Elon Musk Says Best Human Surgeons Will Be Outdone By Robots In Almost 5 Years, Cites Example Of His Own Brain-Chip Company

Elon Musk says the surgical scalpel is about to lose its top billing to algorithms and actuators, predicting "robots will surpass good human surgeons within a few years and the best human surgeons within ~5 years."

What Happened: Replying to tech commentator Mario Nawfal's post on X touting robot-run operating rooms, Musk added that Neuralink "had to use a robot for the brain-computer electrode insertion, as it was impossible for a human to achieve the required speed and precision."

Neuralink's R1 machine places 64 hair-thin threads into the cortex in about 15 minutes, steering past blood vessels with micron-level accuracy, according to the company's hardware blog and earlier public demos.​ The robot is now part of the PRIME human trial testing the N1 wireless implant in patients with paralysis.​

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Musk's timeline lands as autonomous systems notch real-world wins. Johns Hopkins' Smart Tissue Autonomous Robot recently stitched pig intestines with leak-free precision that matched or beat experienced surgeons.​ A January study cited by Reuters even found robots reduced complications in complex liver procedures versus open surgery.​

Even semi-autonomous platforms are surging: Intuitive Surgical says its surgeon-controlled da Vinci systems have logged nearly 17 million procedures worldwide.​ Peer-reviewed analyses report that algorithm-guided suturing and screw placement now outperform human averages for accuracy and consistency.​

Why It Matters: Musk isn’t the only one backing humanoid robots to replace skilled hospital doctors. Bill Gates, in a recent chat, mentioned that he foresees robots with dexterous “hands” making it routine to staff hospitals, adding that he’s certain that his kids and grandkids will live in a “very changed world”.

Meanwhile, Musk also believes Neuralink will help restore vision for the "completely blind," pointing to early milestones such as implant recipient Noland Arbaugh, who now controls a computer cursor with his thoughts. The bold promise has drawn skeptics, including former White House strategist Steve Bannon, who recently blasted Musk and Neuralink in an interview.

Photo Courtesy: Frederic Legrand – COMEO On Shutterstock.com

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