In case you have not been following the Neuralink implant news, a chip placed inside a patient’s brain has allowed them to use their brain to control a computer cursor, play video games, and even play chess. While this type of interface has existed before, it was never wireless, and relatively miniature. This wireless aspect means that the human with the implant can go around with their daily lives, while the implant does its magic.

The technology is obviously in its nascent stages. Because of the nature of its applications, it will take a long time to get them from lab into production. And the early applications in production will be focused more on improving quality of life of patients, helping them build capabilities that they may have lost to diseases. But the fact is, if this type of implant successfully goes into production, it opens a gateway into the most powerful computer that exists on earth- The Human Brain.

The human brain is not only extremely complex, but is also extremely fragile. It has the capability to repair and regenerate but brain “connections”, since still not fully understood, are very susceptible to damage. The gist is, successfully getting an advanced AI-enabled device working with human brain, in production, will be a big deal. And with that happening, it opens the door to unlimited opportunities.

We often hear the message that we use only 10% of our brain. That is actually a myth. We use the majority of our brains, even while performing simple tasks. While it may take away the creative imagination of us turning into super humans if we can harness even 50% of our brain’s capabilities, it is a good thing when it come to the possibilities advanced versions of Neuralink can open for us.

At this gist of amazing things that advanced versions of Neuralink (or similar devices) can do- and scary as well- will be the ability to collect data from the farthest reaches of our brains.

At this point, I do not have any details on how the current version of Neuralink works. But based on my research, in order to do what it is currently doing, it is already collecting data on brain activity. There is nothing new at this point that it may have collected. Scientists have been collecting data on brain activity for decades. The difference is, this time it is a wireless, tiny implant that the patient can “live with”.

There are two key areas of application.

One is to understand diseases related to brain. The list of diseases that we can “manage” but not cure is dominated by those associated with our brain. While we understand how the brain behaves in normal circumstances, we have little knowledge of how to fix things when it goes haywire. And this is where a device, in its advanced version, a decade from now, can do its magic.

We get mesmerized reading articles about AI deciphering brain scans to interpret insights on brain associated diseases. The fact is, very little of that has been useful beyond highlighting “what can be done”. This device, implanted within the brain, already being leveraged on a day-to-day basis, can capture data and insights that can collect meaning data. Data that can actually help.

Then comes the commercial application.

If you think that who, in their right mind, will voluntarily want to embed a chip in their brain, unless they need it for medical purposes, we can touch base again on this in 2040. Believe me, there will be plenty of enthusiasts. The problem with those who love technology, and have the money to spend on it, is that they have the itch to see the magic happening, and enjoy the beauty of technology.

And they will be queuing to be on the list. Just to feel the beauty of vanilla things like your TV turning on when you think about turning it on. Even non-invasive AI algorithms currently have the capability to read brain scans and turn thoughts into text. An implant, with a SLM, a decade from now, will be much more precise. Synced with a smart home system, you can control your entire home with your thoughts. With authorization, you can sync with people you trust, to share your thoughts (not recommended, though 😄). How cool is that ! Well, it is this cool aspect of tech, that will attract enthusiasts to get this tech.

The other critical commercial aspect is understanding consumer behavior. We have been trying to study brain behavior in specific scenarios through live scans. Like how the brain reacts when it sees money 💰. But how does our brain react when we are on the shop floor, browsing the Washing Machines aisle. As we stop at each model, and admire/evaluate it, how does our brain react? How does that reaction differ when we are standing in front of the model that we do want to buy?

Strong privacy aspects will come into play. However, the fact is, with consent, the commercial applications of data collected by such an implant will be huge. The future is exciting. But beware of what you think-because your thoughts will no longer remain just your thoughts.