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Apparently Elon Musk isn’t busy enough. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO has started yet another company, Neuralink, which aims to make implants for the human brain that can wirelessly interface with a computer, the Wall Street Journal reported today.
The technology, according to Musk — who brought up the idea at Recode’s Code Conference last year — is a “digital layer” located above the cortex, built into the brain. Musk calls the technology, which would intertwine computers and the human brain, “neural lace.”
Neural lace could help humans keep apace with rapidly accelerating advancements in artificial intelligence, which Musk said will cause humanity to “be left behind by a lot.” With the help of brain implants that are directly linked to computers, humans may be able to improve their brain function, or even one day download their thoughts or upload the thinking of others.
In the more near term, neural lace technology could be used to treat brain diseases like epilepsy or Parkinson’s.
Neuralink registered as a “medical research” company in California last summer, with a person named Jared Birchall listed at the president, CEO and CFO of the company.
Recode reached out to Elon Musk to learn more about his involvement in Neuralink, but did not immediately hear back.
Below you can watch Elon Musk discuss why he thinks “neural lace” computer brain interfaces will be important to develop as AI continues to advance.
This article originally appeared on Recode.net.
