Elon Musk plans 'high-volume production' of Neuralink brain chips and says he wants to automate the surgical procedure (www.businessinsider.com)

Elon Musk has announced plans for high-volume production of Neuralink's brain chips starting in 2026, aimed at enhancing the lives of individuals with paralysis and neurological disorders. These implants, designed to allow users to control computers with their thoughts, currently target patients with severe conditions like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Musk emphasized that the surgical procedure for implanting these chips will become "almost entirely automated," streamlining the implantation process significantly. The chips, which are about the size of a coin and feature ultra-thin threads inserted into the patient’s brain, will be able to bypass the need for extensive surgery, as they can be introduced without removing a portion of the skull. This development is significant for the AI/ML community as it not only advances the integration of neural interfaces with technology but also signifies a potential leap toward melding human cognitive abilities with artificial intelligence. The automation of the implantation process could lead to increased accessibility and wider adoption of these brain-computer interfaces, which may empower more individuals to regain independence. Musk's vision includes a future where over a thousand patients could be using these implants by 2026, marking a pivotal moment in neurological and robotic surgery advancements.