Neuralink plans high-volume production and near-fully-automated surgical procedure for 2026 — 12 patients now implanted
Summary
Neuralink CEO Elon Musk announced in early 2026 that the company plans to start high-volume production of BCI devices and move to a streamlined, almost entirely automated surgical procedure in 2026. As of late April 2026, Neuralink has approximately 12 patients implanted across its PRIME trial sites in the US, UK, UAE, and Canada. The production automation goal reflects Neuralink's intent to shift from small-scale clinical trial manufacturing to a scalable commercial manufacturing model ahead of regulatory clearance.
Why it matters
Neuralink announcing high-volume production and near-full surgical automation is the commercial manufacturing signal the market has been waiting for. Full automation of the robotic implantation procedure would dramatically reduce surgeon training requirements and surgery time — transforming BCI implantation from a specialized neurosurgical procedure into something potentially performable at many more centers globally.
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