Elon Musk’s Neuralink wants to fit brain chips in 20,000 people every year by 2031, hoping to make over $1 billion in annual revenue.
Neuralink’s internal documents, seen by Bloomberg, show the company’s huge ambitions for changing how humans and technology connect. So far, fewer than 10 people have publically received a Neuralink implant. But the company expects things to ramp up quickly in the next few years.
Neuralink expects U.S. approval for its first commercial brain chip, called Telepathy, by 2029. This device is designed to let people control computers and other devices just by thinking. By 2030, the company wants to run five large clinics and launch at least three devices:
Telepathy: Links your brain to devices.
Blindsight: Aims to restore sight for blind people, set to launch in 2030.
Deep: Targets neurological conditions like tremors and Parkinson’s disease.
Neuralink hopes to do 10,000 surgeries a year by 2030, bringing in over $500 million. Each surgery is estimated at $50,000. The company has already raised $1.3 billion in funding and is valued around $9 billion, according to PitchBook.
Neuralink is still in the research stage. The company must get approval from U.S. health regulators before its devices become widely available. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet fully approved any brain-computer interface for permanent use in humans.
Musk isn’t alone in this race. Several other neurotech companies are building their own brain-machine interfaces and face similar safety and testing requirements.
Early trials are promising. Some paralyzed patients have used Neuralink implants to surf the internet, play games and even edit videos using their thoughts. The company has also shown that its chips can help blind monkeys detect objects.
Founded in 2017, Neuralink wants its technology to help people with serious neurological problems move, see, or communicate better. Its first brain implant in a human happened in January last year. In April, Neuralink started searching globally for people to join new studies on mind-controlled devices.
While Elon Musk is known for setting big targets and sometimes overshooting timelines, Neuralink’s plans are already pushing the boundaries of science and medicine. The next five years will show whether brain chips can really change lives as promised. But safety, regulation and affordability remain big questions.
