Elon Musk Announces Neuralink's Latest Breakthrough: Mass Production and Full Automation of Brain-Computer Interface Implants

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(Source: Securities Times)

Major News Breaks in the Brain-Computer Interface Sector!

Recently, Elon Musk stated that his brain-computer interface (BCI) company, Neuralink, will initiate large-scale BCI output in 2026, with plans to transition to nearly fully automated surgeries. Founded by Musk in 2016, Neuralink is dedicated to developing implantable brain devices to enable “human-brain–machine interaction.” In late 2023, Neuralink announced the completion of the world’s first human BCI implantation trial, and in 2025, it unveiled detailed plans for the coming years.

According to the reporter’s analysis, brain-computer interface (BCI) technology has also made significant progress in China, with investor enthusiasm for the BCI sector continuing to rise. From January to November 2025, a total of 24 financing rounds were completed in China’s BCI field, representing a year-on-year increase of 30%.

Neuralink's Ultimate Goal Is to Build a "Whole-Brain Interface"

The so-called “brain-computer interface” refers to a direct connection established between the human or animal brain and external devices, enabling information exchange between the brain and the devices. This concept was first proposed in 1973 by Jacques Vidal, a professor of computer science in the United States. At present, Elon Musk’s Neuralink is technologically leading; its coin-sized chip requires craniotomy for implantation, during which 64 electrode threads, finer than human hair, are inserted into the motor cortex of the brain to receive neural signals.

It is reported that Neuralink currently has three products: “Telepathy,” designed for patients with motor impairments to enable them to control computers and robotic arms using their thoughts; “Blindsight,” dedicated to helping visually impaired individuals restore visual perception; and “Deep Dive,” a neuromodulation product aimed at patients with neuromodulation disorders, mental illnesses, and neural pain.

In June 2025, Neuralink showcased its latest research achievements and product development direction, and announced detailed plans for the coming years. According to the roadmap, Neuralink aims to implant chips into the speech cortex in the fourth quarter of 2025, with the goal of directly decoding silent "intended speech." By 2026, the number of electrodes in the implanted chip will increase to 3,000, and the first participant in the "Blindsight" project will be enrolled. In 2027, the electrode count will further rise to 10,000, enabling multi-device implants. By 2028, the number of electrodes will exceed 25,000, allowing access to deeper brain regions for the treatment of psychiatric disorders and neuropathic pain, while also exploring deep integration with AI.

Neuralink’s ultimate goal is to build a “whole-brain interface” that uses devices with hundreds of thousands to millions of channels to achieve seamless connectivity between the biological brain and external machines, thereby completely addressing neurological disorders and unlocking human cognitive potential. Musk stated that in the future, people may be able to fully control Optimus’s body through Neuralink.

Significant Progress in Brain-Computer Interface Technology in China

In China, brain-computer interface (BCI) technology has also made significant progress. For example, in April 2025, Shanghai NeuroXess announced that a patient with epilepsy had been implanted with its developed flexible BCI, enabling the control of the video game *Black Myth: Wukong* through brain signals. In May, Shanghai Stairway Medical completed China’s first prospective clinical trial of an invasive BCI; after implantation, the subject achieved functionalities such as playing Chinese chess and racing games following only two to three weeks of training.

The “Beinao No. 1” intelligent brain-computer interface system, jointly developed by the Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders and Brain-like Intelligence and Beijing Xinzhida, has also been implanted in five patients with spinal cord injuries. The sixth participant is scheduled to undergo implantation surgery in the near future. “Beinao No. 2” is also expected to enter clinical validation in 2026. At a recent press conference on advances in real-life applications of invasive brain-computer interface clinical trials, the Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences announced that Zhao Zhengtuo and Li Xue’s team had completed three invasive brain-computer interface clinical trials this year.

Furthermore, the brain-computer interface (BCI) device developed by Professor Hong Bo’s team at Tsinghua University in collaboration with NeuroXess is planned to be implanted in 30–50 patients by the end of 2025. Zhongshan Hospital, in partnership with Professor Jia Fumin’s team from Fudan University and Professor Duan Feng’s team from Nankai University, among other research groups, has announced that their invasive BCI devices have officially entered or are on the verge of entering clinical trials.

Despite the accelerating deployment of brain-computer interface (BCI) technology, Pu Muming, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, acknowledged that clinical trials of invasive BCIs are still in their early stages—indeed, just getting started. “Achieving the true brain-machine integration depicted in science fiction films will take at least 5 to 10 years.”

Investment and Financing in 2025 Saw a 30% Year-on-Year Increase, with Over a Hundred Capital Firms Betting In Succession

Driven by the dual forces of technological implementation and favorable policies, capital investment enthusiasm in the brain-computer interface (BCI) sector continues to rise.

In August 2025, Beijing Zhiran Medical Technology Co., Ltd. announced the completion of its Series A financing round, exceeding RMB 300 million; in early September, Shanghai Naoyun Technology Co., Ltd. announced the completion of its angel financing round, amounting to tens of millions of yuan. Almost simultaneously, GuangdongDowstone Technology(Rights Protection)(300409) Co., Ltd. holds a stake in Zhejiang Qiangnao Technology Co., Ltd. through its controlling subsidiary; the latter is hailed as one of the “Six Little Dragons of Hangzhou” and specializes in the research and development of brain-computer interface technology.

According to incomplete statistics from the Arterial Orange database, China’s brain-computer interface (BCI) sector completed 24 financing rounds from January to November 2025, representing a year-on-year increase of 30%. Over the past five years, nearly 100 financing deals have occurred in China’s BCI field, with the total funding amount exceeding RMB 10 billion. More than 100 investors, including Sequoia Capital, Hillhouse Capital, Matrix Partners China, Legend Capital, CDH Investments, Fortis Capital, Qiming Venture Partners, and CAS Star, have successively invested in the sector.

Notably, in early June 2025, Musk’s Neuralink announced the completion of a $650 million Series E financing round, with its post-money valuation jumping to $9 billion, setting a new record in the brain-computer interface (BCI) sector. This marks Neuralink’s seventh funding round since its inception, bringing its total capital raised to over $1.3 billion, whereas the global BCI market size in 2024 was only $2.6 billion.

In addition to market capital, government funding is also an important financing channel for brain-computer interface enterprises. In November 2025, the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission,ZhongguancunThe Management Committee, in conjunction with the Changping District Government, announced the establishment of a “Special Incubation Fund for Brain-Computer Interfaces,” with single-round financing caps exceeding RMB 50 million. This marks another city joining the race to provide special fund support for brain-computer interface technologies, following Wuhan, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Tianjin, Shenzhen, and Hangzhou.

Some venture capital investors have stated that before brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) achieve scaled commercial monetization, fundraising remains the primary, and often the only, “lifeline” for many BCI companies. Currently, the key factors for securing financing are twofold: first, possessing mature technology; and second, having a clear path to commercialization.

Editor: Ya Nan