The Blubber

Noland Arbaugh always dreamed of traveling to France and mastering the French language. However, after an accident left him paralyzed from the shoulders down eight years ago, he thought that dream might never come true.

That was until the world’s wealthiest man stepped in to help by implanting a chip in his brain.

Now 30, Arbaugh is a patient of Elon Musk’s company Neuralink. He received a brain implant in January, and by March, Musk shared a video of him playing online chess using only his mind to control the cursor.

Prior to the surgery, Arbaugh used a mouth stick—a specialized device for quadriplegics—to move the cursor.

Eight months after the brain implant, he finds himself in Paris, ready to inaugurate a major speed chess championship.

"Before Neuralink, playing chess was physically demanding for me. I could only play for short periods and had to be in a specific position," Arbaugh told Euronews Next in Paris.

"Now, I can lie in bed and play chess for hours if I want to."

But he’s not just using the technology for gaming. He’s also been learning French and Japanese.

"I’m sure some might think it’s like ‘The Matrix,’ where you can download knowledge directly into your brain," he said.

"But what it’s really doing for me is improving how I interact with my computer, which helps me learn new things."

Previously, he had to rely on YouTube videos for learning, which wasn’t very interactive, and he needed someone else to manage playback controls.

Now, he can write, browse French newspapers, and listen to audiobooks, managing playback independently.

"I’m now able to learn at my own pace and accomplish much more, which I find incredibly valuable," he said.

However, Arbaugh acknowledges that immersion is the best way to learn a language.

"I would love to be surrounded by people constantly speaking it, as I know that’s the most effective way to learn. Being in Paris is a good start," he said.