The first human patient implanted with a Neuralink brain chip has fully recovered and can control a computer mouse with just their thoughts, according to Elon Musk. 

“Progress is good, and the patient seems to have made a full recovery, with neural effects that we are aware of,” Musk posted on social media platform X on Monday (19 February, 2024). “Patient is able to move a mouse around the screen by just thinking,” he added. Musk said Neuralink, of which he is the founder, was trying to get the patient to make as many button clicks as possible. Neuralink implanted a chip in its first human patient in January. The US Food and Drug Administration gave the company clearance to carry out human trials last year. Neuralink’s human trials involve a robot placing a brain-computer interface (BCI) implant on a part of the brain that controls the body’s movement.  The company said its initial goal was to give people the ability to control a computer cursor or keyboard using just their thoughts. Neuralink’s first product will be named Telepathy and will allow users to control their phone, computer and almost any device just by thinking, Musk said in a post on X. “Imagine if Stephen Hawking could communicate faster than a speed typist or auctioneer. That is the goal,” Musk previously wrote on X. The future ambitions of Neuralink remain monumental. Musk said it will be able to implement chips that can treat a wide variety of conditions, including obesity, autism, schizophrenia and depression.