In recent months, Elon Musk and his team at Neuralink have referred to the capabilities of the company’s brain interface chip, The Link, as “Telepathy.” Neuralink has even filed a trademark application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to trademark the names “Telepathy” and “Telekinesis.”
Musk founded the company in 2016 to assist people with paralysis and related disabilities and improve their quality of life. However, his latest trademark application raises questions: Is the company capitalizing on the growing buzz around supposed psychic powers, or is Musk genuinely interested in enabling “telepathic” communication between humans?
The History of Telepathy Research
In the late 19th century, technology was advancing rapidly and becoming more integrated into daily life. The telephone (1876), the phonograph (1877), and the automobile (1885–1886) were all invented during this era. It was also a time when the Society for Psychical Research (SPR) was formed (1882) to investigate mesmeric, psychical, and spiritualist phenomena through a scientific lens. Telepathy was one of the key topics of interest within the organization, and psychical researcher Frederic W. H. Myers is credited with coining the term.
This field has inspired many research projects over the past two centuries, often funded by wealthy donors. These aristocratic patrons supported telepathy research for various reasons, including military and intelligence applications, spiritual exploration, scientific advancement, personal experiences, and simple curiosity. In this sense, Musk isn’t all that different from the enthusiasts of the past.
Modern Interest
Fast-forward to today, and telepathy is again gaining traction in mainstream pop culture—largely due to the top-ranked podcast on Spotify, The Telepathy Tapes, which has even surpassed podcast giant Joe Rogan. The podcast, featuring scientist Dr. Diane Hennacy Powell, claims that children with nonverbal autism—referred to as “Spellers”—can communicate telepathically with one another. Families and supporters featured in the podcast allege that other neurodivergent individuals can also engage in such communication.
Meanwhile, companies like REMspace, a California-based neurotech startup, have claimed to achieve telepathy-like capabilities through two-way communication during lucid dreaming. In experiments, two dreaming participants reportedly exchanged information using Wi-Fi-connected equipment. While this doesn’t match the traditional definition of telepathy, if future peer-reviewed studies validate these findings, they could represent a significant breakthrough. (The claims made by REMspace and The Telepathy Tapes regarding telepathic communication—either in lucid dreaming or between nonverbal individuals—have not yet been peer-reviewed.)
“Do we like it or not—it makes no difference. Neuralink’s advancements are inevitable for human civilization. Many smaller companies and universities are developing similar technology, but Musk’s energy and popularity put Neuralink in the spotlight. However, it’s just the tip of the iceberg. A new era of brain implants is coming regardless,” says Michael Raduga, founder of REMspace.
“Why? At first glance, brain implants may seem unnecessary. But imagine being completely paralyzed—you’d immediately change your mind. This technology is unique and extremely useful for medical applications and rehabilitation,” Raduga says.
“Just a few generations ago, people laughed at the idea of electricity or radio. Back then, they seemed primitive,” Raduga adds. “The same will happen with brain implants. Both the technology and the implantation process will evolve so much that, sooner or later, we won’t be able to imagine life without controlling reality via chips in our head.”
Trademarking Telepathy
According to Neuralink’s trademark application, filed on March 3, The Link is described as “an implantable brain-to-computer interface for facilitating communication and control of software and hardware.” This raises a significant question: what exactly is Musk aiming to achieve?
Trademark attorney Josh Gerben told Wired earlier this month, “Sometimes things hide in plain sight in these applications.” However, he cautions that trademark application claims can be speculative and overly broad compared with patent applications, which must be more detailed about how an invention works and what it will be used for. Enabling telepathic communication would, however, fit with Musk’s broader vision for Neuralink.
Musk openly stated in 2017 that he’s interested in telepathy, saying, “If I were to communicate a concept to you, you would essentially engage in consensual telepathy. You wouldn’t need to verbalize unless you want to add a little flair to the conversation or something, but the conversation would be conceptual interaction on a level that’s difficult to conceive of right now.”
This past January marked the one-year anniversary of The Link’s first human implant trial with Noland Arbaugh. “Today is the one-year anniversary of @ModdedQuad becoming the first person to receive our implant,” the Neuralink social media team said on X. “To Noland and our other trial participants: thank you for helping us create the best assistive technology we can. Innovation is impossible without pioneers like you.”
Medical Breakthroughs and Controversies
Arbaugh, a 30-year-old quadriplegic paralyzed from the shoulders down after a diving accident, volunteered for Neuralink’s implant. Since his surgery in January, he has shared his experience on X and during live streams, describing how the device has changed his life. Arbaugh experienced both negative and positive effects from The Link in 2024. “The surgery was super easy,” Arbaugh said in a video he posted on X in March. However, months later, it was reported that some of the implant’s thin threads connected to the brain had been retracted. Neuralink addressed the issue by adjusting the chip’s algorithm to restore functionality. To date, no other problems have been claimed by Arbaugh and the Neuralink team.
The medical controversies surrounding Neuralink mostly involve animal testing practices. Reports have included employee claims of animal cruelty and the deaths of monkeys implanted with The Link. To date, three human participants have received the implant.
Whether Musk truly believes in telepathy beyond brain-computer interfaces or is simply capitalizing on the concept’s popularity remains unclear. However, his track record reveals a pattern of visionary claims that often blur the line between innovation and strategic marketing. While Neuralink’s goal to help those with disabilities is groundbreaking, the trademarking of “Telepathy” and “Telekinesis” suggests a focus on branding as much as science.
As the boundaries between science fiction and scientific reality continue to blur, one thing is certain: Musk is determined to make sure that whatever “telepathy” becomes, Neuralink will be at the center of it.
Chrissy Newton is a PR professional and founder of VOCAB Communications. She currently appears on The Discovery Channel and Max and hosts the Rebelliously Curious podcast, which can be found on The Debrief’s YouTube Channel on all audio podcast streaming platforms. Follow her on X: @ChrissyNewton and at chrissynewton.com.