Evolving User Profiles and Adoption of Cyborg Technologies: Evidence from a Repeated Cross-Sectional Study in Switzerland

Cyborg technologies like subcutaneous implants and brain-computer interfaces, are spreading from early-adopter communities toward the general population. Understanding this transition is timely, because further diffusion no longer hinges on early adopters’ transhumanist beliefs, but on preferences of the general population. Through two cross-sectional studies in Switzerland in 2023 (n=1,000) and 2025 (n=1,078), we track the diffusion process of cyborg technologies measuring adoption, associated transhumanist beliefs, risk/benefit perceptions, and demographic characteristics. Through latent profile analysis and multinomial regression, we identify three evolving profiles: Convinced, Considering, and Skeptical individuals. Over time, the Convinced and Skeptical profiles grew. The Convinced profile shifted to more moderate risk/benefit perceptions and distanced from transhumanist beliefs, growing among young individuals and across genders. Conversely, the Skeptical profile maintained high risk perceptions that still hinder adoption. These findings capture characteristics of the increasing diffusion of cyborg technologies, and can inform both technology development and future research targeting distinct user profiles.