Elon Musk's Neuralink implants brain chip in ninth patient: What Neuralink is doing to bring "The Matrix" to reality
's ambitious
neurotechnology
company, Neuralink, has successfully implanted its
brain-computer interface
(BCI) chip into a ninth human participant. This marks a major step forward in the mission to connect the human brain directly with digital devices. The announcement, made via Musk's social media platform X, comes just months after the company's first human trial in January 2024. This was also the first time
Neuralink
performed two surgeries in a single day, showcasing improved efficiency and a growing readiness for broader clinical application.
The implanted chip functions by interpreting brain signals and transmitting them to external devices. It allows users to control technology such as computers or smartphones using only their thoughts. While the initial focus is on helping paralysed individuals regain digital independence, the broader vision is far more ambitious. Musk has long hinted that Neuralink could one day bridge the gap between humans and
artificial intelligence
, potentially unlocking cognitive abilities that mirror science fiction fantasies, including the immersive mind-machine fusion seen in
The Matrix
.
What is Elon Musk's brainchild Neuralink and how does it work
Neuralink's core innovation is a tiny brain implant designed to read and transmit neural signals in real-time. The device is embedded into the skull, where ultrafine threads connect to regions of the brain responsible for movement and intent. A wireless system sends those signals to a computer, enabling the user to operate digital systems using thought alone. The ultimate goal is to create a seamless connection between brain and machine, where communication becomes faster and more intuitive than typing or speaking.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
15 most beautiful women in the world
Topgentlemen.com
Undo
Who are the patients and what are the trials showing
Since receiving FDA approval in 2023, Neuralink has begun recruiting patients with severe physical disabilities such as those caused by spinal cord injuries or neurodegenerative diseases like ALS. The first patient, implanted in early 2024, was able to play chess and video games using only his thoughts. With the eighth and ninth implants now completed in a single weekend, the company reports that all participants are recovering well and demonstrating promising early results.
A real-life "Matrix"? Musk's vision of a human-AI merger
Musk has often stated that Neuralink could help humanity keep pace with the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence. As AI becomes smarter and more autonomous, he believes humans may fall behind unless they integrate with it. This concept echoes the plot of The Matrix, where humans interact with digital environments through neural connections. While Neuralink's current focus is medical, future developments could enable immersive digital experiences, enhanced memory, and even brain-to-brain communication.
Ethical concerns and scientific scepticism
Despite the excitement, Neuralink faces scrutiny from both scientists and ethics advocates. Questions persist about long-term safety, potential brain tissue damage, and whether cognitive enhancements should be commercially available. Critics warn that turning the brain into an interface could raise serious privacy concerns and create mental health or social inequality risks. Musk maintains that the company is committed to careful, ethical advancement in all aspects of its research and deployment.
What lies ahead for Neuralink?
Neuralink plans to expand its trials to 20 to 30 participants by the end of 2025, aiming for further regulatory approvals in the United States and other countries. Beyond its clinical applications, the company is exploring possibilities such as helping stroke victims speak again, restoring vision to the blind, and even enabling people to share or transfer memories and skills. While these ideas are still far from reality, each successful implant pushes the boundary of what brain-computer interfaces might achieve. The dream of a real-world Matrix may not be too distant.
AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
40 minutes ago
- Time of India
OpenAI responds to DeepSeek with two 'open' models
OpenAI is releasing a pair of open and freely available artificial intelligence models that can mimic the human process of reasoning, months after China's DeepSeek gained global attention with its own open AI software. The two models, called GPT-oss-120b and GPT-oss-20b , will be available on AI software hosting platform Hugging Face and can produce text - but not images or videos-in response to user prompts, OpenAI said on Tuesday. These models can also carry out complex tasks like writing code and looking up information online on a user's behalf, the company said. Productivity Tool Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide By Metla Sudha Sekhar View Program Finance Introduction to Technical Analysis & Candlestick Theory By Dinesh Nagpal View Program Finance Financial Literacy i e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By CA Rahul Gupta View Program Digital Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel By Neil Patel View Program Finance Technical Analysis Demystified- A Complete Guide to Trading By Kunal Patel View Program Productivity Tool Excel Essentials to Expert: Your Complete Guide By Study at home View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program Crucially, the models are both open-weight systems, similar to Meta Platforms Inc. 's Llama. The term "weight" refers to the parameters in an AI model. OpenAI is disclosing the many numerical values the models picked up and were tweaked with during the training process, allowing developers to better customise them. However, OpenAI is not revealing the data used to train them, falling short of the definition for a truly open source AI model. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Despite its name, most of OpenAI's models are closed systems -the kind of software that's controlled by the developer, can't be modified by users, and includes less transparency about its technical underpinnings. Like many of its US rivals, OpenAI has guarded its training data and focused on charging more for its most powerful models to offset the immense cost of development.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
