Using AI for research is expected to be a game changer for investors seeking to extend human lives. (Source: Adobe Stock)

Tech Billionaires Seek to Cheat Death Via Companies Pursuing Radical Life Extension

In San Francisco and other tech hubs, a group of scientists, enthusiasts, and tech industry figures known as “Immortalists” are pursuing the idea of defying death and aging, according to a story on bloomberg.com. They argue that rational individuals should aspire to live as long as possible and that defeating aging should be a priority both in terms of research funding and social activism.

Anastasia Egorova, CEO of a longevity research nonprofit, is among those leading the charge. She and her volunteers have been conducting surveys to understand people’s desired lifespan. The majority of respondents indicate a desire to live between 80 and 120 years. Egorova and her activists carry messages such as “Death is unacceptable,” “Death is boring,” and “Stay alive.”

This quest for immortality is more than a midlife crisis, thanks to the significant capital behind it. Tech titans like Jeff Bezos, Sam Altman, Larry Ellison, and Larry Page have pledged hundreds of millions of dollars to companies aiming to extend human life. As a result, radical life extension is being considered a near-term possibility by many in the industry.

“(Amol) Sarva, who used to run the WeWork clone Knotel Inc., has raised a $100 million fund with a partner to invest in longevity-related companies, with checks already written to those using AI to better treat cancer and stem cells to create biology-powered computers. He compares the energy of the longevity scene to that of the Homebrew Computer Club, a disco-era gathering that fueled the birth of the personal computer and Apple Inc.”

Various methods to cheat death are being explored, including supplements, lab solutions, digitizing consciousness, or freezing brains for revival. Despite sounding like a merry prank, these Immortalists reflect a strain of tech industry culture that believes technology could eventually transcend our ultimate biological destiny.

The community pursuing longevity is diverse, with different factions focused on different outcomes. Some aim to extend the average human lifespan modestly, some promise to add more “health span” or healthier years within a natural timeframe, and some hold the belief of achieving eternal life. They also have plans to build a sovereign state where they aim to master and defeat death.

Notably, investor and provocateur Balaji Srinivasan encapsulated this belief by stating, “Immutable money, infinite frontier, eternal life.” However, these different factions all share a common techno-optimism and belief that they’re privy to a hidden truth. The only question, as per investor Adam Gries, is when the fight against aging and death will be won.

read more at bloomberg.com