Advancing from converting thoughts into speech to enabling paralyzed individuals to walk, neurotechnology has been steadily progressing, sparking hopes for medical innovations as well as significant ethical questions.
Some experts believe that neurotechnology could become as transformative as the widely discussed surge of artificial intelligence (AI).
“Many people don’t realize how much of our lives already resemble science fiction,” said Anne Vanhoestenberghe, a researcher at King’s College London, in an interview with AFP.
Vanhoestenberghe heads a lab that creates electronic devices implanted into the nervous system—not only the brain but also the spinal cord, which carries signals to the rest of the body.
Neurotech research has seen major breakthroughs in recent years. In June, scientists in California announced a brain implant capable of converting the thoughts of a man with ALS into words almost instantaneously—taking only one-fortieth of a second.
Swiss researchers have recently helped several paralyzed individuals regain substantial control over their bodies—including the ability to walk—by implanting electrodes in their spinal cords.
However, these experiments, along with other pioneering efforts in the field, are still far from fully restoring speech or mobility to patients who have lost these abilities.
It also remains uncertain how developers could make such technologies, some of which require invasive brain surgery, accessible to people worldwide.
Still, Vanhoestenberghe noted, “Most people are unaware of the advances that are already making a real difference in lives.”
She stressed that these devices are improving at an astonishing pace. “In the past, it required thousands of hours of training for a person to form even a few words using only their thoughts,” she explained. “Today, it takes just a few hours.”
Musk Foresees Human-AI Partnership
Neurotechnology has advanced thanks to both scientific discoveries—such as deeper insights into the human brain—and technological innovations that have miniaturized devices enough to fit inside the skull.
Artificial intelligence algorithms have accelerated this progress by efficiently analyzing and translating brain-generated data.
Since the late 2000s, numerous start-ups have secured tens of billions of dollars in funding for research, though tangible results are only beginning to emerge.
The most high-profile of these is billionaire Elon Musk’s Neuralink, which reports having implanted its chip in 12 people so far.
Despite Musk’s ambitious claims, experts remain skeptical about the company’s achievements.
“Neuralink is largely smoke and mirrors, with a lot of hype,” said Herve Chneiweiss, a neurologist and ethics specialist at France’s INSERM, in an interview with AFP.
He warned, “By the time they succeed in creating commercial products—and that won’t take long—it will already be too late to be concerned.”
Numerous experts worry about the ethical consequences of neurotechnology, especially as some companies aim far beyond healthcare, seeking to use computers to enhance human cognitive capabilities.
Musk, in particular, has often stated that his ultimate goal with Neuralink is to enable humans to reach a state of “symbiosis” with AI.
Deepest Thoughts in Danger
Against this context, UNESCO, the United Nations agency for science and culture, has recently endorsed guidelines on how countries might govern neurotechnology.
These guidelines, which are not legally enforceable, are set to take effect on Wednesday.
The authors, including Chneiweiss, used a broad definition of neurotechnology. This encompasses commonly used devices like smartwatches and headsets that don’t directly interface with the brain but track signals that offer insights into the user’s mental state.
Chneiweiss explained that the primary risk today is a breach of privacy, putting our most private thoughts at risk. He cautioned that neurotechnology data might “end up in your employer’s hands,” potentially allowing them to judge whether you are dedicating enough attention to work. Some steps are already being taken to address these concerns. For example, late last year, California—a major center for neurotech research—passed legislation to protect consumers’ brain data.
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