The key facts

  • Musk promised on X that Neuralink will, in the coming years, restore the ability to walk and use their hands to paralyzed people
  • The statement relates to the story of Noland Arbaugh — the first patient with an implanted chip (2024)
  • The Blindsight implant for restoring vision, according to Musk, is ready and awaiting FDA approval

Musk's Promise

American entrepreneur and SpaceX head Elon Musk stated that the technologies of his company Neuralink will, within the next few years, restore the ability to walk and use their hands to paralyzed people. “In the coming years, Neuralink will enable people to walk and use their hands again,” he wrote on the social network X (the post is cited by Gazeta.Ru).

Context of the Statement

Musk's words follow a specific precedent: he was commenting on the story of Noland Arbaugh — Neuralink's first patient, who had a neural chip implanted in 2024. According to the outlet, Musk had previously also reported that the company's implant had been placed in a third patient.

Blindsight and Other Projects

On October 30, the entrepreneur said that the Blindsight implant for restoring vision is ready for use and awaiting approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). According to him, the implant will allow even those who are completely blind or have never seen to see. Neuralink, founded by Musk in 2016, develops neural chips for synchronizing the brain with computers; among its developments are the Telepathy project, which allows paralyzed people to control devices with the power of thought, the Blindsight system, and neural interfaces for treating neurological and psychiatric disorders.

What to Keep in Mind

The statement about restoring the ability to walk is a promise from the company's founder, not a confirmed clinical result: the publication contains no data on trials, regulatory approval timelines, or participants, apart from mentions of patients with implanted chips. The status of the Blindsight implant is also intermediate — according to Musk, the device is merely awaiting an FDA decision. Thus, for now only the implantations themselves and the company's plans are confirmed, while the timelines and effectiveness of restoring motor functions remain a matter of future verification.