Artificially intelligent nano-machines will be injected into humans within 20 years to repair and enhance muscles, cells and bone, a senior inventor at IBM has forecast.

John McNamara, who works at IBM Hursley Innovation Centre, in Hampshire, submitted evidence to the House of Lords Artificial Intelligence Committee, which is considering the economic, ethical and social implications of AI.

Mr McNamara said that within just two decades, technology may have advanced so much that humans and machines are effectively ‘melded’ together, allowing for huge leaps forward in human consciousness and cognition.

“We may see AI nano-machines being injected into our bodies,” he told Peers. “These will provide huge medical benefits, such as being able to repair damage to cells, muscles and bones – perhaps even augment them.

“Beyond this, utilising technology which is already being explored today we see the creation of technology that can meld the biological with the technological, and so be able to enhance human cognitive capability directly, potentially offering greatly improved mental, as well as being able to utilise vast quantities of computing power to augment our own thought processes.

“ Using this technology, embedded in ourselves and in our surroundings, we will begin to be able to control our environment with thought and gestures alone.”