U.S. Public Opinion and Interest on Human Enhancements Technology

Debra Whitman, Ph.D. AARP Chief Public Policy Officer Jeff Love, Ph.D. G. Rainville, Ph.D. Laura Skufca, M.A.

U.S. Public Opinion & Interest on Human Enhancements Technology JANUARY 2018 DOI: https://doi.org/10.26419/res.00192.001 ABOUT

AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering Americans 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With nearly 38 million members and offices in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, AARP works to strengthen communities and advocate for what matters most to families with a focus on health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also works for individuals in the marketplace by sparking new solutions and allowing carefully chosen, high-quality products and services to carry the AARP name. As a trusted source for news and information, AARP produces the world’s largest circulation publications, AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin.To learn more, visit www.aarp.org or follow @AARP and @AARPResearch on social media.

The views expressed herein are for information, debate, and discussion, and do not necessarily represent official policies of AARP. We would like to extend a special thanks to members of the Global Future Council on Human Enhancement for their contributions.

Jessica Bland Jennette Leung Alvaro Fernandez Corinna Lathan Linda Fried Noah Radford Ted Friedmann Simone Schurle Marina Krommenacker

AARP’s Policy, Research, and International group conducted this work to inform the World Economic Forum, Global Future Council (GFC) on Human Enhancement. Special thanks to GFC members and the Dubai Future Foundation who provided essential input and review. NORC at the University of Chicago collected the data for AARP using its nationally representative online panel, AmeriSpeak. This report was prepared by Jeff Love, Laura Skufca, G. Rainville, and Laura Mehegan in AARP Research.

To examine public acceptance towards To gauge interest in various human To understand three new product enhancements characteristics of people concepts conceptualized technologies (i.e., vision, who support human by the Dubai Future mobility, cognition, enhancements as well Foundation (i.e., & gene-editing) as well as characteristics of Endorphomatic, Auto as their interest and people who oppose it. concerns about these Lingua, & NewKnees). enhancements.

The Global Future Council on Human Enhancement’s mandate calls for an exploration of how development in human enhancement could impact industry, governments, and society.

We believe part of this exploration is an adequate understanding of how the public regards human enhancement generally and particular enhancements specifically.

Our approach to assessing public opinion about human enhancement differs from previous efforts in that they only looked at enhancements that are well beyond what we normally see in society.

We began with an assessment of technologies that seek to correct health deficiencies, and then moved to capture pubic opinion of how these technologies could be used to enhance normal human abilities.

We believe questions about therapeutic use of technologies sets a needed context for the average person to adequately assess how these technologies could be used to augment human abilities.

SURVEY DATA POPULATION ERROR PERCENTAGES

An online survey fielded The data were All estimates are for the The margin of error for Percentages may not August 23, 2017- weighted by age, general 18+ US the national sample of equal 100% due to September 6, 2017 gender, race, ethnicity, population unless 2,025 adults age 18+ is rounding. among a nationally employment status and otherwise noted. +/- 2.8 percentage representative sample income to be points. The margin of of 2,025 Americans age representative of the error will be higher 18+ using NORC’s entire U.S. population. among subgroups (e.g., AmeriSpeak panel. age cohorts, gender, etc.).

Most Americans believe technology has had a positive effect on society, but more than one-third acknowledge a downside as well.

Most Americans have not heard very much about human enhancement technologies, as defined by the World Economic Forum Global Future Council on Human Enhancement.

Less than one in ten say they have used them.

Adults believe many entities should be involved in decisions related to human enhancements, with ethics professionals and University researchers at the top of the list.

Lesser percentages see a role for companies or religious groups or leaders.

There were five types of human enhancements explored in this study.

To ease respondents into the concept of human enhancements, support was assessed along a continuum ranging from therapeutic use (restoring ability when decline has taken place) to enhancing abilities greatly beyond normal human level.

Note: Gene-editing was not assessed with this progressive approach due to the nature of gene-editing.

It is appropriate to use ….

There is near universal agreement that vision enhancements are appropriate as a therapeutic intervention or prevention when a known risk is evident. Support drops considerably when these enhancements become elective or go beyond normal human capabilities.

Percent who agree with the use of vision enhancements that go beyond normal, by demographic group.

These enhancements will These enhancements will Individuals with these increase the degree to which have unforeseen personal enhancements should be individuals are monitored by health consequences monitored in order to detect the government or marketers (73% agree). any health side effects (68% agree). (89% agree). Attitudes towards the

use of human Those who get the The general use of these These enhancements will enhancement will have more enhancements should be allow people to live enhancements falls power and take advantage determined by a panel of healthier, longer lives of those who do not have the medical experts (57% agree). into one of three enhancement (60% agree). (79% agree). categories.

