Musk's Neuralink probed over animal testing

STORY: Elon Musk’s Neuralink faces a federal probe over potential animal-welfare violations.

That’s according to documents reviewed by Reuters, and sources familiar with the investigation and company operations.

Neuralink is developing a brain implant it hopes will help paralysed people walk again.

It’s also intended to cure other neurological ailments.

But staff complaints have mounted over the firm’s animal testing.

Some say Musk’s pressure to accelerate development has led to botched experiments.

Such tests then had to be repeated, allegedly increasing the number of animals being tested and killed.

Reuters spoke to more than 20 current and former Neuralink employees and reviewed dozens of documents to piece the story together.

According to the records and sources, the firm has killed around 1,500 animals since 2018.

In itself that does not indicate any violation of regulations, with animal testing standard at many companies.

But Reuters identified a number of tests marred by human error, which then had to be repeated.

Sources put that down to Musk’s relentless pressure to speed up work.

His frustration with the firm has allegedly grown after a series of missed deadlines, and progress by rivals.

Neither Musk nor Neuralink responded to requests for comment.

Now it’s not clear what exactly the Federal probe covers, or whether it’s the same ground as the staff allegations.

The inspector general's office at the U.S. Department of Agriculture declined to comment.