Elon Musk's foray into brain implant technology has thousands of eager takers, but is the world ready to embrace a 'Fitbit in your skull'?

Breathtaking Demand for Neuralink's Implants

In an intriguing report, Ashlee Vance, a biographer of billionaire Elon Musk, reveals that Neuralink, Musk's audacious brain implant venture, has allegedly received an overwhelming response from thousands of potential volunteers. Neuralink, established in 2016, is ambitiously planning to perform brain implant procedures on 11 individuals in the coming year and an astonishing 22,000 by 2030.

Facing Challenges with Futuristic Brain-Computer Link

While Neuralink's mission of creating a symbiotic relationship between humans and machines might sound like science fiction, it has gained traction. Despite this, the company is still searching for a pioneer volunteer willing to undergo an extraordinary procedure—a craniectomy to allow a robot to insert electrodes and thin wires into their brain. This bold endeavor seeks to replace a portion of the skull with a high-tech brain interface, a feat that is as audacious as it is groundbreaking.

Neuralink is ready to start clinical trials and put a computer chip in someone’s brain. Listen to Elon, Inc. https://t.co/TjYBBBJCmp via @BW

— Bloomberg (@business) November 8, 2023

Musk's vision is an innovative step towards enabling humans to control devices using their thoughts. However, it is not without its challenges. In March, the US Food and Drug Administration initially declined approval, citing concerns about the safety of the implanted wires. Neuralink has since received the green light for human trials but is yet to find its first volunteer. Surprise, surprise.

The surgery itself is a meticulous process, involving the removal of a section of the skull by a surgeon, followed by a robot inserting an array of thin wires and electrodes. The device's threads are incredibly fine, measuring only about 1/14th the width of a human hair strand.

Elon Musk's unrelenting drive for innovation is evident as Neuralink, according to Vance, has performed 155 implantation surgeries on animals, including pigs and monkeys. The company is currently seeking potential volunteers suffering from paralysis. Despite this, Musk continues to push for swifter procedures and even automation Automation Automation is defined as the procedure of making an apparatus, a process, or a system to operate by mechanical or electronic devices that replace human labor. Additionally, automation is also sometimes referred to as mechanization or robotization. For example, employees have many costly needs, including government regulations. However, robotic workers don’t need much other than some routine maintenance and the occasional bug fix for an equipment malfunction or software bug. There is no overtime Automation is defined as the procedure of making an apparatus, a process, or a system to operate by mechanical or electronic devices that replace human labor. Additionally, automation is also sometimes referred to as mechanization or robotization. For example, employees have many costly needs, including government regulations. However, robotic workers don’t need much other than some routine maintenance and the occasional bug fix for an equipment malfunction or software bug. There is no overtime Read this Term, underscoring his concern about the competition from other brain-computer startups already conducting human trials.

The Competition Heats Up

As competitors like Synchron and Onward gain ground in the field, Musk's urgency is palpable. One of Synchron's patients in Australia was the first person to send a tweet using only his thoughts. While it might seem maniacal to some, he's been resolute about the need to stay ahead of the AI curve to ensure that an unfriendly AI doesn't compromise humanity's interests.

Yet, it's not all smooth sailing. One Neuralink executive, Shivon Zilis, has wisely cautioned against hasty steps, drawing a parallel with SpaceX's initial rocket explosions in her conversation with Vance. At Neuralink, there's no room for errors, especially when altering the very essence of human-technology integration.