Elon Musk says Neuralink is ready to cure blindness — says Blindsight will ‘enable even those who are completely blind or have never seen to see’

Elon Musk’s Neuralink is on the verge of launching Blindsight, a brain-computer interface (BCI) technology that could enable individuals who are completely blind or have never seen to perceive visual stimuli. The product, which is ready from an engineering perspective, awaits regulatory approval before becoming available. Musk announced the development on X, describing it as "ready from an engineering standpoint, just waiting on regulatory approval."

Neuralink, founded in 2016, initially began human trials in 2024. The company's BCIs have already enabled patients to control a cursor via thought. Earlier this year, Musk revealed the first product, dubbed Telepathy, which allows high-speed communication with computers or humans through mere thoughts. Blindsight, however, stands out as it aims to establish an artificial visual pathway, converting camera-captured images into signals comprehensible to the brain via a BCI.

While Neuralink is not the inaugural entity to explore BCIs, the company has gained prominence due to Musk's substantial financial backing. Other organizations like Meta and NeuroXess are also advancing similar technologies, but Blindsight is distinctive in its focus on creating an artificial visual pathway rather than merely controlling external machines.

NeuroXess, for instance, is on track for human trials this year, and Meta is developing a non-invasive magnetoencephalography scanner that enables users to translate thoughts into keystrokes.

BCI technology, including cochlear implants and sensory neuroprosthetics, has already aided those with hearing or touch impairments by transferring signals from sensors into the brain. However, Blindsight could potentially empower people with mobility constraints or those who have lost the ability to move to regain independence by controlling machines using their thoughts.

Furthermore, Musk's assertion that the technology could facilitate high-speed human-to-human communication implies broader implications beyond enhancing mobility. In 2023, Beijing highlighted BCI technology as a strategic sector, suggesting that BCIs might play a role in the ongoing technological arms race, potentially enabling the creation of "super soldiers."