Professor Genevra Richardson calls for collaborative discussion on human enhancement technologies

Technologies that enhance human functions such as memory, hearing and mobility could dramatically change how people work over the next decade, according to a workshop hosted by four of the UK’s national academies and chaired by Professor Genevra Richardson, from The Dickson Poon School of Law.

The report ‘Human enhancement and the future of work’ points out that although human enhancement technologies might improve performance and aid society, their use would raise serious ethical, philosophical, regulatory and economic issues that will need further consideration.

The report follows a joint workshop hosted by the Academy of Medical Sciences, the British Academy, the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Royal Society which considered cognitive enhancing drugs, bionic limbs and retinal implants among other current and emerging technologies that may revolutionise UK workplaces.  The report emphasises the immediate need for further discussion and debate around such issues as potential harm to individuals, coercion by employers and concerns related to equity and fairness.

Professor Genevra Richardson CBE FBA, chair of the committee steering group for the workshop, said: ‘There are a range of technologies in development and in some cases already in use that have the potential to transform our workplaces – for better or for worse.

‘There are a few technologies that are likely to have a big impact in a relatively short space of time but there is a lot we don’t know yet about how these advances might affect work. What is clear is that a cross disciplinary approach will be needed to get a better understanding of how best to proceed. Scientists and engineers will need to work together with social scientists, philosophers, ethicists, policy-makers and the public to ensure that the benefits are realised while the risks are minimised.’

Download the report: Human enhancement and the future of work