Neuralink’s first human patient Noland Arbaugh told parents he could become handicapped: ‘Didn’t want them to…’

Neuralink’s first human patient Noland Arbaugh shared his experience of undergoing brain-chip surgery and reflected on how the technology has been very useful for him. Recounting how he wasn’t scared going into the surgery in January, Noland Arbaugh said, “I was at peace with it all” because of his strong faith in God. Asserting that he had immense trust in the surgical team and nurses, he said that they are “excellent people in their fields” who answered all his questions thoroughly.

Acknowledging the risks in going through the procedure, he said, “I told my parents that if I became mentally handicapped, I wouldn’t want them to take care of me anymore.”

Talking about how the implant retracted from his brain due to unexpected brain movement, he said that his initial reaction was to suggest removing and reinserting the device but the team addressed the issue through software adjustments instead.

He said, “It hurt emotionally because I thought I wasn’t going to be able to use the device anymore. I was just down in the dumps for a few days, but I tend to roll with the punches. It took me a few days, but I came around.”

Talking about the implant, he said, “I’ve been using it to message people on X, use Instagram, reply to emails, play fantasy sports, read comics online, and access a site I use to learn Japanese.”

“It’s made me a better texter and more capable of interacting with people on social media. I feel like what I’m doing every day is going to affect people forever after this,” he stated.