Group 8

Introduction

The Neuralink Brain Chip (2075) is a revolutionary advancement in neural technology, and remains one of the most influential innovations of the 21st century. Developed by the neurotechnology company Neuralink, founded by Elon Musk in 2016, the chip was designed to work directly with the human brain, enhancing one's cognitive abilities, offering exclusive medical treatments and human-computer integration which offers a large variety of advantages. By 2075, the Neuralink Brain Chip has evolved into a highly sophisticated and ever-present device, deeply integrated into everyday life. Its medical uses can range from treating neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and spinal cord injuries. The Neuralink Brain Chip is even capable of augmenting human memory, creativity and sensory perception. The chip, now far more advanced than its early iterations, features wireless connectivity and a vast number of never before seen capabilities. It is capable of not only monitoring brain activity but also providing instant feedback to optimize cognitive functions. In 2075, the chip is commonly used for communication, with many people using it to send thoughts and emotions directly to one another without the need for speech or spoken language. The Neuralink Brain Chip also allows for contactless payment simply by sending your payment as a thought. Virtual reality experiences and environments are also just a thought away. While Neuralink has faced ethical concerns and regulatory challenges, its influence on society and technology in 2075 is undeniable. As a tool for both human enhancement and medical therapy, the Neuralink Brain Chip represents a key milestone in the fusion of biology and technology, while shaping the future of human potential.

History

The first brain-computer interface was installed in a human in 2004, known as the Utah Array. This allowed the paralyzed man to control a computer cursor with their neural impulses. Created by Richard Normann, this device was attached to the skill through an opening in the skin flap.

Neuralink was founded by Elon Musk, Max Hodak, Tim Hanson, Ben Rapoport, and Dongjin Seo in June 2016, with the goal of creating implantable devices that could be inserted into a human’s brain to enhance certain abilities, such as cognitive and neurological conditions.

Timeline

In 2017, Neuralink was mentioned for the first time in the public eye at the World Government Summit in Dubai. Musk’s goal was to create a symbiosis between humans and technology.

in 2019 Neuralink made its first debut, showing the implant live in a pig. This highlighted the company’s ability to physically install the chip into live beings and was a proof of concept for future applications.

In 2021, human trials for Neuralink began. Certain people were selected based on artificial criteria, as well as people from a large range of ethnicities.

In 2025, Neuralink mass trials began, with sign-ups possible for those with brain-related disorders such as adhd, bi-polar disorder, and depression. The government approved the installation of the devices into persons for medical purposes.

In 2035, Neuralink became publicly available for the general population. Device availability was scarce. Only 1000 devices were created annually, citing resource management as the main reason for a decrease in supply. Additionally, costs for implementation were around $500,000 USD, as implanting could only be done at the one Neuralink facility in California.

In 2050, prices for Neuralink decreased, citing a sudden mass availability of resources, specifically the gold, required to build the motherboard units of the devices. Prices fell to $100,000 USD, and implanting sites also expanded, as countries such as Canada, The United Kingdom, and China opened locations. This rapidly expanded the user base, with China alone adding around 500,000 users in the first year of international release.

In 2065, prices continued to drop, as cheaper alternatives were found to create the motherboard and other components of the device. Implanting sites opened internationally, with every continent receiving at least 3 implant centers. Device price lowered to $10,000 USD, and surgical complications from the implantation process had all but vanished, most stress from individuals about getting the device. Thought to thought communication also became an opt-in for private alpha tests at this time.

As of 2070, more than 15 percent of the average global population, approximately 150,000,000 people has installed the device. Creation of special centers for Neuralink only members have created communities where members only interact with one another. Neuralink had worked to remove barriers to entry in recent years, however the easy implementation and low price of the new models have installation percentages rising.

