Elon Musk plans high volume production of Neuralink brain chips, wants surgeries to be automated

Elon Musk

• Neuralink plans high-volume brain chip production and automated surgery by 2026
• New chip threads can be inserted without removing the brain's dura membrane.
• Clinical trials expand outside US; users control devices by thought alone

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Elon Musk’s Neuralink is kicking off 2026 with some very bold plans. The company, which works on brain-computer interface technology, wants to make its brain chips easier to access and much faster to implant. In short, Musk wants Neuralink to move from experimental tech to something that can be produced and implanted at scale.

Neuralink’s core product is a tiny chip that gets implanted in the brain and allows people to control computers, phones, or other digital devices just by thinking. This is especially aimed at people living with severe paralysis, who may have lost the ability to move their hands or speak clearly. For them, this tech could mean being able to type, browse the internet, or even communicate without needing physical movement.

On X, Musk responded to a post summarising Neuralink’s progress in 2025, and shared what’s next. He said the company will start high-volume production of its brain chips this year, and by the end of 2026, the surgery to implant them will be almost entirely automated. His exact words were, Neuralink will start high-volume production of brain-computer interface devices and move to a streamlined, almost entirely automated surgical procedure in 2026.

One of the biggest changes Neuralink is working on is the way the chip’s electrode threads are inserted into the brain. Musk explained that the new device threads will go through the dura without removing it. The dura is the brain’s outer protective membrane, and not having to remove it during surgery is a huge deal. It could reduce risk, speed up the process, and make the surgery less invasive.

Neuralink’s ambition doesn’t stop at automation. The company is also expanding its clinical trials outside the US. Last year, it performed its first surgeries in Canada, and even had a participant in the UK demonstrate computer control with just thoughts, soon after the procedure. These early results showed users playing video games, moving a laptop cursor, browsing online, and posting on social media, all through thought alone.

2025 was a milestone year for Neuralink. The US Food and Drug Administration approved its chip for speech restoration technology, specifically for people with severe speech impairment. Around the same time, the company raised $650 million in Series E funding, pushing its valuation to $9 billion. In September 2025, Neuralink confirmed 12 people with paralysis had received implants, though social posts from the same period hinted that the number might be closer to 20.

To make all this possible, Neuralink has also introduced a next-generation surgical robot. This robot can insert electrode threads in just 1.5 seconds per thread, at deeper levels than before. It’s designed to adjust to different brain anatomies, making the procedure more precise for different patients. The company has also reportedly found ways to manufacture surgical parts like needle cartridges at a lower cost, helping it move toward affordable mass adoption.

Musk has always been known for betting big on futuristic tech, and Neuralink is no exception. While the technology is still in its clinical stage, the company’s progress so far makes it clear that Musk is serious about taking brain chips mainstream. If it works as planned, 2026 could be the year Neuralink changes the way assistive technology and neurological care are imagined.