Brain implants fuel China rivalry |
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| Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Stock: Getty Images |
| Brain implants like those being developed by Elon Musk’s Neuralink are becoming the latest friction point in the intensifying U.S.-China rivalry in the life sciences, Axios’ Adriel Bettelheim writes. Why it matters: The devices are bringing new hope to patients with strokes, Parkinson’s disease and other neurological conditions. And tech billionaires have fueled advances by pouring billions into biotech startups focused on linking the brain with computers. But a new national security analysis says U.S. development efforts are being overtaken by Beijing’s full-court press around manufacturing, data and commercialization. The consequences could extend beyond health care, affecting U.S. military capabilities and the ability to train the next generation of AI models, according to the analysis. Zoom in: Brain-computer interfaces are going mainstream. Companies like Neuralink, Precision Neuroscience, Paradromics and Synchron are testing new applications, like helping to restore communication for people who have lost the ability to speak.Rapid advances in artificial intelligence are reducing the time it takes to calibrate a device to a patient’s brain signals and use them for functions like controlling a prosthetic part. And China leveled up the field this spring, when it issued what’s thought to be the world’s first commercial approval of a brain-computer interface designed to revive hand movement in people with spinal cord injuries. Share this story … Sign up for our daily Axios Future of Health Care. |
6. Witkoff meets powerful UAE official |
Vessels sit near the Strait of Hormuz along the coast of Oman this week. Photo: ReutersWhite House envoy Steve Witkoff met last weekend with the national security adviser of the United Arab Emirates to discuss next steps on Iran, Axios’ Barak Ravid writes. Witkoff met with Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan (TBZ) on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia.Why it matters: The talks, which weren’t announced by the White House and haven’t been reported until now, took place amid the Trump administration’s push to reopen the Strait of Hormuz while choking Iran economically. The UAE has been the key partner in the U.S.-led operation to reopen and guide oil tankers through the strait. Keep reading. |
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Brain implants fuel China rivalry
Zoom in: Brain-computer interfaces are going mainstream. Companies like Neuralink, Precision Neuroscience, Paradromics and Synchron are testing new applications, like helping to
Witkoff meets powerful UAE official
Vessels sit near the Strait of Hormuz along the coast of Oman this week. Photo: Reuters