Economical Impacts

During the mass production of the Neuralink chips, a great use of natural resources have been used. Due to this, a shortage of natural resources being gold, platinum, cobalt and lithium have now been overmined. As a result of this overmining, the prices and stocks of these companies have therefore risen substantially, creating a drastic shift in the Canadian economy.

More technological jobs have opened up, whether it is production, designing or fixing/updating the chip models etc, this boom in jobs have also shifted the economy to better suit the country as a whole, bringing in more revenue to better suit the Canadian population and their needs. Taxes, grocery and fossil fuel prices are at an all time low due to an increased efficiency in agricultural production through AI and chip enhanced farming, and a reduced reliance on fossil fuels due to nuclear energy.

There are instances however, in which some areas of life have been significantly increased in price. These areas are precious metals/jewelry, mining equipment/industrial technologies related to the creation of the chip and the export of these chips and its materials to the rest of the world. For the most part, these resources and precious metals have now become a greater sign of wealth and power, and practically unattainable for the rest of the population. Those with decent amounts of these well desired metals/luxury items have either sold them to make tons of money effectively now having generational wealth, however those who are in the top 1%, saved their items for the social economic status, effectively becoming “top ranking citizens” gaining access to almost anything in the country they desire.

Canada is now the biggest exporter and trader with the rest of the world, not only making the Earth more economically and humanly efficient, they are also now the leading country in GDP and incoming revenue that has been reinvested into the country for safety, quality of life as well as education and healthcare sectors. This effectively made Canada the number 1 country to live in, as quality of life, life expectancy, and educational test scores are far beyond that of any country at this time, creating a neo country.

Due to the chips and their social economic status, there is now a disparity within society as the wealthy who have the chip have many more advantages than the working class citizens without the chip implanted.

The high cost of Neuralink chips has led to a growing black market for fake or used devices, which many working-class people turn to because they can’t afford the real thing. These unregulated chips often break down or cause serious health problems, putting more pressure on healthcare systems. At the same time, the gap between those who can afford the technology and those who can’t keeps getting bigger. People without access to legitimate chips are falling behind in school, work, and daily life, and this underground market shows just how much this new technology is dividing society.

Neuralink chips have drastically revolutionized how people live and work, but they have also created enormous cultural divides. A new breed of "super-professionals" has occupied top positions in industries such as technology and finance as a result of the chips' improved efficiency, ingenuity, and intelligence. The majority of these people come from wealthy families since they can afford the chips. As a result, working-class people without chips now have a considerably more difficult time advancing in life or competing for well-paying jobs.

At the same time, companies catering to the wealthy are flourishing, such as special clubs exclusive to Neuralink, schools built for chip-enhanced learning, and luxury tech support for the chips. People without chips now feel even more excluded as a result of this. Many people are beginning to wonder if this technology is truly fair or if it is only making things more difficult for people who are already having difficulty. Discussions concerning who has access to these developments and whether the advantages outweigh the costs to society are being sparked by them.

Education

Early Stages

The implementation of the Neuralink Brain Chip has greatly affected the education system, both the chip and no chip movements have clashing ideologies when it comes to how learning should take place. Originally in 2035 upon public release the Brain Chip was not offered to students as there were worries about the effects of the chip on developing minds. During this time period schooling continued similarly to the early 21st century where students were grouped in classrooms and learned from teachers communicating through spoken language.

Educational Developments and Divide

In the year 2050, enough research on the Neuralink Brain Chip on the youth was conducted to the point where the final consensus was that once children had reached the age of 12 their brains have developed enough to receive the chip risk free. Both the middle and upper classes of society started chipping their children and unenrolling them from the in person learning facilities. This created a divide which separated students into two categories, chipped and unchipped. Students without the chip continued to learn in classrooms from an unchipped teacher who would teach them using traditional pre Neuralink methods. These unchipped were often looked down upon as using primitive learning methods and inferior to the chipped population. Chipped students would not need to attend in person classes or even have a teacher. They simply need to go to a download station and download the knowledge they require for that date and time.

