Tether CEO Warns of AI's Rapid Evolution and Brain-Computer Interface Risks

Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino recently discussed the company's digital dollar, AI development, and brain-computer interfaces in an interview with Black Box. Ardoino emphasized the potential of brain-computer interfaces to enhance communication for individuals with severe impairments, citing an example of an ALS patient who maintained a communication rate of 90 words per minute using a brain chip.

Ardoino also addressed the pace of artificial intelligence, warning that AI is nearing a threshold where its capacity for self-improvement may outstrip human understanding. He predicted that AI would reach a point of no return, a speed of evolution such that it will be impossible to stop it, and artificial intelligence will self-improve.

The discussion then turned to the merits of open versus closed systems. Ardoino argued for transparency in technologies interfacing with human cognition, insisting that a "brain operating system" remain accessible for independent review to mitigate hidden vulnerabilities. He contrasted current developments with earlier skepticism about digital tools and observed that mainstream brain-computer interfaces could broaden access to improved communication and cognitive processing while simultaneously sparking concerns about control and privacy.

Ardoino argued that regulatory efforts to slow progress in Europe might simply shift competitive advantages as other nations forge ahead. He observed that the technology's ability to record personal thoughts requires an operating system without concealed controls. His comments point to a future where human creativity—a trait that machines have not truly replicated—remains a critical advantage, even as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly sophisticated.