Elon Musk described new progress at Neuralink during a fireside chat with Y Combinator on Thursday.
The talk included updates on the company’s brain-computer interface work and a striking new goal: implants that could help people with blindness perceive sight.
During the discussion, when asked about Neuralink, Musk said the company has moved forward rapidly and is preparing a new line of vision implants.
He stated that,
“in the next six to 12 months, we’ll be doing our first implants for vision, where even if somebody is completely blind, we can write directly to the visual cortex.”
Musk also reported that one of our monkeys has had the visual implant for three years.
Neuralink first captured global attention four years ago with the now-famous “Monkey MindPong” demonstration.
That video showed a 9-year-old macaque using a Neuralink device to play a video game using only thought.
The company won FDA clearance for human trials two years ago.
Neuralink’s stated mission aims to restore autonomy to those with unmet medical needs and unlock new dimensions of human potential.
One major clinical use has been to help people with paralysis by translating brain activity into commands for computers and robotic arms.
The firm now aims to approach vision differently: rather than repairing eyes, the implant would directly stimulate the part of the brain that processes sight.
The implant won’t restore natural vision initially, but it could reproduce a similar perceptual experience.
Musk said the system will likely be low-resolution at first and then improve over time.
He suggested future enhancements might let users perceive multi-spectral wavelengths, including ultraviolet and infrared bands, potentially like “having a superpower.”
Brain-computer interface work has accelerated across the industry.
Last month, Apple said it is developing BCI technology with partners to let users control devices with thought, working with Synchron and Nvidia on protocol standards.
Paradromics recently completed its first human implant and struck a partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Neom fund.
Another company, Precision Neuroscience, earned FDA clearance for an important implant component.
The growing field now contains multiple players and increasing investment in research and trials.
One advantage for Neuralink, Musk said, is integration with his broader companies.
Tesla, SpaceX and xAI could contribute technologies to accelerate Neuralink’s breakthroughs.
For example, Tesla’s work on the Optimus humanoid robot could offer a physical endpoint for Neuralink users to control with thought.
And advances from xAI in deep learning might boost Neuralink’s signal processing and interpretation.
Despite the enthusiasm, experts stress that patient safety and clinical outcomes must guide all work.
The surgical procedures for these implants remain highly complex and require meticulous care.
If performed correctly, however, these devices could transform health outcomes for many patients.