Elon Musk’s Neuralink has successfully implanted its first brain-chip into a human patient, the billionaire entrepreneur announced Monday on Twitter.
Musk announced that the first human received the implant and the patient is making a positive recovery following the procedure. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the company to conduct human trials in September, according to The Guardian.
“The first human received an implant from @Neuralink yesterday and is recovering well. Initial results show promising neuron spike detection,” Musk shared on Twitter. Neuron spikes are crucial for transmitting information throughout the brain and body. This indicates the device’s potential to revolutionize how humans interact with technology and each other, The Guardian reported. (RELATED:FACT CHECK: Did USA Today Publish This Article About Elon Musk’s Neuralink Implants Killing 3000 Monkeys?)
The first human received an implant from @Neuralink yesterday and is recovering well.
Initial results show promising neuron spike detection.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 29, 2024
Neuralink’s debut product, dubbed Telepathy, hopes to enable individuals to operate digital devices purely through thought, as confirmed by Musk. “Initial users will be those who have lost the use of their limbs. Imagine if Stephen Hawking could communicate faster than a speed typist or auctioneer. That is the goal,” he continued.
Experts in the field are hailing Neuralink’s advancement as a significant step forward. Anne Vanhoestenberghe, a distinguished professor at King’s College London, recognized this achievement as a major milestone and emphasized the importance of long-term success.
“For the brain chip implant community, we must place this news in the context that while there are many companies working on exciting products, there are only a few other companies who have implanted their devices in humans, so Neuralink has joined a rather small group,” Vanhoestenberghe said, according to The Guardian.