Neuralink: Elon Musk's new connected brain start-up
Radical 'medical research' firm could give human brains 'added artificial intelligence', reports say

Elon Musk is well-known for his futuristic technology firms, such as the Tesla all-electric car company and SpaceX rocket programme. Now the billionaire (pictured above) is set to launch his most radical project to date.
Neuralink is a new start-up company dedicated to linking the human brain with computers in the hope of improving the development of artificial intelligence. It will research ways of implanting electronic sensors within the brain that could be used for direct computing capabilities.
"Musk's vision comprises of a 'digital layer' built into the brain that'll merge computers with our own grey matter," says Alphr.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
According to the BBC, Neuralink, which has recently been registered as a "medical research" firm, will "develop so-called 'neural lace' technology which would implant tiny electrodes into the brain".
It adds "the technique could be used to improve memory or give humans added artificial intelligence."
Sources close to Musk told the Wall Street Journal he has "taken an active role setting up the California-based company and may play a significant leadership role".Wired says he is "tapping into an incredibly timely and topical technology that is already being worked on by researchers across the globe".
He appears to be "taking on the more seemingly realistic and profitable challenge of symptom control", the site adds, "before venturing into total man-machine brain mergers."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
However, a source claiming to be a founding member of the team told the WSJ the company was in an "embryonic" phase and that "plans are still in flux".
Musk himself confirmed the existence of Neuralink on his Twitter account this morning and said more details would be given "in about a week".
-
Supersized: The no-limit AI data center build-out
Feature Tech firms are investing billions to build massive AI data centers across the U.S.
-
Digital addiction: the compulsion to stay online
In depth What it is and how to stop it
-
AI workslop is muddying the American workplace
The explainer Using AI may create more work for others
-
Prayer apps: is AI playing God?
Under The Radar New chatbots are aimed at creating a new generation of believers
-
Is the UK government getting too close to Big Tech?
Today’s Big Question US-UK tech pact, supported by Nvidia and OpenAI, is part of Silicon Valley drive to ‘lock in’ American AI with US allies
-
Google: A monopoly past its prime?
Feature Google’s antitrust case ends with a slap on the wrist as courts struggle to keep up with the tech industry’s rapid changes
-
Albania’s AI government minister: a portent of things to come?
In The Spotlight A bot called Diella has been tasked with tackling the country's notorious corruption problem
-
The tiny Caribbean island sitting on a digital 'goldmine'
Under The Radar Anguilla's country-code domain name is raking in millions from a surprise windfall