Elon Musk’s Neuralink responds to allegations of mistreatment of test subjects used in brain chip trials

Controversy has exploded after ugly details regarding trials for a cutting-edge implant device owned by Elon Musk emerged.

Elon Musk’s revolutionary Neuralink device has been sideswiped by a legal battle as the billionaire continues to accelerate research for the world’s first commercial brain implant.

Neuralink has been described as the gateway to the future for interfacing with technology, with proponents claiming the microchip could eventually fix a number of afflictions like hearing and vision loss, while also allowing people to scroll through memes with their eyes closed.

Musk has long been a supporter of the “if you can’t beat them, join them” philosophy when it comes to artificial intelligence, believing human beings have the potential to successfully and safely interface with machines if the technology is developed and legislated responsibly.

Neuralink has already put out applications for willing volunteers to become the world’s first “implanted” human beings. However, drama bubbling over its treatment of apes in preliminary tests of the device has generated an unwelcome public relations scandal for the polarising new tech.

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) has come after the company for causing “extreme suffering” for its test subjects. A statement put to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), claims monkeys “had their brains mutilated in shoddy experiments and were left to suffer and die”.

The current Neuralink design is a chip about the size of a two dollar coin, which is placed in a hole drilled in the back of the skull and linked to the brain via tiny wires.

The PCRM claims Neuralink’s testing, conducted in partnership with the University of California between 2017 and 2020, caused “extreme psychological distress” for the test animals who were subject to “crude surgeries”. According to the animal rights organisation, as many as a dozen deaths have been caused by the trials.

The group also alleges that other monkeys suffered severe side effects including bloody skin infections and brain haemorrhages after having Neuralink devices implanted in their heads. The group based its allegations on documents obtained through public records requests.

Neuralink did not deny killing monkeys during years of testing its cutting-edge brain chip implant. Source: Neuralink

Neuralink responded to the drama on Wednesday, explaining the complicated process involved in testing animals, revealing early tests were performed on cadavers and animals “deemed by the veterinary staff to be healthy enough for one anaesthetic event but may not have proper quality of life due to a pre-existing condition”.

“Animals at Neuralink are respected and honoured by our team. Without proper context, information from medical records and study data can be misleading,” the statement read.

“It is important to note that these accusations come from people who oppose any use of animals in research.”

The company did not deny killing monkeys but said it is “absolutely committed to working with animals in the most humane and ethical way possible”.

Elon Musk’s Neuralink has hit another snag after being pinned by animal rights groups for the alleged mistreatment of monkeys used to test brain implants.

“All animal work done at UC Davis was approved by their Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) as mandated by Federal law, and all medical and post-surgical support, including endpoint decisions were overseen by their dedicated and skilled veterinary staff,” Neuralink said.

“While the facilities and care at UC Davis did and continue to meet federally mandated standards, we absolutely wanted to improve upon these standards as we transitioned animals to our in-house facilities.”

Musk claims human integration with AI could happen within the next 10 years. However, detractors remain sceptical over the feasibility of brain implants just yet.

If you can’t beat em, join em
Neuralink mission statement

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 9, 2020

University of Pennsylvania Professor of Medical Ethics and Health Policy Anna Wexler says the world’s richest man is prone to overstatements regarding his technology, and doubts whether the Neuralink device will deliver on all its claims.

“What concerns me in the near term are the potentially false claims,” Ms Wexler said in an interview with the Observer last year.

“Neuralink’s employees are scientists and engineers working on developing what appears to be a legitimate device for medical purposes. Yet, the company’s co-founder is fond of making grandiose and bombastic claims about the potential for that same technology to cure all diseases and allow humans to merge with AI.”