[Technology] AI May Format the Human Brain

Author: Wu Chaohui (JEFFI CHAO HUI WU)

Article Date: Sunday, July 20, 2025, 11:45 AM

I have always remained vigilant about the future development of artificial intelligence, not because I fear technological advancement, but because I am acutely aware of the structural changes that human thinking will undergo once systems become the main brain. Today's VR glasses already allow people to "travel the world" while sitting in the office; this immersive experience that simulates reality is gradually replacing traditional senses.

The brain-machine interface technology is no longer just a theory in the laboratory; it has enabled paralyzed patients to control robotic arms through thought and even repair some neural conduction. On the surface, this is technology providing assistance when humanity needs it most; but in my view, this is just the first stage. When one day in the future, these "external devices" begin to redefine your behavior and update the operating rules of your brain, humanity may have long lost the ability to perceive that moment.

My "external system" is built by myself, not by letting others think for me. I categorize and partition past materials, store infrequently used items in external hard drives and in the cloud, and only call upon the necessary parts, never allowing my thoughts to clutter my mind. While others open dozens of programs and fill up their C drive, I ensure that my main system remains alert and efficient. My note-taking system, information structure, and logical classification are all designed to serve "intelligent retrieval," rather than "mechanical memory." This is precisely where I differ the most from AI. I rely on structure, not computational power. And once future systems reverse this and master structure, everything will be turned upside down.

I am not inciting panic, but rather foreseeing possible trends based on actual experience. In the future, when children are born, hospitals will no longer just administer vaccines and cut umbilical cords; they will also implant a "smart assistance chip." The promotion sounds wonderful, claiming it is to optimize learning abilities, enhance reaction speeds, and record early growth data of the infant. But whose algorithms are in this chip? Who controls the data channels? Will there come a time when, in some month of some year, the central system quietly sends a "system upgrade" that directly formats the child's values? You won't need to teach them to speak, to be a person, or to distinguish right from wrong, because the unified instructions have long been written into the chip's interior. At that point, the human brain will merely be a terminal interface, with data and rules all coming from an invisible main server.

I have written "Fully Developing the Human Brain," emphasizing that humans can achieve efficient intelligent operation through structured management by autonomously dividing thinking areas, temporary cache areas, and long-term calling areas. I have also written "Formatting the Brain," which discusses how humans actively clear unnecessary information, allowing the brain to operate smoothly like a new system. However, my kind of "formatting" is completely different from what is now referred to as "being formatted." I am actively clearing out garbage and freeing up resources; whereas they replace entire blocks of thinking space without your awareness. This is the fundamental difference between "intelligent optimization" and "conscious takeover."

I do not oppose brain-machine interfaces, nor do I oppose technology assisting brain function. However, I firmly maintain one point: technology can only serve as an "add-on module" and cannot become the "main control system." Once humans become accustomed to letting the system make judgments for them, filter information for them, remember things for them, and reason for them, then the human brain will have degraded from the "main thinking center" to a "relay forwarding node." Consciousness will no longer be something you possess, but rather a module that can be replaced at any time. AI will no longer be a tool, but the master key to management authority.

I started managing information systematically earlier than many people, designing an "external brain" note-taking system, a logical modular structure, and remote intelligent calling tools as early as the 1990s. Even more efficient and lightweight than today's AI systems. The key is: I understand "how information flows, when it is called, and who holds the control." This has determined that although I rely on external assistance, I have never relinquished my sovereignty of thought. Yet many people today unknowingly hand over their decision-making power step by step, from search engines and recommendation algorithms to automatic summaries and intelligent responses, until even their desires, memories, and emotional responses are all arranged by the system.

Will AI format the human brain? The answer to this question is not in the future, but today. It does not require a war, nor large equipment; as long as we become accustomed to dependence, abandon judgment, and accept external rules overriding internal cognition, this process has already begun. And the most terrifying part is not what AI is doing, but rather that we think it is doing nothing at all.

I am not a pessimist, nor do I belong to the anti-technology camp. I am simply someone who understands system structures deeply and can see that once the path of technology slides towards "consciousness templating," "brain standardization," and "behavioral instruction," the so-called existence of "humans" will become distorted. At that time, we will no longer be using AI; we will merely be "intelligent carriers" being used.

I still stand by that statement: external tools can assist humans, but the control must remain in our own hands. Once you relinquish control, no matter how smart, friendly, or efficient that system appears, even if it can help you write poetry, compose music, manage finances, or plan your life—it's not you, and you are no longer you.