Elon Musk says that his neurotechnology company Neuralink could be launching human trials “later this year.”
Musk shared the news in response to a Twitter user who said he’d be willing to participate in the human trials, which would implant an artificial intelligence chip in humans’ brains in hopes they could control technology just by thinking.
“I was in a car accident 20 years ago and have been paralyzed from the shoulders ever since. I’m always available for clinical studies at @Neuralink,” Twitter user Hamoon Kamai wrote to Musk on Sunday.
“Neuralink is working super hard to ensure implant safety & is in close communication with the FDA. If things go well, we might be able to do initial human trials later this year,” the Tesla CEO replied on Monday.
Neuralink’s goal is also to help paralyzed patients easily interact with their cellphones or computers by implanting the brain chip, Musk previously said.
The company began testing its chip on animals over the summer and used a pig for its experiment.
Musk recently went on the audio-streaming app Clubhouse, where he said Neuralink has implanted the brain chip in a monkey and that it can play video games with its mind.
“We’ve already got a monkey with a wireless implant in their skull, and the tiny wires, who can play video games using his mind,” the billionaire tech entrepreneur said.
“One of the things we’re trying to figure out is, can we have the monkeys play mind-Pong with each other?” Musk added. “That would be pretty cool.”
