Elon Musk has revealed that his brain chip company, Neuralink, has installed its second implant into a human patient, as shared during a podcast this week.
Musk announced the news of a second Neuralink brain implant patient on Friday during a podcast episode with Lex Fridman, in which he alluded to “the second implant” being successful so far. The sweeping conversation lasts around almost four hours, though Musk shared the detail near the beginning of the video in response to Fridman asking how quickly Musk thought the number of human participants would scale.
“I don’t want to jinx it, but it seems to have gone extremely well with the second implant,” Musk said. “So there’s a lot of signal, a lot of electrodes. It’s working very well.”
The implant comes as a part of Neuralink’s PRIME Study, in which it is performing clinical trials with the implant technology on patients who are quadriplegic due to either spinal cord injury or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The goal of the implants is to help patients be able to control an external device, such as a computer mouse, using only their thoughts.
You can check out the full Lex Fridman podcast episode with Elon Musk below, in which the two discuss Neuralink and its brain implant technology at length. The full podcast, of which Musk speaks at the beginning, runs nearly eight and a half hours.
Musk also said last month that he thought there could be over 1,000 humans with Neuralink implants by 2026, as stated on X.
Neuralink officially installed the first brain implant into patient Noland Arbaugh in January, after gaining FDA approval to begin clinical trials last May and starting the recruitment process in September.
Prior to the implant, Arbaugh had to use his mouth and a stylus to control external devices, though the Neuralink product has since allowed him to control a computer mouse using his thoughts. Arbaugh has since reported feeling enabled to seek financial support for himself and his family for the first time since becoming quadriplegic, adding that he was eager to reduce his reliance on those around him.
Neuralink gained FDA approval to install an implant into a second patient in May, and this is the first time we’ve heard of the second patient getting the brain-computer interface (BCI).
Dubbed the Precise Robotically Implanted Brain-Computer Interface (PRIME) study, Neuralink also says patients with the following conditions cannot be accepted:
- Patients with an active implanted device (pacemaker, deep brain stimulator (DBS), etc.)
- Individuals who have a history of seizures
- Persons who require MRIs for an ongoing medical condition
- Persons who are receiving transcranial magnetic
Those who are interested in taking part in the study can apply to join the company’s patient registry on its website.
Updated 8/4/24: Corrected tenth paragraph after incorrectly writing that participants should have the listed conditions.
What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.
News
Tesla creates clever solution to simplify and improve its Service
Raj Jegannathan, a Vice President of IT/AI-Infra, Apps, Infosec, and Vehicle Service Operations, revealed that Tesla has started a small pilot program at a few service locations to combat this issue.
Tesla has created a clever solution to simplify and improve its Service. Tesla performs most of the services that are needed on its vehicles at its company-owned Service Centers.
However, service has been a weak point of the company, as some regions have fewer Service Centers than others. This can cause long wait times for Tesla owners in some parts of the country.
There are also instances where customers do not agree with what Tesla is saying about their vehicle. In fact, one instance that revealed this new change Tesla is making to its Service was precisely that.
One owner posted on X that his vehicle’s battery seal had failed after a recall was issued. Tesla insurance and Tesla Service both did not assist, and it took CEO Elon Musk stepping in to get the issue resolved:
Will investigate
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 7, 2025
Another owner suggested there should be a more streamlined communications process between the customer and the Service Center, a solution that has been missing.
Raj Jegannathan, a Vice President of IT/AI-Infra, Apps, Infosec, and Vehicle Service Operations, revealed that Tesla has started a small pilot program at a few service locations to combat this issue.
Elon Musk wants Tesla Service to fix two-thirds of cars in the same day
Jegannathan said that Tesla has started to share local and regional leader contact information so customers have the ability to reach out when they have complaints or disagree with warranty claims, changes in estimates, or initial diagnostics.
It is available in a handful of locations already, and Jegannathan said that once abuse guardrails are built, this will expand to all locations:
In few service locations, started to share local and regional leader contact information via service in-take in mobile in-app messages so customers can reach out via phone when they disagree with initial diagnostic/warranty/changes in estimates. (Once we build guardrails from…
— Raj Jegannathan (@r_jegaa) August 7, 2025
This would be a major improvement in the Service portion of Tesla’s business. There are common disagreements between Service and customers, specifically when Service’s suggestions don’t align with the customer’s beliefs.
When it comes to things like a warranty claim, these issues are not really up for interpretation. Instead, the repairs should be made. If there is a misunderstanding on Service’s side, a simple message from the customer could have resolved the issue. That’s basically what happened here.
Investor's Corner
Tesla gets its best analysis from Morgan Stanley as ‘it’s all about to change’
He maintained its ‘Overweight’ rating and the $410 price target Morgan Stanley had on the stock.
Tesla has gotten perhaps its best analysis from Morgan Stanley in quite some time, as the Wall Street firm claims that “it’s all about to change.”
That phrase could be used for both the company’s status and the world in general.
