Elon Musk's Brain Chips – For Brave, Bold Lovers of Sci-Fi

<p>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'?</p><p>Breathtaking Demand for Neuralink's Implants</p><p>In an intriguing report, Ashlee Vance, a biographer of <a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/tag/elon-musk/" target="_blank" rel="follow">billionaire</a> Elon Musk,
reveals that Neuralink, Musk's audacious <a href="https://neuralink.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">brain implant venture</a>, has allegedly received an
overwhelming response from <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2023-11-07/elon-musk-s-neuralink-brain-implant-startup-is-ready-to-start-surgery">thousands
of potential volunteers</a>. 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.</p><p>Facing Challenges with Futuristic Brain-Computer Link</p><p>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.</p><blockquote><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Neuralink is ready to start clinical trials and put a computer chip in someone’s brain. Listen to Elon, Inc. <a href="https://t.co/TjYBBBJCmp">https://t.co/TjYBBBJCmp</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/BW?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BW</a></p>— Bloomberg (@business) <a href="https://twitter.com/business/status/1722075189175894273?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2023</a></blockquote><p>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 <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-neuralink-fda-approval-put-brain-implants-humans-2023-5">received
the green light</a> for human trials but is yet to find its first volunteer. Surprise,
surprise.</p><p>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.</p><p>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
<a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/terms/a/automation/">automation</a>, underscoring his concern about the competition from other
brain-computer startups already conducting human trials.</p><p>The Competition Heats Up</p><p>As competitors like <a href="https://synchron.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Synchron</a> and <a href="https://www.onwd.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Onward</a> gain ground in the field, Musk's
urgency is palpable. One of Synchron's patients in Australia was the first
person to <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211222005557/en/Synchron-Announces-First-Direct-Thought-Tweet-“Hello-World”-Using-an-Implantable-Brain-Computer-Interface">send a tweet</a> 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.</p><p>Yet, it's not all smooth sailing. One Neuralink executive, Shivon
Zilis, has wisely cautioned against hasty steps, drawing a parallel with
<a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/trending/elon-musks-rollercoaster-twitter-spacex-and-a-borrowed-billion/" target="_blank" rel="follow">SpaceX</a>'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.</p>

This article was written by Louis Parks at www.financemagnates.com.