What is Neuralink, and Does it Have a Future?

By Praatah Gandhi

Neuralink is a company that was originally founded by Elon Musk in 206. They aimed to create  brain-computer interfaces which are essentially little computers that are implanted to the brain,  allowing for communication between the two. The mission for this device was to combat issues  such as paralysis, ALS, and spinal cord injuries. Musk even says that one day these chips could allow for telepathic communication between humans, and possible AI integration straight into  the brain, allowing individuals to connect to the internet and even listen to music with any  headphones.  

Their current device in production is called the N1 implant and has been implanted into a couple  individuals already. The N1 is implanted using a surgical computer due to the precision required,  with Neuralink claiming that no human-hand could provide. This meant that the company had to  design a robot from the ground up, which they’ve now named the surgical robot. The device communicates to the brain using ultra-thin nodes which the company calls threads and allows the  computer to essentially act like one with the human brain. The device can then export the  information and send it out to an external computer, with one day even being able to  communicate with prosthetics. 

In May of 2023, Neuralink received the green light from the FDA to commence human trials, to  which they then started accepting patients. In January of 2024, their first patient got the chip  implanted. His name was Noland Arbaugh, an individual who was paralyzed from the neck down  due to a swimming accident that he had back in 2016. Initially, the team faced many challenges  such as the electrodes dislodging due to brain movement but were quickly resolved their  software updates. Since then, Noland has reported significant improvements, even being able to  control a mouse with his thoughts, allowing for much more autonomy in his life. He has even  resumed activities like playing video games and browsing the internet, which were previously  inaccessible to him. Due to this life changing experience, Noland has expressed optimism about  the technology and its future. 

As for the Canadian side of things, it also seems to be going along smoothly. Neuralink received  approval in November of 2024 from Health Canada, allowing them to start planning their study.  The clinical trial is known as the CAN-PRIME Study and focuses on individuals with  quadriplegia. The project is currently looking for participants at the University Health Network  in Toronto. 

The future of Neuralink seems to be promising with Elon Musk claiming that upto 1 million  individuals could have the chip implanted by the year 2030. The company is also exploring new  possibilities of “superpowers” like improved vision or interfacing directly with artificial  intelligence. On the other hand, a Neuralink may also face significant hurdles, such as  government approvals and electrode detachment. They also face ethical issues with what is considered right. 

Bibliography: 

– Neuralink. “Neuralink — Pioneering Brain Computer Interfaces.” Neuralink, 2025,  neuralink.com/. Accessed 13 Feb. 2025. 

– Reed, Jim. “Neuralink: Can Musk’s Brain Technology Change the World?” Bbc.com,  BBC News, 4 Feb. 2024, http://www.bbc.com/news/health-68169082. Accessed 13 Feb. 2025. – “UHN Selected as Canadian Site for CAN-PRIME Study, a Clinical Trial Involving  Neuralink.” Www.uhn.ca, 2025, http://www.uhn.ca/corporate/News/Pages/uhn-selected canadian-site-for-can-prime-study-neuralink-clinical-trial.aspx?utm_source=chatgpt.com.  Accessed 13 Feb. 2025. 

– Duffy, Clare. “First Neuralink Human Trial Subject Can Control a Computer Mouse  with Brain Implant, Elon Musk Says.” CNN, 20 Feb. 2024,  www.cnn.com/2024/02/20/tech/first-neuralink-human-subject-computer-mouse-elon musk/index.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com. Accessed 13 Feb. 2025.

Edited by Ferhia Ibro