New Delhi, April 29 – Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk said on Monday that robots could outperform the world’s best surgeons within five years, citing advances in precision and speed driven by technological breakthroughs in robotic surgery.
“Robots will surpass good human surgeons within a few years and the best human surgeons within five years,” Musk wrote on social media platform X. He added that his brain-chip startup Neuralink was already relying on robotic systems to insert brain-computer electrodes, a procedure he said was beyond the capabilities of human hands due to the precision required.
Musk’s comments came in response to a post highlighting progress in medical robotics by Mario Nawfal, a tech influencer. Nawfal cited U.S.-based medical device firm Medtronic’s deployment of its Hugo robotic system in 137 surgeries, including procedures on prostates, kidneys and bladders.
The procedures achieved a success rate of more than 98%, with low complication rates – 3.7% for prostate surgeries, 1.9% for kidney surgeries, and 17.9% for bladder operations, according to Nawfal. Only two surgeries were converted to traditional methods due to technical issues and case complexity.
The rapid evolution of robotic-assisted surgery is raising expectations in the healthcare industry, with proponents touting enhanced precision, reduced recovery times, and lower complication rates. Critics, however, warn that affordability, training, and long-term safety remain challenges.
Meanwhile, Neuralink is progressing with clinical trials of its brain-computer interface. The company has implanted devices in three patients and aims to help individuals with paralysis and neurodegenerative diseases control external devices with their thoughts.
“If all goes well, there will be hundreds of people with Neuralinks within a few years, maybe tens of thousands within five years, millions within 10 years,” Musk said in a separate post last year.