ISMA launches AI–ML based national program to boost sugarcane yield and farmer income
Pilibhit: In a significant move to transform sugarcane farming and uplift rural livelihood in the country especially in three top sugar producing states – including Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka – the Indian Sugar & Bio-energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA) has launched an artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technology based National AI-ML Network Program in collaboration with Agriculture Development Trust (ADT). A memorandum of understanding (MoU) in thisb regard was signed between ISMA, ADT and Map My Crop (MMC) – an agri-tech platform specialising in AI-driven farm monitoring. The scientific program aimed at enhancing sugarcane productivity, crop quality, sustainability and farmers' incomes, involves satellite monitoring through an IoT (internet of things) device, and is expected to benefit over 50 lakh sugarcane growers' families and around 30 lakh hectares of sugarcane cultivation area in the state. ISMA has so far coordinated with over 30 sugar mills in UP, 20 in Maharashtra and 10 in Karnataka to disseminate the advanced AI-ML technology among the farmers. Officials said in the initial phase, the program is to be launched as a pilot project in an area of 100 acres per sugar mill. "We have set a target to enhance sugarcane productivity by at least 100 quintals per hectare and sugar recovery rate of 11% or more through scientific advancement", said ISMA's managing director Deepak Ballani while speaking to TOI. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Through ADT's collaboration with Oxford University and Microsoft, a groundbreaking project titled "application of AI, computer vision and machine learning for game-changing improvements in sugarcane crop farming practices" was started last year under which, over 1,000 farmers across the three major sugar producing states were empowered with AI-driven solutions, including machine learning and computer vision tools, to enhance their sugarcane farming practices. "The outcomes reflected a 40% increase in crop yield, 35% reduction in labour costs, 30% savings in water usage, considerable reduction in input costs and overall expenditures, 35% improvement in harvesting efficiency and significant reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through precision farming", said Ballani, adding that ISMA already partnered with the Indian council of agriculture research's (ICAR) sugarcane research institutes to promote high-yielding varieties and efficient farm practices. "The program will deliver practical farmer-centric benefits – including location-specific precision farming modules, satellite-based soil health and fertility mapping, real-time pest and disease alerts through remote sensing, image-based weed detection and control, custom weather advisories and water stress monitoring, IoT-enabled precision irrigation for water efficiency, variable rate application (VRA) for optimal fertilizer use and reduction in both input costs and carbon footprint," Ballani added. "The field demonstrations and capacity-building sessions are also planned to promote rapid adoption of the program by farmers in broader aspects", he said.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
With BYD in fast lane, Tesla's Europe sales in July decline over 50% on-yr
Tesla continues to post steep sales declines in Europe's biggest electric vehicle (EV) markets, where the Elon Musk-led automaker is ceding significant share to China's BYD. In both Germany and the UK-by far the two leading countries for battery-electric vehicle registrations in Europe-Tesla's July sales fell by more than half compared with a year ago, according to figures reported Tuesday. BYD, by contrast, more than quadrupled registrations in each country. Last week, the national auto association for France-the No 3 market in Europe by EV sales-reported that Tesla's registrations dropped 27% in July and were down almost 40% through the first seven months of the year. Productivity Tool Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide By Metla Sudha Sekhar View Program Finance Introduction to Technical Analysis & Candlestick Theory By Dinesh Nagpal View Program Finance Financial Literacy i e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By CA Rahul Gupta View Program Digital Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel By Neil Patel View Program Finance Technical Analysis Demystified- A Complete Guide to Trading By Kunal Patel View Program Productivity Tool Excel Essentials to Expert: Your Complete Guide By Study at home View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program Tesla pinned the blame for its early-year sales weakness on manufacturing disruptions linked to changing over production lines for its most important vehicle, the Model Y. But the company's slump has carried on even as it's ramped up output of the redesigned SUV, adding to concerns that its chief executive officer's polarizing and often politically charged persona have damaged Tesla's brand. On Monday, the company announced that it had approved an interim award of about $30 billion worth of Tesla stock to Musk as a legal fight over his 2018 pay package drags on. Tesla's struggles have created an opening for leading European manufacturers, as well as BYD. The Chinese automaker sold more fully electric cars in Europe than Tesla for the first time ever in April. Some analysts are predicting BYD will pull ahead of Tesla globally for the full year - and that's without BYDs even being available in Tesla's home market, the US. Live Events In Germany-Europe's biggest auto market and the home of Tesla's sole assembly plant in the region- BYD outsold Tesla for the third time this year in July. Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
