Sam Altman, OpenAI’s CEO, had a conversation with Science Corp.’s CEO Max Hodak about brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). According to Hodak, BCI technology is not new, but the engineering innovation in Neuralink made it small and low-power enough for full implantation.
Science Corp., co-founded by former Neuralink colleagues, has a more ambitious goal: using BCI to help people with spinal cord injuries or blindness, as well as gene therapy that can make neurons light-sensitive. Hodak believes this technology will become available for patients in need by 2035.
However, as BCIs improve and extend lives, the economic model of healthcare may break down. With advancements, there will be more things to spend healthcare dollars on, leading to a fundamental conflict.
The conversation also touched on the potential risks of hacking, with Hodak expressing concerns about information manipulation through our eyes rather than direct brain interfaces. Despite his skepticism, he remains optimistic that this technology will reshape human consciousness itself.
Hodak’s vision includes multiple brains working together to form one consciousness, and even uploading people’s consciousness into a digital realm. He believes this could lead to a new era of “substrate independence,” where what you know is not limited by your biological body.
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2025/12/05/after-neuralink-max-hodak-is-building-something-stranger