ALBAWABA- Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI, predicted that Neuralink’s brain-computer interface (BCI) will make smartphones obsolete within five years, signaling what he calls “the next evolution of human–AI integration.”
Speaking at the xAI Grok Summit in Austin on Friday, Musk said, “In five years, you’ll think your messages, summon your car, or stream movies directly from your mind, no screens needed.”
The claim comes as Neuralink, his neurotechnology firm, expands human trials of its implant, which allows users to control digital devices using thought alone.
Neuralink, valued at $5 billion after its 2024 Series D funding round, has implanted chips in three human patients since January 2025. One of them, Noland Arbaugh, paralyzed from the shoulders down, demonstrated real-time “thought-posting” on X, Musk’s social platform, and described the experience as “like having a superpower.” The company says its device now transmits data at one megabit per second, comparable to early 4G speeds.
Analysts at Gartner estimate meaningful commercial adoption of BCIs won’t occur before 2035 due to safety, ethical, and regulatory concerns. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Neuralink’s initial trials but continues to monitor potential long-term effects on brain tissue.
Privacy advocates warn of possible “mind-hacking” risks, while economists question the impact on industries like app development. Still, investors appear optimistic, Neuralink’s shares jumped 12% in after-hours trading.
“The future is inevitable,” Musk told the audience with a grin. “The only question is—will you plug in?”
