Neuralink: Musk’s Brain Chip Gives Paralyzed Man Control

On 29 January 2026 Sky News interviewed Sebastian Gomez‑Pena, one of seven volunteers in the first UK trial of Elon Musk’s Neuralink brain chip. The surgeon‑robot team at University College London Hospital performed a five‑hour operation that implanted 1,024 ultra‑thin electrodes 4 mm beneath the cortex, allowing wireless neural signals to be decoded by AI into computer commands. Gomez‑Pena said the device “feels magical”, enabling him to control a cursor and type with his thoughts after a cervical‑spinal injury. The trial is part of a global study of 21 patients across the US, Canada, the UAE and the UK, and Neuralink plans future implants targeting speech and vision. Critics cite safety and privacy concerns.