Final answer:
A cochlear implant is most beneficial for those with sensorineural hearing loss because it can directly stimulate the auditory nerve, bypassing damaged hair cells in the cochlea.
Step-by-step explanation:
A cochlear implant would be most beneficial for individuals with sensorineural hearing loss, a condition where there is damage to the hair cells in the cochlea or to the auditory nerve itself. This type of hearing loss cannot be treated effectively with traditional hearing aids, as they merely amplify sound, which does not address the issue of transmitting neural signals from the cochlea to the brain. Instead, cochlear implants bypass damaged parts of the ear and directly stimulate the auditory nerve, allowing certain types of deaf or severely hard-of-hearing individuals to receive sound.