REENGINEERING HUMAN COMMUNICATION: A TECHNOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL ANALYSIS OF THE BRAIN-COMPUTER INTERFACE OF ELON MUSK NEURALINK AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR DIGITAL AUTONOMY

Abstract

This study examined the reengineering human communication: a technological and social analysis of Elon Musk neuralink’s brain-computer interface and its implications for digital autonomy. The theory of media technological determinism theory formed the anchor for this research. This study adopted the qualitative case study method. The population for this study comprises communication technology experts, neuroethicists, digital rights advocates, and tech policy researchers, estimated at 450 individuals across institutions, think tanks and organizations actively engaged in neuroscience, emerging technologies, and digital governance. This population includes scholars affiliated with global research centers such as the IEEE Brain Initiative, the Neuralink team, UNESCO’s Bioethics Committee and digital rights bodies in Africa and Europe. A purposive sample of 20 participants was selected from this population based on their expertise, published works, or policy involvement related to BCIs, communication technology, and neuroethics. Purposive sampling was chosen to ensure the selection of information-rich participants. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and document analysis. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis, which is suitable for identifying, analyzing, and interpreting recurring patterns and themes within qualitative data. Neuralink’s brain-computer interface fundamentally reengineers human communication by bypassing traditional language-based and symbolic systems, allowing direct neural-to-digital expression that challenges existing communication models and introduces new cognitive pathways for interaction. The research concluded that Neuralink’s brain-computer interface redefines the nature of human communication by enabling direct brain-to-machine interaction, signaling a shift from traditional symbolic communication to neural expression and thus marking the emergence of a new communicative paradigm that challenges existing models and expands the boundaries of human interaction. The research recommended that the Neuralink team and global communication research institutes collaborate to develop new communication models that incorporate neural-based interaction and redefine the role of the brain as a communication medium.