Elon Musk says his Neuralink brain implants will help humans integrate and compete with advanced AI in the future.
Neuralink is Musk’s company that creates microchips implanted in the brain to record and simulate brain activity. Musk hopes this technology will soon heal neurological disorders and improve natural senses like sight.
“Let’s give people superpowers,” he said in a podcast with computer scientist Lex Friedman.
In January 2024, Neuralink implanted a chip in its first patient, allowing them to control a computer mouse with their thoughts. The company has since implanted a chip in a second patient.
Musk believes Neuralink could create “symbiosis” between humans and AI, helping prevent AI from surpassing humans dangerously. He mentioned that enhancing the way humans communicate with AI could improve safety.
Big tech companies are racing to develop artificial general intelligence, which aims to make AI reason like humans. This idea has raised concerns, and Musk has criticized OpenAI, a company he helped found, for being too aggressive without prioritizing safety.
Neuralink’s Potential to Improve Health
Musk said Neuralink devices might repair damaged neurons, helping people with blindness, paralysis, and possibly schizophrenia or memory problems. The goal is not only to restore communication for those with neurological damage but also to enhance natural abilities.
Musk suggested that Neuralink could eventually give people vision better than human eyes, comparing it to the visor worn by Geordi La Forge in Star Trek. Users might see in different spectrums like radar, ultraviolet, or infrared.
Fixing neuron damage is just the first step. Musk aims for Neuralink to do more complex tasks like communicating directly with AI systems in the future.
Source: businessinsider
