Neuralinking Man and Machine
Neuralink, a neurotechnology company created by Elon Musk, has been developing implantable brain computer interfaces for humans since its creation in 2016. On Jan. 29, Musk announced on X (formerly known as Twitter), “The first human received a [chip] implant from Neuralink and is recovering well.” This futuristic chip invention has been the subject of discussion since 2017, when Neuralink announced it was aiming to create a device to treat serious brain diseases with eventual goals of human enhancement. The company would develop this through the concept of neural lace, a digital layer above the brain cortex that would help a chip be seamlessly implanted through a vein or artery. During Neuralink’s first product debut in 2019, Musk said that it was “like a Fitbit in your skull with tiny wires.” He demonstrated during the presentation that the newest implant would penetrate the brain’s outer surface with tiny electrodes that could detect nerve cells and ultimately send a warning regarding health conditions.
Although the chip is still in the process of being perfected and manufactured, it has been advertised to allow people to control their phones or computers just by thinking. The electrodes will signal the chip to register the user’s health conditions and illnesses or simply to control external devices like smartphones through shortwave radio frequency known as Bluetooth. Such functions of the chip will help people with disabilities to be quickly notified of alarming health problems so that they can get immediate medical attention. Scientists of Neuralink have also explored ideas of operating prosthetics with the chip implant to help amputees. Senior Tara Timm is excited about the benefits of Neuralink but is worried about the idea of being inserted with the chip.
“The concept of a chip being inside our skull is scary, yet extraordinary [to think about],” Timm said. “It is crazy to think how far technology [has] gone, especially when a [small] chip being injected into [our brains] can help [people] detect health conditions. [However], being injected with the chip is a risky sacrifice that I am not willing to take [right now].”
Neuralink began testing its products on animals such as monkeys and pigs in 2017. The first few chip implantations were performed on macaque monkeys to test the digital link between animal brains and computers. During the experiment, an implementation into the wrong vein caused the monkey to die. According to Reuters, as of 2022, Neuralink had killed 1,500 animals — including monkeys, pigs and sheep — during product testing. Routinely neglecting precision for speed, the company launched tests in quick succession without fixing issues between them, increasing failures during procedures due to human error. Thus, Neuralink was put under federal investigation regarding animal welfare violations by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in 2022. However, in July 2023, the USDA found no evidence of animal welfare breaches, and Neuralink was exempt from further investigations from the USDA. This opened up the opportunity for the company to file for human testing, which was approved in May 2023 by the Food and Drug Administration. For the first human trials, the company recruited people with cervical spinal cord injuries or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS, to test whether the product could aid these health conditions that limit mobility. The trials seemed to be going well when on Feb. 20, Musk claimed that Neuralink’s first human trial participant was able to control a computer mouse through electrode signals. With the company’s success also comes scrutiny on its practices. For example, during a product debut, Musk did not reveal the details about the product’s procedure, materials and location of the implantations, making people nervous about the product’s execution. Many scientists are concerned with the method of inserting the chip and the possible after effects it may have, such as strokes and inflammation. However, if the brain chip technology were to work in human brains, it could improve approximately 5 million lives who are dealing with spinal cord injuries or similar health conditions (Vox). Senior Melanie Flores is skeptical of Musk’s claims of success in human testing.
“Although the implants are [intentionally] aiming to treat people, they are most likely not able to cure the illness,” Flores said. “Even though we are [in the process of] testing on humans, we cannot guarantee that it will benefit every individual. The insertion of a chip into a human body can also cause multiple health risks in the [long term].”
Although uncertainties about the chip are still prominent, the company has continued to grapple with human testing, making its next step to achieve symbiosis with artificial intelligence (Spectrum). Musk’s goal is to develop a technology that helps humans merge with AI so that humans will not be left behind as AI advances. Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science, AP Computer Science Principles, Civil Engineering and Introduction to Engineering Design teacher Hassan Twiet is concerned about the merging of AI and Neuralink.
“Musk is a futurist, so the emergence of [AI] and his company [Neuralink] is inevitable,” Twiet said. “The use of AI and Neuralink is very dangerous, especially in our society when everything heavily relies on technology. Although it is a risky situation, I am [very] curious to see what the future of Neuralink will be like [merging with] AI and our society as a whole.”
