Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on Monday that Neuralink his brain-Computer-Interface Company could be launching human trials by the end of 2021. Musk gave the timeline in response to another user’s request to join human trials for the product, which is designed to implant artificial intelligence into human brains as well as potentially cure neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
“Neuralink is working super hard to ensure implant safety & is in close communication with the FDA,” Musk said on Twitter in response to another user’s request to join human trials. “If things go well, we might be able to do initial human trials later this year.”
Musk has made similar statements in the past about his project, which was launched in 2016. He said in 2019 that it would be testing on humans by the end of 2020. There has been a recent flurry of information on the project since Musk made an appearance on the social media site, Clubhouse, and provided some additional updates on Neuralink.
Musk told Clubhouse users Sunday night that Neuralink recently used its nanotechnology to implant a chip into a monkey’s brain. The wireless chip allowed the monkey to play video games using only its mind, according to Musk. Neuralink has tested the chips on other animals. Last year, the company implanted an AI brain chip into a pig.
The chip implants can read and write brain activity. Musk claims the brain-machine interface could do anything from cure paralysis to give people telepathic powers, referring to the device as “a Fitbit in your skull.” Musk has also recently tried to recruit for the company on Twitter.
