Revolutionary invention, dangerous science fiction or just aggressive marketing? As announced by Elon Musk at the end of January, Neuralilnk, his umpteenth company, has implanted a chip in a human brain for the first time. This technology, called Telepathy, is being tested with the ultimate goal of bringing patients with severe neural disorders or paralysis to interface with digital devices via brain signals.
Although Neuralink is neither the first nor the only company working on this type of technology, like all things somehow related to the South African-born tycoon, the announcement quickly made the rounds of the world and reactions, not always on fire, were wasted on the web.
We have collected some of them for you.
No, thanks
Paradoxically, on X, the social site bought last year by Musk himself, comments often vary between sceptic and catastrophist, interspersed with many ironic memes and cutting jokes. Some starring the Tesla patron himself as a brain controller. "No thanks," says someone responding to a tweet mentioning the Neuralink chip; "Scary," is echoed by someone else.
Still there are those who write: “The beginning of the end”, or those who are convinced that “Musk should try it on himself”. Also quoted are those who bring up Joe Biden. “It is evil” or “the road to hell is paved with good intentions” are other fearful reactions. In the minority, on the other hand, are the users who are willing to give Telepathy's development a chance, such as those who tweet: “I'm curious”, or those who admit that it is a potentially important step for mankind, a real “milestone”.
Let's see
On the Italian technology forum Hardware Upgrade the discussions are heated, but often, rather than commenting on Neuralink's technology itself, as far as is known, opinions are divided into pro or anti Musk (“Muschio” for the detractors), guilty of promising fuffa or of being a slave to marketing, rather than a benefactor of humanity. There is no shortage of trolls or those who throw the ball into the stands claiming they can't wait to have a chip in their head because they will finally be able to “play without monitors”.
Among the many doubters, some do not necessarily view the start of human experimentation after animal experimentation with fear. "This first implant" reasons one user, "does not pretend to work or not to work. It will simply serve to understand if the technology has tangible effects on humans and then try to improve the positive aspects and avoid the contraindications”.
We will all drive a Tesla
Reddit returns more accepting comments towards Neuralink's research with several users enthusiastic about a coming cyberpunk era. However, there are many sarcastic responses or the equivalent to a 'my lady where are we going to end up at this rate'. Prize crossover comment to those who write: 'given the rubbish Musk has turned Twitter into, I'd rather not have this chip in my head'.
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There are many positive opinions under Neuralink's Instagram post with the announcement. There are those who greet this novelty with excitement, complete with fire emoji, those who toast to a new type of human being, and some who are already looking forward to the commercialisation of the chip. Stealing the eye, however, is a joke (or perhaps a genuine fear): “So we'll all be driving a Tesla”.
What confusion
What undoubtedly reigns everywhere is a bit of confusion mixed with preconceived ideas about technology and Musk, at the center of discussion even when the focus should be on a potentially revolutionary device.
Illustration by Gloria Dozio - Acrimònia Studios
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