Neuralink has successfully implanted its brain chip in a second patient, Elon Musk revealed during the Lex Friedman Podcast on Saturday.

The SpaceX and Tesla chief executive explained that a second person is testing the implant, which is designed to help paralysed patients control digital devices using only their thoughts.

The device specifically targets people with spinal cord injuries. The first patient on whom a Neuralink device was implanted in the brain, Noland Arbaugh, was paralysed in a driving accident, and had the device implanted in January.

Arbaugh also participated in the podcast, recounting how since he underwent the brain implant procedure, he has been able to play video games, surf the Internet, post on social media and move a cursor on his laptop.

Before receiving the device in January, Arbaugh used a stick in his mouth to interact with a tablet screen. The implant now allows him to control the computer screen with his thoughts, giving him a degree of independence and reducing his dependence on caregivers.

The second patient, also with a spinal cord injury, now has the implant functioning with 400 of its 1,024 electrodes active.

During the podcast, Musk expressed optimism about the procedure, adding: “I don't want to jinx it, but it looks like the second implant went extremely well.”

He added that he expects eight more patients to receive the implant this year as part of clinical trials.

During the podcast, Musk revealed that he expects people with a Neuralink implant to be able to outperform professional gamers due to faster reaction times.

He added that once the risks are controlled, the company will plan to augment people without neurological issues with the aim of giving them “supernatural abilities”, thanks to a “communication data rate” that will surpass human capacity.

Human vision is likely to be on the areas addressed in the upcoming “upgrade,” with innovative technologies allowing people to see in various parts of the spectrum like ultraviolet or infrared, Musk added.

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