The ancient human dream of conquering death is getting a modern, multi-million dollar makeover. Silicon Valley entrepreneur and biohacker Bryan Johnson has declared a bold new target: he intends to achieve immortality within the next 15 years, setting the year 2039 as his deadline. Johnson, 48, believes this age-old pursuit is no longer confined to myth or alchemy but is now a tangible engineering challenge powered by artificial intelligence.
The 2039 Deadline: Why AI is the Game-Changer
In a recent statement on social media platform X, Johnson made a striking claim. He asserted that for the first time in Earth's history, a conscious being can realistically strive to live forever, a window he says opened just in the last two years. Despite the chronological passage of time, Johnson insists his biological age has plateaued. "With each year that passes, I remain the same biological age," he wrote, positioning this as a historic turning point for humanity.
While admitting the precise path to immortality is not yet mapped, Johnson is unequivocal about the catalyst: Artificial Intelligence. He argues that AI has evolved from a mere research assistant to an active scientist, dramatically accelerating the pace of discovery in biological engineering. "2039 is a reasonable target because of the accelerated, AI-driven rate of innovation," Johnson stated. He frames immortality not as an impossible physics problem, but as a biological one that nature has already solved, pointing to ageless species like the 'immortal jellyfish' (Turritopsis dohrnii) as proof of concept.
A Multi-Million Dollar Protocol and Organ Clones
Johnson's predictions follow years of extreme and costly self-experimentation. His rigorous anti-aging regimen, reportedly costing around $2 million annually, has included controversial practices like receiving blood plasma transfusions from his teenage son and meticulously tracking thousands of physiological biomarkers.
He claims that after six years of this strict protocol, his heart, fertility, and hormone function operate at "elite 18-year-old levels." However, he candidly acknowledges limitations, such as a brain he describes as "anatomically age 42" and hearing loss in one ear. The core of his method, he says, is measuring the biological age of every organ, applying science-backed rejuvenation techniques, and repeating the cycle.
In a futuristic twist, Johnson has also mentioned creating "thousands of Bryan Johnson organ clones built in a dish" to test drugs and therapies. This, he believes, combined with enhanced biomarker tracking, creates a "closed-loop system" that will speed up progress exponentially.
A Philosophical Defiance of a "Suicidal Species"
For Johnson, the quest is as much a philosophical rebellion as a scientific one. He criticizes modern society harshly, calling humanity a "suicidal species" that trashes its home and allows profitable products to shorten lives. "The 2039 goal points us in the right direction. To say yes to life and no to death. Defiance even," he wrote. He frames the pursuit as a sacred opportunity granted uniquely to our generation.
Historical context reminds us that the pursuit is far from new. From the Epic of Gilgamesh and Egyptian potions to 16th-century gold consumption and early blood transfusions, the desire to cheat death is a perennial theme. In modern times, the longest confirmed human lifespan remains that of Frenchwoman Jeanne Calment, who lived to 122 years and 164 days. In the US, average life expectancy is currently about 76 years, though some scientists like biologist Stephen Austad believe the first 150-year-old is already alive today.
While mainstream science remains deeply skeptical of claims about literal immortality, Johnson's massive investment and AI-driven optimism ensure his radical experiment will be closely watched. Whether 2039 marks a biological breakthrough or another chapter in an ancient story remains to be seen.
