Neuralink just upgraded its brain implant to hook directly into xAI’s Grok. An ALS patient can now mentally trigger an AI agent to take over the screen, type in iOS apps, and even place phone calls hands-free. Why it matters: Instead of painstakingly clicking cursors pixel by pixel, brains can now issue high-level intent directly to AI agents.
Neuralink just showed off clinical trial participants steering, reversing, and adjusting powered wheelchairs using only their thoughts. The N1 implant decodes motor cortex signals from over 1,000 electrodes into movement commands, which one patient said became "second nature" in minutes. It marks a big step from pushing on-screen cursors to commanding physical hardware, though the tech is still investigational.
Neuralink just revealed a custom five-axis surgical robot designed to automate brain-computer interface implants. Armed with eight cameras and real-time OCT scanners, the machine threads hair-thin electrodes directly through the dura mater without cutting it away. It paves the way for high-precision, scaled operations, though human surgeons still handle the initial craniectomy.
Sam Altman and OpenAI are reportedly backing Merge Labs, a new startup developing brain implants to directly rival Elon Musk’s Neuralink. Altman has openly explored the idea of human-machine "merges" since 2017, framing it as a best-case future. Now, his high-profile rivalry with Musk is officially heading straight into the brain.
Neuralink just launched a new feasibility trial called the CONVOY Study, expanding its N1 brain implant to control an investigational assistive robotic arm. The study allows cross-enrollment from its ongoing PRIME Study, marking a key shift from restoring digital freedom to regaining physical mobility.
Neuralink just successfully implanted its brain-computer interface into a human patient for the first time, with Elon Musk confirming the patient is recovering well. Dubbed "Telepathy," the device aims to let people with severe paralysis control devices using only their thoughts. While it's a huge step toward letting patients type with their minds, commercial rollout still faces a long FDA approval roadmap.