Analyst Adam Jonas said in a new note on Thursday to investors that Tesla could be one of the major winners in terms of the global transition from what it is now to what it will be.
He describes the global shift that will occur over the next few years:
“Have you interacted with a robot today? Have you even seen a robot today? No? Well, take a mental picture because it’s all about to change. When we meet someone who has never been in a Waymo or a Tesla Cybercab (which is most people), we frequently see a wince and a response such as ‘I’m not sure I’d feel comfortable getting in a car without a driver.’ We imagine going back in time to 1903 and asking people if they’d feel comfortable in an airplane.’”
The same technological revolutions that have occurred over the past 150 years will continue to occur again and again. We are on the verge of another, Jonas believes, as companies like Tesla are working on artificial intelligence tech, which includes changing the way we look at things like transportation and labor.
Jonas includes an interesting tidbit in his note about how humanoid robots could change wages, and how it could work into the advantage of Tesla, especially as it is developing its own Optimus robot:
“We estimate 1 humanoid robot at $5/hour can do the work of 2 humans at $25/hour, generating an NPV of approximately $200k/humanoid. 1 robot shaped car can potentially drive down cost/mile of a ride share vehicle to <$0.20 mile (1/10th human-driven ride-share).”
Jonas sees Tesla as a key player in how AI will impact things like manufacturing and various automotive industries, and he believes there is long-term potential for AI, robomobility, and even autonomous eVTOL platforms.
Tesla stock: Morgan Stanley says eVTOL is calling Elon Musk for new chapter
He maintained its ‘Overweight’ rating and the $410 price target Morgan Stanley had on the stock.
Elon Musk
Tesla expands Robotaxi program in Austin to new riders
Tesla has been expanding both the rider group and the geofence in Austin slowly, making sure to prioritize safety and avoid any major events with the early rollout.
Tesla is expanding its Robotaxi program in Austin, Texas, as several people have received invitations to participate and take rides.
Tesla first launched the Robotaxi platform on June 22. It invited a handful of people to participate in the first-ever public rides. We were lucky enough to get an invitation, and our permissions have been expanded in the Bay Area pilot program as well.
The group was small and consisted of big names in the Tesla community. It expanded and is continuing to offer these exclusive invitations to notable members of the Tesla community.
There have been fewer than five subsequent invitations after the first group’s were sent in late June:
I’m so stoked!! LFG 🙌🏽🙌🏽 @Tesla @Tesla_AI @robotaxi @elonmusk pic.twitter.com/F4chRhMjc9
— Arash (@MinimalDuck) August 7, 2025
I finally got it, guys!! 💯🙌 @robotaxi early access invite 🤠
Wait, does it mean I have to be 65 or wait another 65 years? 😎 pic.twitter.com/yAVPHXISY6
— JeebsTX 🇺🇸 (@JeebsTX) August 7, 2025
Tesla has been expanding both the rider group and the geofence in Austin slowly, making sure to prioritize safety and avoid any major events with the early rollout.
Tesla’s new Robotaxi geofence shape is an FU by Elon Musk to the competition
“We are being very cautious. We do not want to take any chances, so we are going to go cautiously. But the service areas and the number of vehicles in operation will increase at a hyper-exponential rate,” CEO Elon Musk said during the Q2 Earnings Call.
Eventually, the Robotaxi platform will not require an invite, and it will operate without geofences. Musk believes Tesla can get there within three or six months, and plans to have at least half of the U.S. population with access to a Robotaxi by the end of the year:
🚨Tesla plans to offer driverless Robotaxi rides to half the U.S. population by the end of the year, Musk says https://t.co/xEDoTF6fIt
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) July 23, 2025
“I think we will probably have autonomous ride-hailing in probably half the population of the U.S. by the end of the year. That’s at least our goal, subject to regulatory approvals. I think we will technically be able to do it. Assuming we have regulatory approvals, it’s probably addressing half the population of the U.S. by the end of the year.”
Tesla plans to have regulatory approval in Nevada, Arizona, and Florida sooner than in other states.
Tesla creates clever solution to simplify and improve its Service
Tesla gets its best analysis from Morgan Stanley as ‘it’s all about to change’
Tesla expands Robotaxi program in Austin to new riders
-
News1 week agoTesla hints a smaller pickup truck could be on the way
-
News2 weeks agoTesla is ready with a perfect counter to the end of US EV tax credits
-
Elon Musk2 weeks agoTesla gives a massive update on its affordable model plans
-
News1 week agoElon Musk highlights Tesla Model Y’s most underrated feature
-
Lifestyle1 week agoTesla brings perhaps the coolest interior feature to cars in latest update
-
Elon Musk2 weeks agoElon Musk reveals Tesla’s next Robotaxi expansion in more ways than one
-
News2 weeks agoTesla’s new affordable Model Y details teased in new sighting
-
Elon Musk2 weeks agoTesla exec gives big update on Roadster, confirming recent rumor