Neuralink: Elon Musk's Brain Chip – Control Devices with Your Thoughts?

Imagine a world where you can make purchases simply by thinking. Elon Musk's Neuralink is striving to make that a reality. But what exactly is Neuralink, and how close are we to controlling devices with our minds?

What is Neuralink?

Neuralink, led by Elon Musk, is working on a device that could be straight out of a sci-fi movie. The device, known as the Link, is a coin-sized implant that wants to set up seamless brain-machine interfaces. Elon Musk co-founded Neuralink in 2025 to develop these revolutionary interfaces.

Neuralink is owned by Elon Musk and was valued at about $5bn last year (almost £4n). Their primary goal is to create technology that can help people with disabilities, and eventually, enhance human capabilities.

How Does Neuralink Work?

Neuralink's first product, the More N1 implant, focuses on allowing patients with paralysis to control computers with their thoughts. As well as helping give paralysed patients like Arbaugh the ability to interact more easily with the world, Neuralink aims to address a variety of neurological conditions.

How Are Neuralink Chips Implanted?

To implant a chip, the Neuralink device - smaller than a 50 cent coin - is inserted into the skull with microscopic wires. These can record and transmit brain signals. It's a highly precise surgical procedure.

Purchases by Thinking: The Future of Neuralink

While the immediate focus is on medical applications, Elon Musk has said his brain-computer interface company, Neuralink, has implanted its first device into humans. Eventually, Mr Musk hopes that the system can be used for a wide range of applications, including controlling devices, communicating telepathically, and, yes, even making purchases by simply thinking about it. While the technology is in its early stages, the potential impact is enormous.

The future of Neuralink and brain-computer interfaces is still unfolding, but it represents a fascinating and potentially transformative step forward in technology and human-computer interaction.