Neuralink’s brain chip shows monkey non-existing objects, aims to restore vision in humans

Elon Musk’s Neuralink has taken another step forward in brain-computer interface technology with its latest project, Blindsight.

In a recent presentation, Neuralink engineer Joseph O’Doherty revealed that the company used its implant to stimulate a monkey’s visual cortex, successfully triggering the animal to perceive something that wasn’t physically present.

According to O'Doherty, the monkey responded by shifting its gaze toward the "invisible" object about two-thirds of the time, suggesting that the brain was tricked into visualising a stimulus through targeted electrical signals.

This marks the first public insight into Neuralink’s Blindsight device, which functions as an artificial eye by simulating visual input directly in the brain. Though the technology remains unapproved for human use in the United States, the development is being closely watched in neuroscience and medical circles for its potential to treat blindness and, eventually, enhance vision beyond natural human limits.

“The short-term goal of Blindsight is to help people see, and the long-term goal is to facilitate superhuman vision — like in infrared,” Elon Musk said earlier this year.

While O’Doherty declined to elaborate on the project during the Neural Interfaces conference, he did note that future versions of the system could incorporate a pair of glasses to help interface with the implant.

Neuralink is also progressing on other medical applications of its brain chip. Five people have received Neuralink implants so far — three in 2024 and two in 2025 — according to O'Doherty’s presentation. In some cases, users are interacting with their devices for as many as 60 hours per week.

The chip is designed to help people with paralysis interact with computers directly through thought. Musk has also suggested that such technology could one day enable movement or walking through spinal cord stimulation. At the conference, O’Doherty presented a joint study with academic researchers where stimulation via Neuralink’s implant activated a monkey’s muscles by targeting its spinal cord.

The visual cortex in monkeys, being closer to the brain’s surface than in humans, offers easier access for testing, O’Doherty explained. However, he noted that Neuralink’s surgical robot is capable of implanting the device deeper into the human brain if necessary.

Ultimately, Musk’s ambitions for Neuralink go far beyond medical uses. In 2024, he described brain-computer interfaces as a means to “mitigate the risk of digital super-intelligence.” His other company, xAI Corp., is already active in the artificial intelligence space.