Reconciliation and Present Day

Current day, 2075 has continued to use a dual education model depending on your chip status. The segregation has increased even more as chipped students communicate solely through their Neuralink Chips and never have to use spoken language. Their vocal cords have become weaker and thus making communication less common between them and the non chips. The Minister of Education, Bruce Casablancas has spoken out about trying to end the educational divide by either offering Neuralink brain chips to all students who are of age, no matter their social class and economic status. Another idea he is considering is a mandatory spoken language program in which all chipped students must participate in, so as to not lose their speech skills and thus also allowing them to communicate with the non-chipped. This would build rapport and lower discrimination between both types of students. Although the system is not perfect it is developing quickly and has the potential to end chip based discrimination.

Geographical Impacts

Natural Resources

As of 2075, the mass production of Neuralink has had profound environmental impacts. Because of Neuralink’s implementation within human bodies, its production requires natural resources that are native to Canada such as gold, platinum, cobalt and lithium. Historically, these resources are mined in various locations across Canada. Mines across Ontario and Quebec have been rich in gold, cobalt and lithium, and Quebec particularly has many historic quartz mines and silicon refineries. Newer lithium mines in Alberta are keeping Canada as a supplier for Neuralink Corporation despite its slow-down on exporting other resources. Canada has long been admired for the beauty of its natural landscape, however, the construction and expansion of various mines and refineries across Canada has put many of its natural resources in jeopardy. Open-pit mining and the expansion of new transportation routes across the country has greatly changed its natural territories and landscape, often leading to a decrease in the natural vegetation and disturbing the natural species.

Climate Crisis

The use of fossil fuels over the years has had an aggravating effect on the global climate crisis, however, recent implementation of small modular reactors (SMRs), a long-anticipated form of nuclear energy, have brought a new hope that the industry might pivot to more sustainable practices.

Water Preservation

Many natural freshwater resources have been the target of legal battles and protests among environmentalists as concerns regarding the preservation of these natural resources have become increasingly pressing.

Ethical Issues

Legal

Animal Welfare

Neuralink had been tested on animals extensively prior to 2030, with multiple reports of animals implanted with the early versions of the device suffering brain bleeds and chemical poisoning from material waste. Elon Musk denied all wrongdoings and animal welfare was discontinued in 2030 when human implementations became mainstream.

Privacy Issues

Neuralink is given kernel level access to the various senses of the individual. Neuralink in the past had been accused of selling customer’s data during 2060 to international third parties. This raised concerns on how much data Neuralink collects from individuals and to what degree do users have a right to privacy when interfaced with Neuralink. Consent forms are signed upon installation of devices; however, users report more information than agreed upon are given to third-parties, citing advertisements as a large source of information leaks.

Healthcare

There has been a significant issue with early versions of the Neuralink that resulted in the battery leaking corrosive and toxic materials into subjects’ brains, causing neurological damage resulting in loss of motor functions and a decline in cognitive capabilities. The battery was changed in Version 5 to alert the user as to a possible leakage earlier, allowing them to receive medical treatment in a timely manner.

Replacing the Neuralink also requires specific surgeons not available in every metropolitan area. Canada currently has three surgeons who specialize in the replacement and inserting of Neuralink devices, one at Mount Saint Joseph Hospital, St. Michael’s Hospital, and Victoria General Hospital. Wait times for these visits have historically been as long as two years, and with strict regulations, doctors are struggling to become certified.

Economic

As of 2075, only Elon Musk’s Neuralink is readily available on the open market. No competitors have yet to create a version of their chip for retail consumers. This has led to a stagnation in the competitive market, allowing prices to surge while demand continues to climb. Industry standards are only compared to Neuralink’s regulations, while competing companies struggle to meet high industry standards set by Neuralink’s industry-wide standard.

Education

Thought to Thought, also referred to as Telepathic communication has reduced social discussion in class, causing an increase of social skills learning programs being created and implemented in Canadian classrooms.

