In this rapid advancement of the digital era, we are witnessing the rise of a new figure on the corporate scene: transhuman professionals. This adaptation of work, characterized by the integration between humans and advanced technologies, reflects the materialization of Andy Clark’s “extended mind” theory, according to which the boundaries between the mind, body and external tools dissolve, creating an expanded cognition .
The acceleration of Information Technology applications, especially in business environments, where data generation has become exponential, and connected devices, from sensors to neural implants, constitute an abundant and changing information ecosystem. The ability to absorb, analyze and act on volumes of data that far exceed conventional human processing capacity redefines the meaning of work in the 21st Century. Organizations, faced with increasing demands for performance and efficiency, find transhuman professionals an answer to current challenges.
At the center of this transformation, which is taking place in the global market, is, obviously, Artificial Intelligence (AI), no longer a futuristic promise, but an emerging reality. AI, by integrating with business processes, accelerates a revolution in the way decisions are made, strategies are outlined and operations are optimized. Transhuman professionals, perfected by the technology that surrounds them, transcend traditional human limitations, expanding their ability to analyze and execute tasks, whether tactical or strategic.
Philosophers Andy Clark and David Chalmers, in the article “The Extended Mind”, published in 1998, proposed that the mind is not restricted to the brain or the body, but extends to include the tools we use to think and interact with the world. At the current level of technological advancement achieved by humanity, the concept of Extended Mind becomes an inevitable reality.
In the business context, this translates into direct interconnection between the work of professionals and electronic devices, intelligent systems and vast data repositories. As external components come to play a crucial role in the cognitive process, just as an internal process would, then these components can be considered part of the mind.
This proposal challenges the traditional notion of mind, arguing against cognitive internalism — the idea that all cognitive processes occur within the confines of the brain. Instead, Clark and Chalmers argue for an “active externalism,” suggesting that the dynamic interaction between the individual and the environment can form extended cognitive systems. They exemplify this with the case of an individual using a notebook as an external resource to store and access information, arguing that this notebook acts as an extension of the individual’s memory, in a similar way to biological memory. We could even update this example, referencing the massive and immersive use of smartphones by individuals in this digital era, characterizing them as cognitive systems extended through technological artifacts.
Transhuman professionals, equipped with advanced technology, Artificial Intelligence, smartphones with virtual assistants, neural implants and other electronic devices, represent the embodiment of active externalism in the business environment. These technologies are not merely auxiliary tools; they become integral parts of professionals’ cognitive processes, expanding their decision-making, analysis and strategy capabilities.
The emergence of transhuman professionals illustrates a step towards the practical realization of the extended mind in the contemporary business context, redefining the boundaries of what is considered part of the human mind and how cognition can occur from human-machine integration.
This cognitive extension allows transhuman professionals to access, process and apply information at a scale and speed previously unimaginable. Some concepts related to the extended mind are fundamental to understanding the impact of this change in business environments. I highlight:
Human-machine interdependence: when technological tools and devices become so integrated into our cognitive functions that they effectively become extensions of our mind. Transhuman professionals, using Artificial Intelligence in their work routines, inevitably expand their decision-making and analysis capabilities.
Enhanced Cognitive Environments: The environment around us, when enriched with Artificial Intelligence technology and tools, can significantly improve our cognitive abilities. From this cognitive integration, transhuman professionals can operate at higher levels of efficiency and productivity.
Integration of cognitive processes: when a part of the world starts to function as an integrated cognitive process, then that part will be considered an extension of the mind. With the integration of AI and other technologies into business processes, transhuman professionals acquire a natural extension of their own cognition.
Active externalism: the idea that agents can actively reconfigure their environment to support cognitive processes allows for adaptation and use of new technologies by transhuman professionals, becoming a practice that enhances the human mind, enhancing the use of information and improving the decision making.
Cognition as a distributed phenomenon: Clark and Chalmers argue that cognition is not confined to the skull, but distributed among the brain, the body and the environment, including tools and technology. This perspective supports the notion that transhuman professionals, by integrating technology into their routine, are effectively expanding the scope of their cognition beyond the traditional physical limits of the human body and mind.
However, the transition to an era of transhuman professionals is fraught with challenges. Equitable technological evolution, ensuring that access to AI innovations is widely distributed, would be essential to prevent the concentration of power.
Observing the already existing concentration of power of a few technology organizations in the world, it seems that this equity is very far from occurring, creating a real gulf between those professionals who will have early access to these resources and those who do not have AI integrated into their routines. . A second extremely worrying aspect is related to the responsibilities and limits between humans, machines and organizations, as, from the moment we start to interact with autonomous decision-making systems in business environments, traceability and accountability become more complex. of actions. Distinguishing human abilities from machine capabilities is the third challenge, after all, for a fair assessment of individual performance, it would be essential to avoid distortions and thus guarantee the integrity of business processes and individual assessments.
The emergence of transhuman professionals, enhanced by the accelerated advancement of AI and conceptually supported by the theory of the extended mind, represents an inevitable change in business and human work environments. This emblematic figure, with the potential for real-time exploration of large volumes of data and information, symbolizes the unlimited potential of synergy between the human mind and the machine. However, for this future to materialize in an inclusive and fair way, it is essential that we face the ethical, social and organizational challenges that accompany this transformation, ensuring that transhumanism in business is a force for the common good and not just for a select group. of privileged.
( source: Ricardo Cappra/ MIT Technology Review)
