• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

He worked 100-hour weeks to save a nearly bankrupt boat company. At 83, he’s just turned down $400 million for it—and gave it all to charity instead

2

Costco's $14 million email settlement: Who qualifies for an up-to $500 payment and how to claim before the Aug. 24 deadline

3

Mamdani’s pied-à-terre tax was designed to hit the wealthy, but it’s sending most New Yorkers to their estate lawyers

1

He worked 100-hour weeks to save a nearly bankrupt boat company. At 83, he’s just turned down $400 million for it—and gave it all to charity instead

2

Costco's $14 million email settlement: Who qualifies for an up-to $500 payment and how to claim before the Aug. 24 deadline

3

Mamdani’s pied-à-terre tax was designed to hit the wealthy, but it’s sending most New Yorkers to their estate lawyers
TechNeuralink

Most people say they’re cool with having chips implanted in their brains, but only if they can turn them off

By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
Down Arrow Button Icon
March 17, 2022, 10:00 AM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Six out of 10 Americans would consider having a computer chip surgically implanted into their brains if they could turn the technology off or on.

That’s according to a survey released on Thursday by the Pew Research Center that analyzed the public’s view of cutting-edge technologies, including brain computing, artificial intelligence, and self-driving cars. 

One of the takeaways from the survey of 10,260 U.S. adults was that Americans tend to view technology more favorably if they feel they have autonomy and control.

For instance, 78% of respondents said they oppose brain chips for improving their cognitive abilities. But when given the option to disengage the brain chip’s effects, 59% of respondents said the technology is more acceptable.

“This speaks to control,” said Alec Tyson, associate director of research at Pew Research Center. “If I can control this technology, then I’m more open to it.”

Interest in brain computing has risen over the years due to Tesla founder Elon Musk’s Neuralink startup, which aims to conduct a clinical trial of its brain chip technology later this year. Musk has previously claimed that Neuralink’s technology could eventually be used to augment humans, potentially enabling people to store and replay their memories like watching videos on computers. However, multiple brain computing experts have previously told Fortune that the technology is decades away from such superhuman feats, if ever.

Additionally, brain chips, primarily used in clinical trials to help restore functions and sensations in people who have severe paralysis, can’t be turned off like they are smartphones. The tiny computer chips are medical devices that must be surgically grafted into the brain, where they can potentially remain for years, similar to heart pacemakers. 

About 83% of Americans said that they believe that the testing of brain chips in humans should meet higher standards than testing of current medical devices, underscoring the public’s fear of the technology’s safety. 

Also, 87% of respondents said that there should be higher standards for testing driverless cars compared to the testing of conventional ones. 

Americans are cautious about driverless vehicles, with 44% saying that the widespread use of autonomous cars is a “bad idea” versus 26% who believe it’s a “good idea,” while 29% were “not sure.”

But the survey said that seven in 10 Americans would more readily accept self-driving cars if the vehicles had a visible marking or feature to identify them to human drivers who are also on the road. Additionally, 67% of Americans said self-driving cars would be more acceptable if the vehicles used dedicated lanes, the survey said.

Ultimately, Americans’ opinions on self-driving cars and other kinds of A.I.-powered technology haven’t changed much over the years, noted Monica Anderson, a Pew Research Center associate director of research. Although Pew Research cannot directly compare the latest survey with older surveys of the public’s attitude toward technology, generally speaking most Americans’ feelings toward driverless cars and A.I. have not changed.

Americans are still wary about driverless cars and are primarily concerned that A.I. will obliterate jobs, just as they were five years ago.

What has changed is the public’s perception of tech companies, Anderson explained. Although the survey didn’t mention tech giants like Google-parent Alphabet or Facebook-parent Meta, some questions related to the use of A.I. by social media companies indirectly implicated the companies. 

For instance, 57% of respondents oppose social media services using facial recognition software to identify people in photos, indicating fears of corporate surveillance. And 86% of Republican respondents believe social media firms are censoring political viewpoints when they use A.I. to discover and remove misinformation. 

“There is some negatively when it comes to algorithms, when it comes to how these companies are using technology,” Anderson said.

Never miss a story: Follow your favorite topics and authors to get a personalized email with the journalism that matters most to you.

About the Author
By Jonathan Vanian
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Jonathan Vanian is a former Fortune reporter. He covered business technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data privacy, and other topics.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in Tech

Man with glasses and a black collared shirt
Big TechMicrosoft
Microsoft’s stock has biggest one-day gain since 2008, adding $480 billion in market value as cloud business booms
By Amanda GerutJuly 30, 2026
52 minutes ago
Visitor look at their phone next to an Open AI's logo during the Mobile World Congress (MWC), the telecom industry's biggest annual gathering, in Barcelona on February 26, 2024. The world's biggest mobile phone fair throws open its doors in Barcelona with the sector looking to artificial intelligence to try and reverse declining sales. (Photo by PAU BARRENA / AFP) (Photo by PAU BARRENA/AFP via Getty Images)
Startups & VentureOpenAI
‘I’m just stuck’: Meet the former OpenAI researcher sitting on $700K of equity that he says is overvalued
By Eva RoytburgJuly 30, 2026
2 hours ago
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman walking.
AIEye on AI
As the AI industry calls for help to “pace” AI development. Has OpenAI already hit pause on some development?
By Beatrice NolanJuly 30, 2026
3 hours ago
nyse
AIdisruption
Nearly a third of workers admit to sabotaging their company’s AI—and smaller paychecks may explain why
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 30, 2026
5 hours ago
‘I predict one day Amazon will fail’: Jeff Bezos once warned his company might only last 30 years. At 31, it’s the biggest company in the world
C-SuiteAmazon
‘I predict one day Amazon will fail’: Jeff Bezos once warned his company might only last 30 years. At 31, it’s the biggest company in the world
By Sarah GlodekJuly 30, 2026
5 hours ago
Chickens standing on dirt
SuccessWealth
A tech podcast inspired AI workers to donate $40 million to improve the lives of chickens, pigs, and other factory-farmed animals
By Preston ForeJuly 30, 2026
6 hours ago

Most Popular

He worked 100-hour weeks to save a nearly bankrupt boat company. At 83, he’s just turned down $400 million for it—and gave it all to charity instead
Success
He worked 100-hour weeks to save a nearly bankrupt boat company. At 83, he’s just turned down $400 million for it—and gave it all to charity instead
By Preston ForeJuly 29, 2026
1 day ago
Costco's $14 million email settlement: Who qualifies for an up-to $500 payment and how to claim before the Aug. 24 deadline
Retail
Costco's $14 million email settlement: Who qualifies for an up-to $500 payment and how to claim before the Aug. 24 deadline
By Sydney LakeJuly 29, 2026
1 day ago
Mamdani’s pied-à-terre tax was designed to hit the wealthy, but it’s sending most New Yorkers to their estate lawyers
Real Estate
Mamdani’s pied-à-terre tax was designed to hit the wealthy, but it’s sending most New Yorkers to their estate lawyers
By Catherina GioinoJuly 30, 2026
14 hours ago
'Am I paying for the vibes?' Gen Z says it hates capitalism, but their spending patterns show they just don't like being ripped off
Retail
'Am I paying for the vibes?' Gen Z says it hates capitalism, but their spending patterns show they just don't like being ripped off
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 30, 2026
10 hours ago
Current price of oil as of July 30, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 30, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 30, 2026
10 hours ago
The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'
Real Estate
The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 25, 2026
5 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.