Neuralink participant produces audible speech via brain-computer interface

Neuralink has released footage from its VOICE clinical trial showing a participant, Kenneth Shock, using a brain-computer interface to produce audible speech from neural signals. In the clip, the participant is heard saying “I love you” to his wife.

The VOICE trial focuses on decoding intended speech from neural activity to assist individuals with severe speech impairments, such as those caused by ALS, stroke, or spinal cord injuries. Unlike the company’s Telepathy project, which focuses on controlling digital cursors and devices, the VOICE program aims to reconstruct a person's voice through a software pipeline.

Neuralink noted that the device remains investigational and has not received FDA approval for general use. The company emphasized that the technology is experimental, and the video does not provide clinical proof of consistent results across all patients or establish metrics for speed, error rates, or long-term stability.