Yesterday, Elon Musk and the Neuralink team held a highly anticipated press conference to provide updates on their groundbreaking brain-computer interface technology. The event, which was streamed live on various platforms, drew a massive audience eager to hear about the latest developments in this revolutionary field.
— Neuralink (@neuralink) July 10, 2024
During the conference, Musk announced that the second human patient is set to receive a Neuralink brain implant within the next week or so. This marks a significant milestone for the company, which aims to have a high single-digit number of patients by the end of the year, pending regulatory approvals. Musk’s ambitious goal is to reach thousands of patients within a few years, with the ultimate aim of mitigating the longer-term risks of AI by creating a closer symbiosis between human and digital intelligence.
The Neuralink team also discussed the progress they have made in addressing issues with the first human implant, which experienced problems with tiny wires retracting from the brain. The company has developed new techniques to anchor the threads more effectively, ensuring long-term stability and functionality. Additionally, they are working on a new device that will require half the number of electrodes, making it more efficient and powerful.
“So it could be something that helps cure, say, eyesight, returns your eyesight, even if you’ve lost your optic nerve, type of thing. It could, in principle, fix almost anything that is wrong with the brain. And it could restore limb functionality. Basically, it’s a generalized thing for fixing any kind of brain injury, in principle. Or if you’ve got severe epilepsy or something like that, it could just sort of stop the epilepsy from occurring. It could detect it in real-time and then fire a counter pulse and stop the epilepsy.”
The Joe Rogan Experience, May 2020
The conference also touched on the ethical implications of brain-computer interfaces, with Musk emphasizing the importance of ensuring the technology is safe and reliable. He acknowledged that there are risks involved, but believes that the potential benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.
Overall, the Neuralink press conference showcased the company’s rapid progress and ambitious goals, leaving the audience excited about the future of brain-computer interfaces and the transformative impact they could have on society.
Do you have a chip in your brain? 🧠
— Empress Heavy (@HeavyMetalShip) July 10, 2024
Today @ElonMusk spoke with @Neuralink and discussed many important questions about this amazing product that is going to help so many people. 💕
Thank you, Elon, for another amazing service that will help humanity. 🫶🏻
Here is my favorite… pic.twitter.com/NzG5l5cWEv