such intricate detail with the clarity required.

Still, various forms of technology already exist that aim to improve the way we safeguard our memories. Neuralink is perhaps the most high-profile company working specifically on brain implants. Elon Musk, the company's co-founder, has spoken about future plans to facilitate memory transference. Currently, their brain chips aim to assist those living with paralysis, by allowing them to carry out tasks using electrical signals in the brain, with some remarkable success. However, the company has been fraught with controversy, including being placed under federal investigation after reports and internal staff complaints accused them of gross violations of the Animal Welfare Act. This included the alleged deaths of more than 1,500 animals following supposedly "rushed" and "botched" experiments.

While we understand how mind uploading could work on a conceptual level, we still lack the technology and insight to make it happen for now. As science advances and we move closer to mind uploading becoming a reality, debate is sure to grow as to whether it's a breakthrough we should embrace or a dangerous path best avoided.

Five engravings of a human brain from different angles in Compendiosa totius anatomie delineatio, ære exarata, a book on anatomy by Thomas Geminus, 1545

From The New York Public Library

Filed under Medicine, Science and Tech

This article relates to UnWorld. It first ran in the July 2, 2025 issue of BookBrowse Recommends.