Janice R. Andrews
Neuralink, the brain chip startup founded by Elon Musk, recently made headlines when it revealed that it had successfully implanted its first brain chip in a human test subject. Although Silicon Valley imagines a day where technology and the human intellect work together harmoniously, a new YouGov survey, which included 1,000 participants between January 30 and February 1, 2024, casts doubt on this optimistic story. The research indicates that a sizable majority of Americans are sceptical about the prospect of getting a computer chip inserted in their brains, which is contrary to expectations.
Survey Results:
The YouGov survey revealed that just 8% of participants would think about having a brain chip inserted if Neuralink’s technology advanced past the experimental stage and became widely accessible. Remarkably, 82% of participants said they would probably or certainly not, and 10% were unsure.
Moreover, just 2 percent of respondents indicated that they would be eager to participate in brain implant trials in the upcoming year. In all, hardly 5% of participants expressed interest in obtaining a brain chip in the upcoming year. It’s interesting to note that attitudes were influenced by both gender and party affiliation, with males and Democrats/Independents exhibiting a stronger predisposition than women and Republicans.
Brain Chips and Science Fiction:
The public’s opinion of Neuralink’s brain chip has been shaped by the extensive literature on brain augmentation in science fiction. Stories of caution abound, yet among readers of science fiction, especially books like Ender’s Game, Dune, and Flowers for Algernon, there is a sizable fan base.
Science fiction readers were more likely to accept commercially accessible brain chips, particularly those who claimed to have read Frank Herbert’s Dune. Unbelievably, 19% of respondents who had read Dune said they would like to receive a brain chip, and 11% said they would get one in the following year.
It seems that readers were not deterred by their knowledge with the cautionary tale of Flowers for Algernon, a short fiction about a disastrous brain augmentation technique. Remarkably, 13% of participants who admitted to reading Flowers for Algernon continued to show interest in the brain chip developed by Neuralink.
The path ahead for Elon Musk’s Neuralink is difficult as it aims to close the communication gap between technology and human thinking. The YouGov survey highlights the general distrust that Americans have for the concept of brain implants. Science fiction fans are more interested, but the majority is not persuaded, suggesting that the road to brain chips becoming widely accepted may be more complicated and take longer than first thought.
