Elon Musk recently claimed that the first human patient has received a Neuralink brain-computer interface implant, but stopped short of offering any substantial additional information or proof.
In a series of messages posted on Monday evening to X, his social media platform formerly known as Twitter, Neuralink’s majority owner alleged an anonymous volunteer underwent the company’s experimental procedure on January 28 and “Is recovering well” while showing “Promising neuron spike detection.” In a separate tweet, Musk also announced the first Neuralink product will be called Telepathy.
At the time of writing, Neuralink’s most recent news update is still an initial solicitation on their official website for human trial volunteers published last fall.
Co-founded by Musk in 2016, Neuralink is a tech startup aiming to create BCI implants for a variety of uses.
The devices are intended to be completely reversible and ungradable, with Musk likening them to iPhones.
Musk has also suggested users could eventually summon Teslas using their Neuralink implants, and stated he plans to eventually receive the implant.
Although the FDA approved Neuralink to begin human trials in September 2023, regulators initially rejected the medical startup’s application earlier that year due to multiple safety concerns.
Neuralink had already fallen far behind Musk’s ambitious timeline goals before word spread of the company’s allegedly troubling strategies.
If Sunday’s surgery is confirmed outside of Musk’s X posts, Neuralink will only be the latest company to successfully demonstrate human-BCI devices.
“Imagine if Stephen Hawking could communicate faster than a speed typist or auctioneer. That is the goal,” Musk tweeted last night.
Problematic tweets from Musk in 2018 eventually resulted in an SEC security fraud settlement that included relinquishing his position as Tesla chairman, alongside agreeing to separate $20 million fines levied against him and his company.
It’s unclear why Neuralink has not released any more information supporting Musk’s tweets.