AI ain’t just changing how we make decisions—it’s changin’ who makes ‘em. In this nine-part series, we’ve been meeting folks wrestling with what AI means for human choice. Some see it as a threat to autonomy, others as a tool for clarity. But what if AI ain’t just assisting us? What if it’s becoming part of us?
In Part 5, we sit down with Diego Lázaro, a biohacker and transhumanist who don’t just welcome AI—he wants to integrate it straight into human cognition. To him, AI ain’t a competitor, it’s an upgrade. He argues that our brains are already limited by biology, and that AI is the key to a new kind of intelligence—one where man and machine work as one.
But where does that road lead? Are we talking about enhancement, or the end of what it means to be human? And if AI starts thinking with us, how do we know it ain’t doing the choosing for us? Well now, let’s ride into the future and find out.
Memetic Cowboy (MC): Now, Diego, folks been talking about AI replacing human intelligence, but you reckon that’s all wrong. You say AI ain’t a competitor—it’s an extension of the mind. So let’s start there. What’s that mean, exactly?
Diego Lázaro (DL): Ah, Cowboy, you’re thinking like a man who still believes his brain stops at the edge of his skull. Let me break it down: AI isn’t outside us—it’s an evolutionary step of us.
See, human intelligence has always been about outsourcing. First, we offloaded memory onto writing. Then, we built libraries, then computers, then the internet. Now? We’re just takin’ it further. AI is the next step in cognitive augmentation—a tool that processes information, spots patterns, and extends what our biological brains can do [1].
Right now, you check your phone for directions instead of using landmarks. That’s AI already replacing spatial memory. But imagine a world where your brain itself could pull up the data—where instead of searching Google, you think a question, and the answer forms in real time, straight from an AI-enhanced neural network. That ain’t science fiction—it’s where we’re headed [2].
MC: Sounds like you’re talking about something deeper than just using AI—it’s becoming part of the way we think.
DL: Exactly. This is what we call cognitive symbiosis—AI has moved beyond crunching numbers for us, it’s interacting with our minds, augmenting our decision-making in real time.
Take brain-computer interfaces (BCIs)—Neuralink, OpenBCI, other neurotech companies, they’re working on direct integration between the brain and AI systems. Instead of typing, you think a command. Instead of remembering facts, they’re retrieved instantly, like pulling a book off a shelf—except the shelf is infinite [3].
And don’t think this is just for fun—imagine a surgeon accessing every medical study ever written while operating in real time. Or a scientist running complex simulations in their mind before even testing a hypothesis. We’re talkin’ intelligence beyond anything our ancestors could fathom [4].
MC: Now hold on, partner. That all sounds mighty convenient, but what about good old-fashioned human intuition? Ain’t there some things artificial intelligence just can’t predict?
DL: Ah, intuition. The sacred cow of the analog brain. Look, I get it—there’s something poetic about gut instinct. But here’s the thing: intuition ain’t magic. It’s just pattern recognition below the threshold of consciousness. When you ‘feel’ something is right, it’s because your brain’s processed data too fast for you to articulate it [5].
Now, AI? It’s exceptional at pattern recognition. It can pick up trends, anomalies, and probabilities at speeds we can’t. The real magic happens when you combine intuition with AI—human creativity mixed with machine precision. AI can flag potential risks, show hidden opportunities, but you, the human, decide what to do with that information. That’s why transhumanism isn’t about replacing intuition—it’s about enhancing it [6].
MC: Alright, let’s take this further. What’s the ultimate vision for human-AI symbiosis? Where does this all lead?
DL: You ready for the big one, Cowboy? Here it is: posthuman intelligence.
We’re not just talking smarter humans—we’re talking a new species altogether. Right now, we’re biological beings with limited cognition, trapped in slow, analog brains. But transhumanists? We see the next stage:
Superintelligence – Imagine AI-augmented cognition so advanced that no problem is too complex to solve.
Superlongevity – Imagine AI-integrated medicine that eliminates aging as a limitation.
Superhappiness – Imagine neural enhancements that remove suffering at the biochemical level [7].
At some point, the line between human and AI blurs completely. Maybe we upload our minds into AI-enhanced substrates. Maybe we stay biological but enhance every neuron. Either way, the human species as we know it? That’s just Version 1.0 [8].
MC: Well hell, Diego, you just went and rewrote the whole concept of being human. But surely, there’s some ethical risks to all this. You givin’ AI access to the human mind—what’s to stop it from taking over?
DL: Ah, the classic Skynet panic. First off, AI ain’t some malevolent god lurking in the wires. It’s a tool—an extension of us. But you’re right—there’s risk.
Autonomy is the big one. If AI makes decisions for us instead of with us, we could lose our sense of agency. That’s why transhumanists argue for explainable AI—systems that show their reasoning, let users override them, and keep humans in the loop [9].
But the real danger? Cognitive dependency—people getting so reliant on AI that they stop thinkin’ for themselves. That’s why the goal ain’t full automation—it’s augmentation. AI should challenge us, expand us, but never replace us [10].
MC: Alright, last one for you, partner. Some folks say AI is dangerous ‘cause it strips away human autonomy. What do you say to ‘em?
DL: I say they’re lookin’ at it all wrong.
Humans been fighting against their own limitations for centuries. Glasses ‘replace’ eyesight, cars ‘replace’ walkin’, calculators ‘replace’ arithmetic. But nobody’s crying about the ‘loss of autonomy’ when they use GPS instead of reading a paper map [11].
AI is just another tool. The difference is, it’s a tool that thinks. And that scares folks. But here’s the truth: we are already merging with our technology. The only question is whether we shape that future consciously, or whether it happens to us by accident.
I’d rather be at the helm of evolution than stuck in the backseat.
MC: Well now, Diego, you sure don’t think small. AI as a partner, an extension, a step toward a whole new species—I reckon that’s got folks either excited or downright spooked. But I’ll tell ya this: you ain’t lacking conviction."
Next time, though, we’re ridin’ into a whole different kind of frontier—not one of expansion, but of surrender. We’ll be sitting down with Ava Monroe, an artist who took a different path—one where she don’t have to wrestle with choices at all. She once struggled with indecision and regret, but now? She’s handed the reins over to AI, lettin’ it decide the big things so she can focus on livin’ in the moment. But is that freedom, or just another kind of cage? If AI makes the choices, do we still own our lives? Or does lettin’ go bring a peace we can’t find on our own? Saddle up, folks, we got more reckoning ahead.
References
[3] VentureBeat. OpenBCI raises funds for brain-computer interfaces for gaming and more
[4] Securities.io. AI Inside: Brain Chips Pioneering the Next Leap in Human Evolution
[5] MIT Edu. The power—and discipline—of clearly articulating the problem
[6] Wikpedia. Artificial Intuition.
[7] Nick Bostrom. A History of Transhumanist Thought
[8] Wikipedia. Ray Kurzweil - The Singularity is Near.
[9] Medium. Carlos Creus Moreira - The Transhuman Code: Ensuring Human Oversight in Technological Advancement
[10] Shep Bryan. Cognitive Load: Rethinking Human-AI Synergy in the Age of AI Collaboration
[11] OneGiantLeap. We’re limitless: How tech is expanding human potential
