Chinese researchers have made significant progress in brain-computer interface (BCI) technology, particularly in the field of cognitive enhancement. NeuCyber NeuroTech, a Chinese company, recently unveiled a homegrown BCI that allowed a monkey to control a robotic arm using only its thoughts. While similar systems have been tested in the US, China's development of its own BCI technology is noteworthy [8c2a1fa9].
China has traditionally focused on noninvasive BCIs but is now catching up in the area of implantable interfaces for medical applications. Additionally, China is interested in noninvasive BCIs for the general population, including cognitive enhancement. In fact, the Chinese Communist Party has included cognitive enhancement as a goal of Chinese BCI research in its ethical guidelines released in February 2024 [8c2a1fa9].
China's investment in machine learning techniques to improve the analysis of brain signals sets it apart from the US. However, one key difference between the two countries' BCI research is that China's efforts are explicitly linked to military research, raising concerns about national security implications. The US BRAIN Initiative, launched in 2013, has primarily focused on funding BCIs for medical purposes. In contrast, China's brain project, initiated in 2016, aims to develop technologies for diagnosis, treatment, and the replication of human intelligence [8c2a1fa9].
The adoption of BCIs by China could potentially alter the nature of warfare if these technologies are weaponized. This raises concerns about the US potentially being at a disadvantage if it does not fully understand the medical applications and availability of these technologies [8c2a1fa9].