--- title: "Elon Musk: Brain-Computer Interface Update “Coming Soon”" description: "Elon Musk hinted that a brain-computer interface might come to Neuralink, his startup, soon. Keep up with Neuralink news at Futurism." date: "2019-04-22" modified: "2019-06-20" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/elon-musk-brain-computer-interface-coming-soon" categories: - "Elon Musk" - "Future Society" - "The Industrialists" tags: - "artificial intelligence" - "brain computer interface" - "elon musk" - "neuralink" --- # Elon Musk: Brain-Computer Interface Update “Coming Soon” ![Elon Musk hinted at the announcement by his startup Neuralink, possibly of a brain-machine interface that could one day hook human brains up to computers.]() *\Image: Quince Media via Pixabay/Tag Hartman-Simkins\* ## Neuralink SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk hinted at what could be the announcement of a brain-machine interface that could one day hook human brains up to computers on Sunday. In response to a question asking for an update on [Neuralink](), a neurotechnology startup he founded in 2016, Musk [replied that new information would be "coming soon"](). A "direct cortical interface," according to Musk, could allow humans to reach higher levels of cognition —and give humans a better shot at competing with artificial intelligence, the *Wall Street Journal* [reported in 2017](). It's unclear, though, whether Neuralink's main objective is to do just that or to connect human brains to computers for consumer applications. ## AI Overlords Musk has repeatedly [warned of evil AI overlords]() in the past, saying that AI could become "an immortal dictator from which we could never escape" in a [2018 documentary]() called "Do You Trust This Computer?" Most of what Neuralink is working on, including any plans for a brain computer interface, are still tightly under wraps. In one tantalizing clue, *Bloomberg* recently [reported on]() a [still unpublished academic paper]() by five authors who have been employed by or associated with Neuralink — though it's unclear whether Musk's tweet referred to their work. ## Sewing Machine for the Brain The paper describes a "sewing machine" for the brain in the form of a needle-like device that is inserted into a rat's skull to implant a bendable polymer electrode in the brain that would read the brain's electrical signals. Of course, human trials are still a long time out. Neuralink has yet to comment on any possible timelines or announcements. **READ MORE:** [Elon Musk says machine to connect human brain to computers is 'coming soon']() \[*The Independent*\] **More on Neuralink:** *[Elon Musk Just Launched A Company To Merge Your Brain With A Computer]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()