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Saturday, Feb 6, 2021

Is Elon Musk piloting a program to put computer chips in people’s brains?

Lauralei Singsank, Gigafact Foundry
yes

Founded by Elon Musk in 2016, Neuralink is a neurotechnology company that is designing “the Link,” a neural implant that would let users control computers and mobile devices remotely from their brains. In a January 2021 interview, Musk said, “We’ve already got a monkey with a wireless implant in their skull, and the tiny wires, who can play video games using his mind.” Neuralink has been experimenting on animals with neural interfaces for several years now. The company claims that the wireless nature of the implant lessens the risk of infection.

In 2019, Neuralink stated that it hoped to make inserting a computer connection into the brain safe and painless. Musk stated that human trials could launch by the end of this year. Neuralink hopes to one day create a commercial product, but executives have said that they have a “long way to go."

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