Do some companies implant chips to use to open doors

1. What exactly companies are doing: documented examples

Swedish co‑working hub Epicenter has offered employees grain‑of‑rice sized RFID implants to open doors, use printers and buy food, and the Swedish firm Biohax has been involved in implanting employees there and at other sites . In the U.S., Wisconsin’s Three Square Market (also known as 32M) publicly offered optional RFID/NFC implants to staff that the company said would allow users to open doors, log into computers and make purchases at workplace kiosks, with dozens of employees opting in during the program’s rollout ^[2].

2. How the chips work — convenience, not autonomy

The implants used in these workplace programs are passive RFID/NFC microchips that store small amounts of data and respond to nearby readers — the same class of technology used in contactless payment cards, transit tokens and pet ID tags — and so they function as a built‑in keyfob rather than an active GPS tracker or autonomous computer . Reporting and company statements emphasize a convenience pitch: wave your hand to unlock a door or pay for a snack, replacing credit cards or physical badges .

3. Privacy, security and scenario risks flagged by critics

Experts and commentators warn that while current implants are “passive,” their use could expand and be repurposed in ways employees may not expect, such as linking them to logs that track locations inside workplaces or usage patterns; scholars and security researchers have urged caution about potential data aggregation and future functionality changes once the chip is embedded . Reporting also notes that chips can be scanned by readers and researchers have demoed how embedded tags can leak information if not properly managed, raising questions about encryption, vendor promises and long‑term governance .

4. Legal and social context: optional today, constrained by law in places

Several U.S. states have specifically barred employers from mandating microchip implants for workers, and legislative responses reflect concern about coercion and bodily autonomy even where implanting is voluntary; historical summaries and legal reviews list state laws that prohibit forced implantation and discuss ongoing debates over regulation . At the same time, proponents in companies frame implants as employee choice and workplace innovation, sometimes positioning executives as early adopters to blunt coercion claims ^[1].

5. Who benefits and who has an agenda

Companies and vendors market implants as convenience products and innovation PR — a narrative visible in press releases and marketing from outfits like 32M and implant vendors such as Biohax and Dangerous Things — while implant promoters (biohackers, some start‑ups) emphasize personal empowerment and tech novelty . Labor groups, privacy advocates and some technologists counter that the business case and marketing gloss may underplay surveillance, security and consent asymmetries, and those critics often press for legal safeguards and transparency .

6. Bottom line and limits of reporting

Documented cases confirm that companies have implanted RFID/NFC chips in employees for door access and related workplace functions in multiple countries, most prominently at Epicenter in Sweden and at Three Square Market in the U.S. ^[1]. This answer relies on journalistic and organizational reporting about those programs; reporting does not provide comprehensive global counts or exhaustive technical audits of every vendor implementation, so it cannot assert how widespread the practice is today beyond the cited examples .