Elon Musk’s Neuralink brain chip: what is it, and what’s next?

No stranger to bold claims, Elon Musk – who has previously claimed to have plans to colonise Mars – has launched a trial that saw the world’s first wireless brain chip inserted into a human. So, what does this mean?

A ‘brain-reading’ device has been implanted into a person for the first time, by Elon Musk’s company Neuralink, according to a tweet posted by the founder on 29 January. The aim of this, or so the world’s richest man claims, is to help those with paralysis and complex neurological conditions to communicate effectively. A noble quest, indeed. This is done using brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) which record and decode brain activity, to allow a person with damaged neurons to control a device through thought alone. This process is a growing market – it received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration for human trials in May 2023, bringing us here today – and one that is currently gaining traction by way of billions of dollars worth of investment.

In Neuralink’s case, a device about the size of a coin was inserted into the first patient’s skull, with microscopic wires that can read neuron activity and beam back a wireless signal to a receiving unit. Details thus far are thin on the ground. Musk has only said the person is “recovering well” and initial results show “promising neuron spike detection“. Prior to this, the company had run trials on pigs and claimed that monkeys could play a basic version of the video game Pong. (In a similar trial, back in December 2021, 62-year-old Australian Philip O’Keeffe, who lives with a form of motor neuron disease, showed promise by composing the first tweet using just his thoughts to control a cursor.)

Neurotechnology researchers are understandably excited about Neuralink’s human trial. But there is frustration about a lack of detailed information – there has been no confirmation that the trial has begun, beyond Musk’s tweet. But as researchers at Lausanne University in Switzerland have shown it is possible for a paralysed man to walk again by implanting devices to bypass damage caused by a cycling accident, members of the medical community are suitably sitting at the edge of their chairs.

But, while we wait for more details – one can’t help but ask: what does this mean for humanity?

According to Musk, “solving” brain and spinal injuries is just the first step for Neuralink. The longer-term goal is “human/AI symbiosis“, something he describes as “species-level important“. The real trick will be developing a system that can interpret or translate the signals coming from the brain with a far greater level of accuracy. If and when that happens, humans may be able to communicate with computers and other electronic devices in a way that is difficult to comprehend today.

Musk, as well, has suggested that the ultimate goal is not to speed up your takeaway order or ability to tweet, but to better protect humanity from the risks of Artificial Intelligence (AI), something he has described in the past as an “existential threat“. By better combining human and computer brains, we’re less likely to be “left behind” as a species, he argues: “With a high bandwidth, brain–machine interface, we can actually go along for the ride.”

Is it safe?

That is what the trial is intended to discover. But Neuralink’s previous animal experiments have not all been successful, according to reports. In 2022 the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, an advocacy organisation, sent a letter to the US Department of Agriculture requesting an investigation into what it called “apparent egregious violations of the Animal Welfare Act related to the treatment of monkeys used in invasive brain experiments”. A Reuters report that same year also cited documents and sources that indicated Neuralink’s tests had killed 1500 animals, in some cases causing “needless suffering and deaths”.

Any device intended for human implantation will need to clear several regulatory hurdles to ensure that the device itself, the process of installation and its continued use are relatively safe and that any potential risks are well understood.

When will it be available for public use?

We are a long way from this being a commercial product – experts insist at least another decade – with lots of testing and accreditation ahead, so it really is too early to tell. However, Musk has made it clear that he intends to commercialise the technology. The first planned product, according to his Twitter, has been named “Telepathy” and will allow users to control their phones and computers.

However, it is important to remember that most of the interfaces in this field require invasive neurosurgery, and are still in experimental stages. Thus it will likely be many years before we can order a takeaway by just thinking about it. For better or for worse.

We help business owners solve the key strategic challenges they face. From fundraising and valuations, to advising on strategic acquisitions, we offer corporate finance solutions for any and every issue that your business might face. Running a business isn’t always plain sailing, but we’re here to help you weather any storm, with a wide range of expert services on offer. Get in touch today!

Elon Musk’s Neuralink brain chip: what is it, and what’s next?

Related Topics

Ground Control To Major Musk