Billionaire Elon Musk Makes History with First Human Brain Implant from Neuralink Startup

Elon Musk, the billionaire founder of Neuralink, announced on Monday that the first human recipient of an implant from the brain-chip startup underwent the procedure on Sunday and is recovering well. Taking to social media, Musk posted, "The first human received an implant from @Neuralink yesterday and is recovering well." Neuralink was given clearance by the US Food and Drug Administration last year to conduct its first trial to test its implant on humans. The initial goal of the brain-computer interface (BCI) is to grant people the ability to control a computer cursor or keyboard using their thoughts alone.

The PRIME Study, which is an investigational medical device trial for fully-implantable, wireless BCI, aims to evaluate the safety of the implant and surgical robot, and assess the initial functionality of the BCI for enabling people with paralysis to control external devices with their thoughts. Amidst the positive news, Musk and Neuralink have faced criticism for their trial of brain chips on lab animals in the past.

The company was previously investigated for potential violations of animal welfare standards, with documents indicating that the company had conducted invasive and deadly brain experiments on animals.