Elon Musk announced in France on Friday that his brain-chip startup, Neuralink, is expected to equip the first human being with neural implants “this year”.
Speaking at the VivaTech event in Paris, Musk, who is also the CEO of Tesla, Twitter, and SpaceX, stated that Neuralink plans to conduct a webcasted implantation procedure.
Musk, however, did not provide specific details regarding the number of patients or the duration of the trial.
Last month, Neuralink received clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its initial human clinical trial in what was described as a significant milestone for the company.
Neuralink’s animal experiments controversy
Neuralink is also currently under investigation in the United States for its handling of animal experiments.
Former Neuralink employees have previously revealed that the company rushed and mishandled surgeries on monkeys, pigs, and sheep, resulting in unnecessary animal deaths. Musk allegedly pressured staff to obtain FDA approval, and the animal experiments were intended to support the company’s application for human trials.
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Experts have noted that even if Neuralink demonstrates the safety of its device in humans, it could take several years, possibly more than a decade, to obtain commercial use clearance.
Furthermore, the company faces competition from other neurotech firms that have already implanted their devices in humans.
Musk has previously missed deadlines when making public announcements about Neuralink.
Safety concerns over Neuralink’s implants
Since 2019, he has predicted human trials would begin on at least four occasions, multiple reports have stated.
Neuralink, founded in 2016, initially sought FDA approval in early 2022 but was initially rejected due to numerous safety concerns.
These concerns included the lithium battery of the device, the potential migration of implant wires within the brain, and the challenge of extracting the device safely without damaging brain tissue.
Neuralink’s valuation soars
Despite these controversies, Neuralink’s valuation has soared in recent months.
After being valued at nearly $2 billion in a private fundraising round two years ago, the company’s worth has now reached approximately $5 billion based on privately executed stock trades.
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