Elon Musk Says Neuralink's 'First Order Of Business' Is Solving Neuron Damage 'For People…Like Stephen Hawking'

Neuralink Corp. founder Elon Musk disclosed that the primary focus of his brain-computer interface company is to address neuron damage.

What Happened: In a recent episode of the Lex Fridman podcast, Musk stated that the company's "first order of business" is about addressing basic neurological damage, to help people with conditions such as schizophrenia, seizures, and memory issues.

Musk compared the process to a “tech tree,” where the basics need to be established before more complex applications can be explored.

He believes that the potential for profound improvement in communication is worth the risk associated with a new device. Once the risk is minimized, the company might consider aiming for augmentation, giving people “superpowers.”

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"The first several years are really just solving basic neurological damage, like for people who have essentially complete or near complete loss from the brain to the body, like Stephen Hawking," he added.

See Also: Elon Musk Blocked ‘Vampires’ Fame James Woods For Slamming His Blocking Ban

Musk also hinted at the possibility of vision restoration, albeit initially low-res, and the potential for vision in different wavelengths, akin to Geordi La Forge from Star Trek.

Why It Matters: Earlier this year, Musk revealed that Blindsight, a product aimed at restoring vision, would be the next offering from Neuralink.

In May, Neuralink’s first patient, Noland Arbaugh, shared his journey from paralysis to becoming a “celebrity cyborg,” demonstrating the potential of the technology.

In June, AI safety researcher Roman Yampolskiy highlighted the revolutionary potential of Neuralink but also warned of major risks.

Finally, in July, Musk announced plans to implant the Neuralink device into a second human patient, with the goal of having the technology in several more patients by the end of the year.

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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