There will be a problem These enhancements will These enhancements where those who get the should be available to enhancement will separate make people feel more confident and better about everyone who wants them themselves from those who (59% agree). do not get it (59% agree). themselves (28% agree).

Percent who agree with the use of vision enhancements that go beyond normal, by attitude & belief.

It is appropriate to use ….

Similar findings are seen with joint replacements yet less support enhancements when a risk is evident. Lesser percentages support enhancements when no need is evident.

It is appropriate to use medications/implanted devices to…

There is agreement that medications for cognitive decline due to aging are appropriate as a therapeutic intervention. Support drops considerably when these enhancements become elective. Lesser percentages support an implanted device for cognitive abilities compared to medications.

A minority of Americans are personally interested in human enhancement technologies to improve their own abilities beyond what they would normally have even when their abilities are normal. The most interest is seen with medications to improve one’s cognitive abilities. Those expressing relative interest in these medications are age 18-49, those having more than a college education, and are familiar with and/or have used enhancements.

Most would not change their personal level of interest if informed about the safety and effectiveness of these enhancements.

Percent personally interested in the Human Enhancements that go beyond normal, by demographic group.

Percent personally interested in the Human Enhancements that go beyond normal, by attitudes & beliefs.

About half of Americans are worried human enhancements that go beyond normal negatively affecting society. Worry is highest with cognitive enhancements via implanted devices.

While many oppose using human enhancements to improve abilities to a level beyond what one would normally have, most agree these enhancements would improve the individual’s quality of life.

There is considerable support for gene editing to cure disease, improve muscle/joint/organ function, and to even prevent aging. Most oppose gene editing to determine human characteristics such as eye color or intelligence or to make people stronger.

Two-thirds of Americans are worried about gene-editing negatively affecting society; however most feel it probably would improve the quality of life for the people who undergo it.

AARP RESEARCH | AARP.ORG/RESEARCH | © 2018 AARP. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 33 CHARACTERISTICS OF PEOPLE GENERALLY SUPPORTING & GENERALLY OPPOSING HUMAN ENHANCEMENTS Characteristics of those who generally support advanced human enhancements.

AARP RESEARCH | AARP.ORG/RESEARCH | © 2018 AARP. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 36 NEW CONCEPT TESTING Interest was assessed for hypothetical devices to improve mood, translate language, and improve physical performance.

ENDORPHOMATIC AUTOLINGUA NEWKNEES Personal mood and Brain implant that Knee replacement joints energy control device allows user to access that enable the user to applied to the forehead. instant translation of run at superhuman Takes control of the five common speeds, jump over five body’s hormonal cycles languages through a meters, and lift to improve mood and brain interface. staggering amounts of enable relaxation. weight.

SOURCE: Fall 2035 Augmentation Upgrades: A Field Guide to the Future; Dubai Future Foundation.

Two-thirds (67%) expressed interest in the Endorphomatic to improve mood swings, low energy, and insomnia and over half (57%) were interested in to improve focus. Interest was lower for the two devices that would require altering the body via more intrusive measures.

Percent personally interested in the Dubai Future Foundation Products, by demographic group.

Percent personally interested in the Dubai Future Foundation Products, by attitudes & beliefs.

The top concern for all three products is unforeseen complications and side effects.

ENDORPHOMATIC AUTOLINGUA NEWKNEES (TOTAL CONCERNED) (TOTAL CONCERNED) (TOTAL CONCERNED)

Unforeseen complications Unforeseen complications Unforeseen complications and side effects (86%) and side effects (79%) and side effects (78%)

Product would take over Loss of privacy and too Unforeseen negative my brain or be addictive much monitoring (72%) societal impacts (62%) (80%)

AWARENESS TRENDS SURVEY OPPOSITION

Awareness of human The general trend is for Across the survey, While there is some enhancement the public to decrease concern increases with receptivity among sub- technology is support for more invasive groups such as non- minimal. About one in interventions when interventions. This is believers and males, ten adults say they are they move from clearly seen when opposition to currently using what therapeutic to comparing interventions that enhance they would consider enhancement. enhancements that abilities is primarily human enhancement involve surgery or motivated by health and technologies. implants. societal concerns as well as religion.

HEALTH PERCENTAGES SAFETY ENDORPHOMATIC

There was no correlation Significant percentages Interestingly, most Interest in the three between respondent health of those who oppose respondents say potential human status or family history of human enhancement knowing more about enhancement products disease and support or technologies still the safety or suggested by the Dubai opposition for these believe interventions effectiveness of an Future Foundation is enhancements. However, could improve the enhancement does not highest for the health status and family quality of life of increase their interest Endorphomatic. Nearly history is indicative of recipients. in enhancements. eight in ten expressed support if and only if concern about side effects respondents have low and complications of these societal and health concerns. products.

Provide information and education on the benefits of human enhancements, how their use will be monitored, as well as the safety and effectiveness of these technologies. Specifically: