The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
By: William D. Slicker
Brain chips implanted in human brains are advanced technological devices that interface with the brain enabling bidirectional communication and control.[1]
Jacquez Vidal, who worked at the Brain Research Institution at UCLA is sometimes given credit for the concept of brain-computer interface back in the 1970’s.[2]
Today, several organizations, including Elon Musk’s Neuralink, Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, Synchron in conjunction with Apple, and Precision Neuroscience are working on the development of brain chips.[3]
These brain chips are being developed for many good uses. A person has 10,000 to 70,000 thoughts per day. The interface wants to transfer thoughts into being able to treat epilepsy, spinal cord injuries, and restore motor speech and visual functions.[4]
However, there are bad possibilities such as brain damage with insertion or replacement of brain chips.[5]
And the ugly threat is twofold. First, since all of the person’s thoughts are being collected, that collection includes the person’s emotional thoughts. Who do you want to have sex with? Who would you like removed from Earth? Is the president a great leader or a dictator? How will you vote on an issue?. Who owns that emotional data? Second, since the brain computer implant is bidirectional, information can be put into a person. This raises the possibility of brain jacking and thus controlling a person.[6] You should have sex with this person. You should want this person removed from Earth. The president is a great leader (or a dictator). You should vote yes (or no) on this issue. Now that is scary.
[1] Li, Christine, et. al., “Neural Implants: The Future of Healthcare?” Institute for Youth in Policy (May 22, 2024) https://yipinstitute.org/policy/neural-implants-the-future-of-healthcare
[2] Li, et. al., supra.
[3] Castoleno, “This NYC Startup is Implanting More Brain Chips Than Neuralink,” Cheddar (May 29, 2026)
[4] Hoos, Michele, “Silicon Chips on the Brain; Researchers Announce a New Generation of Brain-Computer Interface” Columbia Engineering (Dec. 8, 2025) https://www.engineering.columbia.edu/about/news/silicon-chips-brain-researchers-announce-new-generation-brain-computer-interface
[5] Castoleno, supra.
[6] Castoleno, supra.
Samet et. al, supra.