Weekly mass information downloads are overseen by Neuralink's educational department, spearheaded by Elon Musk. In the 2073 election, there were accusations from the Canadian Liberal Party that information downloads were overtaken with propaganda that denounced their party, and promoted Conrad Trump, Head of the Neuralink Education department.

Segregation of classrooms have caused approximately 50% of all metropolitan schools to shut down. Schools located approximately 100km away from the GTA are required to stay open, however any students with Neuralink devices must be relocated to an area closer to a download centre.

Neuralink Centre information is different than the information required by the Ontario High School curriculum, and as such, there is now a separate High School degree for those with a Neuralink device. This caused certain job markets to only seek graduates with a Neuralink degree, rendering the job market 50% traditional degree and 50% Neuralink degree.

Disparities

Class Divides

Because of Neuralink’s widespread impacts on human cognition and ability, drastic shifts in social climate have taken place in societies around the world. Perceptions of Canadian culture historically have been that of openness and tolerance but in recent years divides across the population have emerged according to chip status. Those with Neuralink have access to better, more efficient education and therefore job opportunities. Not only have already-existing class divides been exacerbated by the chip, but those opposed to getting it because of health and privacy concerns have suffered economic loss as well. Despite Neuralink’s attempts to make the technology as affordable as possible, the technology and insertion nonetheless is a costly endeavor, leaving many citizens below or close to the poverty line behind. Those refusing to accept the advancement have diminishing access to education, as their memory and cognitive capabilities are limited. Lower-skill jobs have been automated to the extent that employment rates have dropped drastically in lower income areas. Some anti-chip citizens have found monetary survival through a pivot into art as a renewed valuing of authentic, human-generated (as opposed to AI generated) art has permeated even upper-class, chipped factions of society.

Social Divides

The reliance of chipped individuals on their BCI to communicate with others has fractured societies everywhere. By 2075, spoken language has fallen out of favor as chipped individuals rely on their Neuralink to send and process information faster and faster. As a result, chipped individuals often have varying degrees of speech deficit due to lack of use or early reliance on Neuralink for communication. Chipped individuals tend to flock together and non-chipped individuals tend to keep to themselves as well. Many chipped individuals work remotely and much infrastructure has diminished or fallen in its upkeep due to lack of use. Often, non-chipped individuals experience a rate of stigmatization due to esoteric and anti-advancement beliefs, however most of this is online and accessible to those using Neuralink's software. Cognitive experience between chipped and non-chipped people has become so different that relationship is very strained between the two groups.

Positive Outcomes

Neuralink chips have changed people’s lives in ways for the better. For those with brain injuries or neurological problems, the chips have been a game changer. They’ve helped people move again, think more clearly, and live on their own, giving them new opportunities they never had before. In schools and workplaces, the chips have opened up new ways to learn and share ideas. Students can get information instantly, and workers can solve problems and work together faster than ever before.

Canada’s role in making Neuralink chips has also been a huge benefit for the economy. The chip industry has created thousands of new jobs, from building the chips to designing and fixing them. All the money coming in has been used to make improvements in schools, hospitals, and clean energy projects. Due to this, quality of life in Canada has increased significantly. Canada now has the best healthcare, better education, and the environment compared to the rest of the world by far. People are living longer, healthier, and happier lives, and Canada is now seen as the best place to live. While there are still some challenges, Neuralink chips have made life better in a lot of ways. They’ve given people tools to grow, succeed, and solve problems we’ve been dealing with for years. If this technology keeps improving and becomes more accessible to the public, in particular the working class, then the world will not become so divided, and filled with so many equity related issues.

Individual Stories

Neuralink Research & Development – Dr. John Doe

Journal Entry – Minister of Education Bruce Casablancas

Press Conference with the 2075 Prime Minister of Canada

The NeurOnion - Article - New Cloud Update for Neuralink Microchips