A Neuralink patient has controlled a mouse with their mind

During the latest X Spaces event held on Monday, Elon Musk took the opportunity to update attendees on the psychophysical condition of the anonymous patient who, just a few weeks ago, had a Neuralink microchip implanted in their brain. The entrepreneur, via a tweet, confirmed that the individual who volunteered as a test subject for this experiment has fully recovered following the operation: «There have been significant advancements; the patient appears to have fully healed. Moreover, they are able to move the mouse cursor using the power of thought.» In short – at least for now – there don't seem to be any missteps in the technological evolution initiated by Elon Musk, who had emphasized that the microchip installation aimed to enhance the abilities of individuals with physical or mental disabilities. The experiment is called Telepathy and is designed to serve as a support for those who have lost the use of their limbs; hence, the fact that the patient has managed to control the mouse pointer with the power of thought is considered a significant scientific breakthrough.

At the moment, Musk has not provided further details, except that the next short-term goal for Neuralink's first human trial is to have the patient – whose identity will remain unknown – perform as many clicks as possible. As usual, criticisms have not been lacking, although they do not concern the experiment itself but rather Elon Musk's communication. After all, it's an experiment as disruptive as it is delicate and ethically controversial. The Hasting Center, a prominent independent bioethics research institute, has published a note on its website regarding this: «Opening the brain of a living human with serious health issues to insert a device deserves more than a two-sentence update posted on Twitter. It's no coincidence that this comes from a social media platform not known for its reliability», rightly adding that Neuralink has never disclosed its plans in case the experiment went awry. With all the probabilities at hand, Neuralink's program is likely to trigger new ethical and technological debates: a good reason to stay updated with Elon Musk's tweets.