Elon Musk’s Neuralink helps monkies play Pong with their minds
Plenty of people in the world have neurological disorders, from brain damage to paralysis, that will benefit from this technology.
Key takeaways
- In the experiment Neuralink capsules were placed on each side of Pager's brain, according to the video, and used to track and record the neural activity of the parts of his brain that focuses on hand and arm movements.
- The monkey is shown playing a game of Pong, purportedly moving the paddle to strike the ball by just thinking where he wants it to go.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2021) 'Elon Musk’s Neuralink helps monkies play Pong with their minds', 311 Institute, 18 April. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/elon-musks-neuralink-helps-monkies-play-pong-with-their-minds/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
In another breakthrough for Brain Machine Interface (BMI) technology Neuralink, the neuro-technology startup created by Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who recently showed off their connected pigs, have now released another video that shows a 9 year old monkey called Pager playing the video game Pong using only its brain.
The video, which was posted to YouTube, is yet another demonstration of the increasingly powerful technology that Musk hopes will one day help people merge with Artificial Intelligence (AI), and help people with neurological conditions and damage overcome their injuries and regain their lives.
In the experiment Neuralink capsules were placed on each side of Pager's brain, according to the video, and used to track and record the neural activity of the parts of his brain that focuses on hand and arm movements.
Can you play Pong with your mind?
Once that activity was decoded they were then able to predict the monkey's hand movements in real time. The monkey is shown playing a game of Pong, purportedly moving the paddle to strike the ball by just thinking where he wants it to go.
"Our goal is to enable a person with paralysis to use a computer or phone with their brain activity alone," a narrator says in the video.
Meanwhile Musk lauded the developments with Neuralink on Twitter: "A monkey is literally playing a video game telepathically using a brain chip!!" he said.
What this means for your organisation
Thought becomes input.
Decoding brain signals in real time lets a person control a device by thinking. For paralysed people that could restore independence. Device makers should plan accessible interfaces.
Consumer ambitions loom.
The founder talks of people merging with AI one day. That goes far beyond medical use. Ethics and regulation will need to keep pace.
Animal results come first.
Demonstrations so far are in animals. Human trials must prove safety and value. Leaders should track progress before planning products.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
- How could thought controlled interfaces help our customers or staff with disabilities?
- Where should limits on brain implants be set?
- What would brain interfaces mean for our products?
The trends and technologies behind this story
From the 311 Starburst, the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit’s map of the technologies and trends shaping the next 50 years.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit, from Matthew Griffin’s article and 311 data. First published on Fanatical Futurist.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
Plenty of people in the world have neurological disorders, from brain damage to paralysis, that will benefit from this technology.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
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Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 17-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder and Futurist in Chief of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity program, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
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Sources and further reading
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Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 18 April 2021. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2021). Elon Musk’s Neuralink helps monkies play Pong with their minds. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/elon-musks-neuralink-helps-monkies-play-pong-with-their-minds/
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