Medicine & healthcare

ALS Patient Makes YouTube Video With Neuralink Brain Control

MAY 6 2025·Updated MAY 7 2025

Story

Above: Brad Smith and his family in a YouTube viedo he created with Neuralink. Image credit: Brad Smith/YouTube

The Facts

Brad Smith, diagnosed with ALS in 2020 and the third person globally — and first nonverbal patient — to receive Elon Musk's Neuralink brain implant, became the first to create a video entirely using Neuralink technology.
Youtu
RayHaber
Business Insider
Using artificial intelligence trained on recordings from before he was diagnosed, Smith narrates the video — titled "Elon Musk Makes ALS Talk Again" — with a synthetic version of his own voice.
Youtu
Tom's Hardware
ScienceAlert
In the video, Smith explains how the implant works, how he trains the system, and how the Grok3 AI tool is helping him navigate the technology. He calls his experience with Neuralink "fantastic."
Youtu
The brain-computer interface allows Smith to control his computer cursor by thinking about tongue movements and jaw clenching, enabling him to edit videos and communicate more effectively than his previous eye-gaze technology.
ScienceAlert
Business Insider
Smith can now play video games with his children and perform computer tasks independently, demonstrating improvements in his quality of life and communication abilities compared to previous assistive technologies.
ScienceAlert
RayHaber
Neuralink began human trials in January 2024, with its first patient being quadriplegic Noland Arbaugh, who reported gaining independence and improved social connections through the technology.
ScienceAlert
Business Insider

Sources Split

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The Spin

Narrative A

This marks another impressive milestone for Neuralink, yet significant ethical concerns remain regarding its technology. Neuralink has been notably secretive, withholding information that could benefit independent research and public understanding. There can also be unintended consequences from receiving an implant of this nature, including the potential for identity theft or a person's autonomy being manipulated by a third party.

Fast Company

Narrative B

Neuralink has taken another major stride in its enhancement of human-computer interaction. While patients like Smith are benefiting in the short term, this milestone is a sign that that goal of augmenting human potential could eventually be realized. Any ethical concerns should take a backseat to Neuralink's accomplishments, especially when it's enhancing the life of someone like Smith.