Elon Musk has suggested that Neuralink’s brain chip may have the potential to help people regain their hearing — including those born completely deaf. He made this claim in response to a post on X that discussed the dangers of hearing loss and highlighted the current lack of treatments to reverse it. The post also warned of increased dementia risks and brain shrinkage caused by hearing decline.

Musk replied to a user who proposed that Neuralink’s future work should focus on hearing restoration. In his response, Musk said that there is a “clear path” to achieving this using the company's technology.

In his post on X, Musk wrote: “There is a clear path to restoring hearing with a Neuralink, even for someone who has had total loss of hearing since birth, as our device directly activates the neurons in the brain that process sound.”

This indicates that Neuralink is looking beyond its current focus areas like mobility and paralysis. However, no timeline or official details have been given on when hearing-related applications might be tested or implemented.

According to Musk, three individuals have received the Neuralink brain implant to date. He confirmed this during a live event in Las Vegas, which was also streamed on X. He stated that all three patients are doing well. The latest chip version reportedly includes more electrodes, greater bandwidth, and improved battery life.

Elon Musk | Credit: X

Neuralink plans to implant the device in 20 to 30 additional patients this year as part of ongoing human trials.

While Musk did not share much about the newest patient, he did offer updates on the first two recipients. The second person, who has a spinal cord injury, received the implant last summer. They are now using the chip to play video games and are learning to design 3D models using software.

The first patient also has a spinal injury and has used the device to play both video games and chess.

Musk’s latest comments suggest Neuralink may soon explore hearing restoration, though testing timelines remain unknown for now.

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