Neuralink, the company founded by Elon Musk, has just demonstrated new capabilities that bring us closer to the possibility of making phone calls—and even issuing commands to an artificial intelligence—using only signals from one’s own brain. During tests with a participant who had lost the ability to speak, researchers used a brain implant to translate the intention to utter words into digital commands.

Most impressively, the system is now being integrated with everyday tools, including mobile phones and artificial intelligence assistants. This technology is part of a clinical study called "Voice," developed to investigate how brain-computer interfaces can assist individuals with severe communication difficulties.

The implant records electrical activity in brain regions involved in speech planning. Even when a person cannot move the muscles required to articulate words, the brain can still generate signals associated with the intent to speak. Artificial intelligence algorithms analyze these patterns to identify the words the person intends to say—but Neuralink aims to go beyond simply converting these signals into text displayed on a screen.

In one of the new demonstrations, the participant was able to activate Grok—the AI ​​assistant developed by xAI—by intending to issue a command. From there, the system can interpret requests and execute specific tasks on a computer. The company also introduced a feature that automatically detects when a user intends to begin or finish speaking.

Previously, certain operations required additional controls to toggle the interpretation of brain signals on or off; with this change, communication can become more natural, reducing the need for intermediate steps.

Another advancement involves integration with smartphones. In tests, researchers demonstrated the ability to dictate messages in iPhone apps and use the system during phone calls. For someone who has lost the ability to speak, this represents much more than just a new way to control electronic devices—it means the possibility of participating in conversations, responding to messages, and communicating with family members using tools similar to those available to anyone else.

Furthermore, the latest results show progress in the speed at which brain signals are interpreted. According to data released by Neuralink, one participant managed to produce approximately 75 words per minute with an error rate of 5.8%, using a vocabulary of 125,000 words. This is a promising result, though it has so far only been disclosed by the company itself, without a full scientific publication that would allow for a complete evaluation of the experiment's details.

It is also important to clarify that the implant cannot freely read any of a person's thoughts; the system was developed and trained to identify specific patterns associated with the intention to speak. For individuals who have lost the ability to communicate, this technology could represent something even more significant: the opportunity to regain a fundamental part of their independence.