Neuralink and the Mark of the Beast

The human-machine integration between damnation and transcendence; between brain hacking and paranoia; between utopia and dystopia.

It was January 2024 when Noland, paralyzed from the shoulders down after a pool accident, received the world's first brain implant. Until then, he was condemned to interact with the outside world using a mouth-held stylus to click on a tablet. Today, he no longer needs the stylus: he can control his computer cursor with his mind.

Alex, also completely paralyzed, now uses his mind to design in 3D and control various devices, while Brad, suffering from ALS, has regained the ability to communicate and participate in family activities. One day, he may even travel again thanks to new assistive robotic devices (Assistive Robotic Arm).

Noland, Alex, and Brad are Neuralink patients who participated in the 2024 trials of the Link, the implantable brain-computer interface that allows paralyzed patients to control digital devices with their minds. Together, they have accumulated nearly 5,000 hours of use.

Despite the undeniable improvement in their quality of life, all three remain completely paralyzed. If they were robots, one could easily replace damaged parts, reboot the software, and restore all movement functions. But they are not robots.

The promise of Neuralink and companies active in the neurotechnology sector goes far beyond merely controlling digital devices. The next goal is to leverage neuroprosthetics and assistive robotics to enable people like Noland, Alex, and Brad to walk, speak, and move as they once did. Or even better.

If this already seems extraordinary, combined with artificial intelligence, the potential becomes explosive. Meta has announced that its AI has managed to decode 80% of the brain data from subjects involved in mind-reading experiments. The conquest of brain processes is within reach.

We are on the brink of a transhuman revolution, but not everyone is happy about it.

Exploiting the mind

The reasons are many: privacy and cybersecurity are factors that raise serious concerns. Brain data is the final frontier of human experience digitalization; a goldmine for governments, intelligence, law enforcement, major corporations, and surveillance capitalists in general. It is no coincidence that Meta, owner of Facebook and Instagram, is at the forefront of this research.

And if mental privacy poses a significant problem, the cybersecurity of these implants can become a true nightmare.

Brain-computer interfaces are a bridge between the human mind and the digital realm. Just as it is possible to communicate with computers and robotic limbs through BCI, the opposite is also conceivable, for example, to take measurements or monitor the implant's performance.

The same applies to other digital implants, such as the latest generation of pacemakers or internal defibrillators, equipped with remote monitoring and programming capabilities. In many cases, medical staff already use tablets or computers to connect remotely to these devices and make configuration changes without surgery.

But while cardiac implants may not be very appealing to cybercriminals and malicious actors, the possibility of accessing a person's brain, thoughts, and bodily functions offers entirely different macabre prospects.

In the not-too-distant future, we could imagine the existence of hacks, malware, and spyware specifically designed to attack BCIs. Combined with artificial intelligence, it would be possible to read minds remotely, implant ideas, thoughts, and fears, or even take control of bodily functions—turning the victim into a puppet.

Thought Control—Reality or Fiction?

Total control of another’s mind and body? A scenario that might seem unlikely, if not for a recent disturbing event suggesting otherwise.

In the early hours of February 17, 2025, a person identified as Hu Lezhi made Ethereum transactions worth over two million dollars. These transactions contained text messages in Chinese, translated into English by some users, referring to the alleged use of “brain-machine weapons” and “brain-controlled organizations.”