The cyberpunk era is advancing quickly. Resources on Earth grow scarce, the power of big corporations rises, and social inequality widens every year. The company Neuralink, associated with Elon Musk and Max Hodak, is expected to begin human testing of neurochips soon. This article revisits the latest announcements and then looks back at video games where neurochips are already a part of everyday life: how they improve daily living, what skills they enable, and whether getting a chip is worthwhile if brain tests are successful. Now, the discussion begins.
Neurochips as everyday aids
When thinking of games in which neurochips become a regular feature, Cyberpunk 2077 often comes to mind. In the fictional world created by Mike Pondsmith, the neurotechnological revolution arrived at the end of the 20th century. Eighty years on, society cannot imagine life without enhanced senses, improved memory, and pain management. Adolescents are introduced to compact chip systems so they can quickly learn new skills in their sleep, then remove the chips and forget them just as fast.
In Cyberpunk 2077, neurochips function much like USB drives. People no longer need laptops or smartphones to access information. A chip is inserted, and data is loaded into the neural network connected to the brain. The built-in operating system enables calls, purchases, and money transfers. Overall, neuroimplants in Cyberpunk 2077 appear impressive and alluring.
Affordable in-game upgrades still come with a price. Rather than paying for implants, some choose to visit a ripper dock to install the hardware under controlled, craft-friendly conditions.
Neurotechnology and new methods to influence brain plasticity could unlock further capabilities for individuals, though they may accompany less desirable consequences. In the Cyberpunk universe, scientists have pursued breakthroughs in managing dopaminergic data for years. On one hand, artificial neurotransmitters could revolutionize medicine; on the other hand, such tech might enable government and corporate minds to be steered.
Johnny Silverhand’s digitized personality also appears in the cybernetic landscape. The concept of preserving a soul could become a reality. Through neural networks, researchers have learned to copy the personality and behavior of long-departed figures. The thought of a living person returning in digital form becomes plausible with a brain-implant interface.
Google Glass in the brain
The Deus Ex series depicts neurochips working on a similar principle to Cyberpunk 2077, but at a broader societal scale and with more practical cyber skills. Brain augmentation grants the functionality of a personal computer in one’s head. People can think messages, read the news, browse the web, and listen to music.
Advanced implants allow users to regulate hormones, sharpen reflexes, and heighten senses. They help people communicate, stay entertained at any hour, and boost concentration in work processes. A simple operation may feel like a superpower once associated only with the elite.
Deus Ex offers a grounded view of the soon-to-arrive chip. Minds cannot be read, languages cannot be learned instantly, nor prodigies conjured overnight. Yet science continues to advance.
What would a neurochip help a person achieve?
Full virtual reality and cyberspace
Virtual reality gear has moved beyond fiction. People can even try immersive experiences that feel real. Early challenges include limited autonomy, device dependency, lower resolution, and a lack of convincing interaction with surroundings. Imagine VR that activates the moment a chip is triggered in the brain. No bulky headgear required, giving full immersion and a matrix that looks like a true reality.
In the Shadowrun universe, a neurochip grants access to cyberspace directly from the brain, turning information repositories into personal libraries that feel tangible. Could such a function exist in real life? It seems plausible. Beyond chip implantation, some projects involve satellite networks that provide high-speed broadband from almost anywhere, suggesting future chips could connect to satellites and display web pages on the retina. A neural implant might even create a personal, brain-based virtual reality.
Observers portrays entering another person’s thoughts via a neuroport. While this is a stretch for current science, the possibility of accessing stored documents, files, archives, and other implant data could emerge. Privacy laws for such devices remain to be written, and scrutiny would intensify as research advances.
Neuro-implants in medicine
The concept of biochips offers another important use. In Deus Ex, the implant controls cybernetic augmentations and interfaces with the biological nervous system. While real-world prosthetics have progressed, fully lifelike limbs still demand better power sources and more natural brain signals. A future biochip could help the brain perceive artificial limbs as organic, guiding researchers to similar solutions.
In the Syndicate and Observers universes, people with physical disabilities gain opportunities through thought-controlled devices. Paralyzed individuals can operate computers and smart homes with their minds, with mental impulses stored on external media and accessible to authorized devices.
Neurochips and medical data
In both Deus Ex and Cyberpunk 2077, neurochips monitor medical data and assist paramedics in diagnosing conditions swiftly. They may also alert caregivers to malfunctions and request emergency help. In reality, chips could advance medical understanding of diseases and help tailor treatments. When a chip is removed, the brain’s data can be transferred to a medical file.
Neurochips in Shadowrun and Deus Ex support mental health. Hormones are regulated, negative thoughts can be mitigated, and mood stability improves quality of life. The future could bring devices that help people remain positive even in tough times.
Ready to be chipped?
The appearance of neuroimplants in daily life seems likely. Writers of films and games have already imagined their potential in a favorable light. If neurological testing proves successful, volunteers may be recruited soon, and the era of true cyberpunk-era progress could arrive sooner than expected.
This discussion offers a glimpse into what might be possible through neural interfaces and what it could mean for society at large.