Neuralink, the brain-computer interface company co-founded by Elon Musk, is preparing for changes to both the manufacturing of its implantable devices and the surgical process used to place them in patients. These developments are planned for 2026 and relate specifically to how the devices are produced, how the implantation procedure is carried out, and how the technology continues to be used in people with paralysis.
The plans were outlined by Musk in a Dec. 31 post on his social media platform X, where he wrote: “Neuralink will start high-volume production of brain-computer interface devices and move to a streamlined, almost entirely automated surgical procedure in 2026.” In the same post, Musk stated that the company’s device threads would pass through the dura without requiring its removal, describing this change as a significant development in the implantation process.
Neuralink’s brain-computer interface technology is designed to allow individuals with paralysis to control digital devices using only their thoughts. The system is built around an implantable chip that replaces a small section of skull bone. This chip connects to the brain through a network of thin, thread-like electrodes that are inserted during a surgical procedure. Musk has previously described the implant as comparable to a “Fitbit in your skull.”
According to information provided by the company, Neuralink’s N1 implant contains 1,024 electrodes distributed across 64 threads. These threads connect the implanted chip to the brain and are placed during surgery. The device is intended to translate brain activity into commands that allow users to interact with computers and other digital tools.
Neuralink’s transition into human testing followed an earlier regulatory setback. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration initially rejected the company’s request to begin human clinical trials. After addressing safety concerns raised by the agency, Neuralink later received authorization to proceed. The company began human trials of its brain implant technology in 2024.
Since entering clinical testing, Neuralink has expanded the number of patients who have received the implant. In September, the company reported that 12 people worldwide with severe paralysis had been implanted with the device. According to Neuralink, these individuals were using the implant to control digital and physical tools through thought. Earlier in the year, the company raised $650 million in a Series E funding round, supporting its ongoing development and clinical efforts.
The first person to receive a Neuralink implant was Noland Arbaugh, a 29-year-old quadriplegic. Arbaugh sustained a spinal injury after a diving accident, which dislocated the vertebrae in his neck, leaving him paralyzed from the shoulders down for several years. He received the Neuralink implant in January 2025 and began using the device earlier that year.
Following implantation, Arbaugh used the device for a range of digital activities. These included playing video games, participating in online chess, browsing the internet, posting on social media, and moving a cursor on a laptop. These uses demonstrated how the implant could function in daily digital interactions after surgery.
However, Neuralink has also reported challenges following Arbaugh’s procedure. After the surgery, some of the hair-thin connecting wires implanted in the brain tissue stopped reporting data. In the weeks that followed, a number of the electrode threads retracted from the brain. This resulted in a net reduction in the number of electrodes that remained effective, according to the company’s earlier disclosures.
Neuralink did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding its plans to shift toward high-volume device production and a largely automated surgical process.
Neuralink Targets Production Breakthrough in 2026
In a bold announcement to kick off 2026, Neuralink revealed plans to begin high-volume production of its brain-computer interface (BCI) implants, moving beyond experimental prototypes toward scalable manufacturing. The initiative reflects the company’s ambition to transition its neural implant technology from limited clinical trials into broader use for patients with neurological conditions.
Scaling Manufacturing for Wider Access
According to the latest reports, Neuralink is preparing to manufacture its brain implant devices in significantly larger volumes in 2026. This shift comes after years of research and early human trials, where a handful of individuals received implants and used them to control digital tools through thought alone. The upcoming production scale-up could accelerate accessibility and reduce per-unit costs for future patients.
