Imagine being able to move a cursor just by thinking. Or helping a paralysed person control a computer, not with hands, but with their mind. That’s not a sci-fi script anymore, that’s exactly what Elon Musk’s startup, Neuralink, is aiming to make possible.
Founded in 2016, Neuralink is one of Musk’s most daring ventures. While most people know him for Tesla, SpaceX, and X (formerly Twitter), Neuralink is far more personal. It dives deep into the human brain, quite literally. Based in California, this neurotech company is building brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), devices that connect our brain signals to digital systems.
So, what exactly does Neuralink do? Is it safe? What are the ethical concerns? And can this technology really change how we live, work, and think? Let’s explore.
At its heart, Neuralink is about solving two massive problems.
Medical limitations: People who have lost the ability to move, speak, or see due to injury or disease can potentially regain some functions with brain-interface technology. Think of someone paralysed after an accident being able to send a WhatsApp message using only their thoughts.
The future of AI and humans: Elon Musk has often warned about the risks of artificial intelligence surpassing human intelligence. Neuralink, in his view, is a way to keep humans in the loop, allowing us to “merge” with AI so we’re not left behind.
In both cases, the idea is the same: create a smooth, high-bandwidth connection between the brain and machines.
Neuralink’s core device is a coin-sized chip, surgically implanted into the skull. From this chip, ultra-thin wires (called “threads”) are inserted into the brain. These threads pick up electrical signals from neurons, the cells in your brain that talk to each other, and send this data to a computer.
The real magic lies in how small and precise this system is.
Threads: Each is thinner than a strand of hair, with up to 3,072 electrodes per system.
Surgical robot: A specially built robot inserts these threads with extreme accuracy, avoiding blood vessels to reduce damage.
Neural chip: The chip reads brain activity and wirelessly sends data to external devices.
In short, it’s a bridge between the human brain and digital devices.
Neuralink received FDA approval for human trials in May 2023, after its earlier application was rejected in 2022 due to safety concerns. The first human was implanted with a Neuralink chip in January 2024.
That patient, Noland Arbaugh, a 29-year-old quadriplegic, later appeared in a livestream demonstrating how he could move a mouse cursor and play chess, just by thinking. He even controlled music playback on a laptop. It wasn’t perfect. In fact, the majority of the implant’s threads detached over time, forcing Neuralink to make technical changes. But it still marked a historic moment.
The second patient, known publicly as “Alex,” received an improved version of the chip later that year. Alex was reportedly able to design in Fusion 360, a professional 3D CAD software, and play video games with precision.
The technology is still very early in development, but the initial results are promising.
In 2024, Neuralink revealed something called Blindsight, a new system aimed at restoring vision in blind people, especially those whose eyes are damaged but whose brain’s visual cortex remains intact.
The U.S. government gave the project "breakthrough device" status, which allows it to go through an accelerated development and approval process. If successful, Blindsight could allow people with severe visual impairments to regain some sight using only brain stimulation.
With any groundbreaking technology comes a fair share of ethical concerns, and Neuralink has had plenty.
The company has been heavily criticised for its animal testing practices. Reports from 2020 onwards have documented complications, suffering, and even deaths in monkeys and pigs used in experiments. Animal rights organisations like PETA and the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) have accused Neuralink of causing unnecessary pain and pushing trials too aggressively.
In 2022, the company was under investigation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture over potential animal welfare violations. Although Neuralink denied any abuse and claimed all testing followed legal protocols, public confidence took a hit.
Some former employees and researchers said they felt the company’s timelines, driven by Musk’s sense of urgency, were not in line with the slow, careful nature of neuroscience. In response, other companies in the brain-tech space, like Precision Neuroscience (founded by a Neuralink co-founder), have taken more conservative approaches.
For a country like India, where access to advanced healthcare is uneven, the promise of Neuralink is exciting but complex.
On one hand, if devices like Neuralink become medically approved and cost-effective, they could offer life-changing solutions for millions of Indians with spinal cord injuries, neurodegenerative diseases, or vision loss.
On the other hand, access and affordability are key challenges. Brain surgery is expensive. Infrastructure for post-surgery support is limited. There are also cultural and ethical questions around brain implants that need thoughtful debate in Indian society.
Globally, Neuralink could be a game-changer for medicine, education, defence, and even digital communication. But we’re still in the early days.
While Musk’s marketing is powerful, many neuroscientists remain sceptical.
They point out that brain-machine interfaces have existed for decades, and Neuralink’s biggest achievement is in design and engineering, not scientific novelty.
Critics argue that long-term safety and stability of implants remains uncertain.
There’s also a debate around Musk’s claims of future “mind uploading” or “AI symbiosis”, many call it overhyped and misleading.
Dr. Miguel Nicolelis, a pioneer in this field, once said that most people with disabilities don’t want invasive surgery just to use a computer more easily. They want real, meaningful recovery, which might need a broader approach than just chips and AI.
Neuralink is just beginning its journey. Whether it becomes a successful commercial product or not, the company has already pushed the limits of what we thought was possible in brain science.
If future versions are safer, cheaper, and truly effective, Neuralink might become a common tool in the next decade, especially for patients with life-altering conditions.
But it also opens big conversations: Who owns our thoughts? Should tech companies have access to our brains? Will only the rich be able to enhance their minds, widening inequality?
These are questions that governments, societies, and individuals, in India and globally, will have to answer.
Neuralink isn’t just a chip in the brain. It’s a symbol of where technology is heading, into the most personal space of all: our minds.
If it succeeds, it might cure diseases, give people back their freedom, and even let us interact with computers in a completely new way. But if it’s rushed or misused, it could raise risks we’re not ready for.
One thing’s for sure: Elon Musk’s Neuralink has started a conversation the world can’t ignore.
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