Musk says Neuralink installs brain implant in first patient

Elon Musk on Tuesday said his Neuralink startup had installed a brain implant in its first human patient with "promising" initial results.

The neurotechnology company co-founded by Musk in 2016 aims to build direct communication channels between the brain and computers, reports BSS/AFP.

The ambition is to supercharge human capabilities, treat neurological disorders like ALS or Parkinson's, and maybe one day achieve a symbiotic relationship between humans and artificial intelligence.

"The first human received an implant from Neuralink yesterday and is recovering well," Musk said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

"Initial results show promising neuron spike detection," he added.

The start-up last year said it won approval from US regulators to test its brain implants in people.

Neuralink's technology will mainly work through an implant called the "Link" -- a device about the size of five stacked coins that is placed inside the human brain through invasive surgery.

According to data company Pitchbook, last year California-based Neuralink had more than 400 employees and has raised at least $363 million.

Though he wins most of the headlines, Musk is hardly alone in trying to make advances in the field, which is officially known as brain-machine or brain-computer interface research.

Hit with delays, the tycoon had reportedly reached out to join forces with implant developer Synchron about a potential investment.

Unlike Neuralink's Link, its implant version does not require cutting into the skull to install it.

The Australia-based Synchron implanted its first device in a US patient in July 2022.