China is Building its Own Neuralinks: Aiming for Global Leadership in Brain-Computer Interfaces

Metaverse Planet September 3, 2025Last Updated: September 3, 2025

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China is pushing to become a global leader in Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI), a field currently dominated by Elon Musk’s Neuralink. The goal is to build a massive BCI industry by 2030.

After rapid advancements in fields like artificial intelligence and biotechnology, China has now designated BCI technology as a strategic sector. According to a new policy document released this week, China aims to make significant progress in the BCI field by 2027 and establish an internationally competitive BCI industry by 2030.

Brain-Computer Interfaces interpret neural activity and translate it into commands for external devices like computers or robotic arms. While this technology, which offers direct communication and mobility for paralyzed patients, has recently been in the spotlight because of Elon Musk’s Neuralink venture, China is advancing at a nearly identical pace. Organizations like Shanghai-based NeuroXess and the China Brain Research Institute (CIBR) in Beijing have already begun testing implantable systems on several patients.

Phoenix Peng, co-founder of NeuroXess, says they have implanted systems in six patients, with some of them already able to control devices with their thoughts. Similarly, the “Beinao-1” chip developed by NeuCyber NeuroTech, part of CIBR, has been implanted in five patients so far. These developments indicate that China is ready to compete head-to-head with its Western rivals in the BCI field.

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China Outlines a 17-Step Roadmap for Global Leadership

The 17-step national strategy document released by China aims to move BCI technology from the laboratory to widespread application. Key steps include developing next-generation chips for more accurate brain signal capture, improving software to interpret these signals with high precision, and bringing BCI technology in line with national standards. The roadmap also includes ensuring compatibility between different devices and establishing common rules for the security of these systems. On the production side, it foresees building facilities for the mass production of both implantable and wearable devices, conducting clinical trials for prototypes, and accelerating the approval process from health authorities.

China Plans to Monitor Brain Activity of Workers in Critical Sectors

While Neuralink has initially focused on brain chips to assist paralyzed patients and has highlighted their medical benefits, the strategy document from China reveals different, and in some cases, concerning applications for these chips. The document suggests that implantable or wearable brain-computer interfaces will be used in various areas, from ensuring traffic safety to improving workplace security.

The proposals in the strategy document include the continuous monitoring of brain activity of personnel working in high-risk sectors such as mining, nuclear energy, and power distribution. It also states that these devices could be used to ensure traffic safety, which is the part that should be of concern to the general public. Especially in a country like China, these devices could quickly cease to be an option and become a mandatory requirement for working in certain sectors or being on the road. This possibility has worried experts who are skeptical about BCI technologies for years.

Neuroscientist Max Riesenhuber from Georgetown University says, “The constant monitoring of an employee’s brain waves, even if justified for security reasons, constitutes a violation of personal privacy.” Similarly, Liu Wen, an independent technology analyst based in Beijing, points out that these systems could be misused by employers for productivity control. According to experts, the widespread adoption of BCI in industrial settings risks turning them into tools of surveillance rather than security. Therefore, it is crucial to establish regulatory frameworks and take serious precautions before this technology becomes widespread.