Researchers Criticize Musk's Promise of Superhuman Vision

Criticism of Musk's Promise

Researchers have expressed concerns over Elon Musk's promise that his brain implant technology, Neuralink, could provide patients with vision superior to normal human sight. Musk's claims, made to his 190 million followers on X, suggest that the product, named "Blindsight," is already working in monkeys and could exceed normal human vision in the future.

Scientific Concerns

• Flawed Premise: Ione Fine, a psychology professor at the University of Washington, stated that Musk's idea is based on a flawed premise. Musk believes that high-resolution vision can be created by implanting millions of tiny electrodes into the visual cortex, but Fine argues that this is not how biology works.
• Neural Code: Fine explained that creating an image in the brain involves stimulating individual cells and generating a neural code that fires across thousands of cells. Scientists are not close to finding the correct neural code in a blind person, limiting the impact of such implants.

Impact on Vulnerable Populations

• Late-Onset Blindness: Fine emphasized that becoming blind late in life can make people vulnerable. Musk's statements could mislead and create false hopes among such individuals.

Study and Publication

• Scientific Reports: The criticism is based on a paper co-authored by Fine and published in the journal Scientific Reports. The paper used "virtual patients" models to simulate how such implants could work.
• Human Biology Limitations: The article argues that the impact of novel implants like Musk's will be limited by human biology, making the promise of superhuman vision unrealistic.

Conclusion

The research community urges caution and emphasizes the need for realistic expectations regarding the capabilities of brain implant technology. While advancements in medical technology are promising, exaggerated claims can be dangerous and misleading.