In this visionary episode, Peter Diamandis speaks with Max Hodak, former Neuralink co-founder and now founder of Science Corp, about the rapidly advancing frontier of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), restoring vision, and the potential merging of human consciousness with AI. 

Key Points:

Max Hodak unveils groundbreaking advances in brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) and retinal implants that redefine the limits of human enhancement. From enabling blind individuals to see again through minimally invasive eye implants to developing biologically integrated neural devices capable of direct brain-to-brain communication, Hodak outlines a future where merging with AI. 

• Restoring Vision with Retinal Implants: Hodak’s company has developed the world’s first retinal prosthesis that allows blind patients—many with macular degeneration or retinitis pigmentosa—to regain vision and even read again, using a simple, hour-long outpatient implant procedure.
• Next-Gen Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs): Traditional BCIs like Neuralink use electrodes to read brain signals but damage tissue and have low bandwidth. Hodak proposes a radically new method: embedding engineered neurons on a chip that grow into the brain and form natural synapses, potentially enabling thousands of times more connections with far less damage.
• Toward High-Bandwidth Thought Sharing: Current BCIs transmit information at around 7 bits per second; our speech operates at 40. Hodak imagines future systems that could interface with vision, memory, and new senses—possibly allowing communication of rich mental imagery or complex thoughts directly.
• The Merge with AI and Human “Meta-Intelligence”: Hodak foresees a future where BCIs might allow humans to connect with AI systems or even with each other at a neural level. This could lead to shared consciousness among close individuals or the emergence of collective “meta-intelligences.”
• A Shortcut to Longevity Through Connectivity: Rather than just preserving biological life, Hodak sees BCI-based merging—like a brain-to-brain interface with a loved one—as a way to preserve consciousness and relationships beyond death, reframing how we think about aging and continuity of self.