San Francisco: On Wednesday, Elon Musk announced that his Neuralink startup is “moving on” to a second test patient as the technology for linking brains and computers continues to improve. Musk and members of the Neuralink team discussed their progress during a live update streamed on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“We’re only just moving now to our second Neuralink patient,” Musk said. “But we hope to have, if things go well, high single digits this year.”
In January, Musk’s neurotechnology company installed its first brain implant in Noland Arbaugh, whom Musk described as a success. Arbaugh, who was left paralyzed from the shoulders down by a diving accident eight years ago, has since reported playing chess, enjoying the video game “Civilization,” and taking Japanese and French lessons by controlling a computer screen cursor with his brain.
The Neuralink team detailed an issue that had initially reduced Arbaugh’s ability to move the computer cursor. The threads connecting the implant to Arbaugh’s brain had “retracted,” becoming less effective at picking up signals. The team plans to implant threads deeper in the brain and at varying depths with increased precision to maximize effectiveness.
Neuralink’s technology involves a device about the size of five stacked coins placed inside the human brain by a robotic surgeon. Musk emphasized that improvements are ongoing, promising “it’s only going to get better from here.”
One of Neuralink’s goals is to increase the bandwidth of the link between the brain and the computer, allowing more data to move faster. Musk highlighted the importance of this for human-AI symbiosis, enabling communication at speeds AI can follow.
Musk envisions Neuralink implants not only restoring sight to the blind but also providing people with enhanced capabilities, such as infrared or ultraviolet vision and telepathic communication. “We want to give people superpowers,” Musk said. “Not just that we’re restoring your prior functionality, but that you actually have functionality far greater than a normal human.”
Musk also spoke about developing an automated process in which Neuralink’s surgery robot could quickly install custom implants in people seeking “upgrades.” He described this as a concept reminiscent of “Cyberpunk” or “Deus Ex” games, where individuals can enhance their abilities through cybernetic implants.
“An exciting possibility long term also is to take parts of the Optimus humanoid robot and combine that with a Neuralink – you could have basically cybernetic superpowers,” Musk added.
Musk cofounded Neuralink in 2016 with the ambition of supercharging human capabilities, treating neurological disorders like ALS or Parkinson’s disease, and perhaps one day achieving a symbiotic relationship between humans and AI. He is not alone in this endeavor, as the field of brain-machine or brain-computer interface research continues to advance globally.
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