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Yahoo
7 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Billionaire Reid Hoffman Bets $12M On This AI Brain Scanner To Rival Neuralink — Without Surgery Or Drugs
Sanmai Technologies, a stealthy neurotechnology startup, has raised $12 million in a Series A round led by LinkedIn co‑founder Reid Hoffman, who will also join its board of directors, Bloomberg reports. Sanmai is developing a non‑invasive, AI‑guided focused ultrasound headset to treat mental health disorders and improve cognitive function. The device is designed to sell for under $500, making clinic‑grade brain stimulation accessible at home. According to Bloomberg, this funding aligns with growing interest from billionaire investors in cutting‑edge brain science, such as Coinbase co‑founder Fred Ehrsam's Nudge and Elon Musk's Neuralink. Don't Miss: Invest early in CancerVax's breakthrough tech aiming to disrupt a $231B market. GoSun's Breakthrough Rooftop EV Charger Already Has 2,000+ Units Reserved — Sanmai's headset uses low-intensity transcranial-focused ultrasound to target specific brain regions associated with conditions such as anxiety, depression, pain, epilepsy, and tremors, Bloomberg says. According to a LinkedIn post by neurotechnology research scientist and first employee at Sanmai Sharena Rice, an integrated AI companion guides treatment and helps determine which protocols are most effective, adapting the stimulation to each user's skull structure and brain activity. The system compensates for skull variations and dynamically adjusts ultrasound parameters to maximize efficacy and safety. Rice confirmed in the LinkedIn post that combining AI with focused ultrasound enables precise deep‑brain stimulation without surgery. Sanmai has developed an early clinical prototype of its device for generalized anxiety disorder. Bloomberg says that the company is also in discussions with the Food and Drug Administration as it prepares for formal clinical trials and regulatory review. Sanmai aims to validate its technology in clinical settings before expanding toward broader consumer availability. "I thought it was very cool that it gives you a new instrument for dealing with a whole wide variety of brain things which are otherwise very difficult to deal with," Hoffman told Bloomberg. "Your toolset for dealing with things that are going wrong in the brain is very limited." Trending: Named a TIME Best Invention and Backed by 5,000+ Users, Kara's Air-to-Water Pod Cuts Plastic and Costs — Sanmai's low-intensity focused ultrasound system is designed to deliver energy through the skull, reaching precise areas of brain tissue without breaking the skin. According to Bloomberg, the technology, which stimulates neural activity by directing sound waves to specific targets, reflects more than ten years of academic research now transitioning into regulated clinical testing. Sanmai founder Jay Sanguinetti began exploring brain stimulation as a graduate student, observing its effects on Parkinson's patients during invasive procedures. That experience laid the foundation for his pursuit of a safer, scalable alternative. "I saw every patient's life changed," he told Bloomberg. "But I got kind of bit by the bug of like, 'How do you do this but non-invasively and at scale?'" The company's eight-person team, operating largely in stealth until now, is preparing for broader trials after initial testing began at a Sunnyvale, California clinic for patients with generalized anxiety disorder. While Sanmai's goal is to create a home-use device priced below $500, Bloomberg says that the path forward requires individualized calibration, including magnetic resonance imaging scans and real-time adjustments to ultrasound dosage, before moving beyond clinical settings. "The way to do this safely and at scale is to first go through the clinics," Sanguinetti told Bloomberg. "Then leverage that data to go out to the consumer."Hoffman's investment in Sanmai comes at a time when private funding is playing an increasingly critical role in neuroscience innovation. With the U.S. government reducing its support for biomedical research, wealthy individuals like Hoffman are stepping in to advance technologies aimed at treating mental health disorders and neurological conditions, Bloomberg reports. At a recent neuromodulation conference near Washington, dozens of scientists and clinicians voiced concern over federal funding cuts, including proposed reductions to the National Institutes of Health and the departure of more than 143 staffers from its neurological division. In this tightening environment, Bloomberg says that investors like Hoffman, who previously backed OpenAI, are becoming central to the development of next-generation brain technologies. "Non-invasive is a much less risky approach for a significant benefit," Hoffman told Bloomberg. "The risk and difficulties in invasive strike me as very difficult to navigate and will take years, decades maybe." Read Next: Here's what Americans think you need to be considered wealthy. Image: Shutterstock Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? APPLE (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report TESLA (TSLA): Free Stock Analysis Report This article Billionaire Reid Hoffman Bets $12M On This AI Brain Scanner To Rival Neuralink — Without Surgery Or Drugs originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
CNET
10 minutes ago
- CNET
The AI Chatbots We Use Most, and How We Use Them
If you have a particular artificial intelligence tool that you tend to try first every time you're in need of an AI assist, you're not alone. According to a new survey, 91% of people who use AI have a favorite chatbot they try first, whether it's ChatGPT, Gemini, Alexa or something else. A Menlo Ventures survey of 5,000 adults found that this "default tool dynamic" means most people using AI have chosen a general AI tool they'll try first for every job, even if it's not necessarily the best tool for the job. In the report, ChatGPT is the AI assistant that tops default tools, with 28% of respondents choosing it first. It's followed by Google's Gemini at 23%, Meta AI and Amazon's Alexa, both at 18% and Apple's Siri at 16%. Other tools including Claude, Grok and Perplexity collectively make up another 33%. Some of the most common ways people are using these AI tools include composing emails and other writing support, researching topics of interest and managing to-do lists, according to Menlo Ventures. Some of that, Menlo Ventures says, is "first-mover advantage," with tools like ChatGPT having built up a following by being the first to offer some chatbot and image-generation features. But, the company warns, "that position is not guaranteed," with challengers moving fast. "The consumer market for [large language models] is still nascent and far from saturated," the report says, "leaving ample room for product innovation to shift market share over time." Overall, 61% of Americans have used AI in the last six months and nearly 1 in 5, 19%, rely on it daily, the report says.
Yahoo
10 minutes ago
- Yahoo
iOS 26 Now Available for Everyone! How to Test the New Features
Apple Tests New iOS Versions Months Before Official Launch Apple tests new iOS versions months ahead of their official release. Those who participate in the beta program can try out new features before anyone else. TECHBOOK explains how it works. It will still be a while before the final version of iOS 26 is actually available for all owners of compatible iPhones. The launch is planned for September–along with the iPhone 17. However, the public beta version is now available for testers. Those who want to try it out in advance can register for iOS beta updates. iPhone owners with developer accounts have been able to test the new iOS versions for a few weeks now. The so-called 'Developer Beta' is not freely accessible to everyone. Non-developers had to wait for the launch of the 'Public Beta'–which has now started. Registering for the beta is quick and easy. However, users should be aware that the software is a test version and may be unstable: crashes, freezing, and delays are possible during operation. There are new requirements for the iOS 26 beta. iPhone Xr, Xs/Xs Max are no longer supported. Instead, an iPhone 11, 11 Pro/Pro Max or newer, or an iPhone SE of the 2nd and 3rd generation is required. Also interesting: 15 secret iOS features you should know Before installing the iOS beta, you should always create a backup of your data, as data loss due to unstable software cannot be ruled out. 1. Go to this page and click on Enroll. 2. Sign in with your Apple ID. 3. Confirm the agreement for the 'Apple Beta Software' program. 4. Starting with iOS version 16.4, new entries now appear in Settings under General > Software Update > Beta Updates. Depending on the account status and available betas, different options are available here: 'Off,' 'Developer Beta,' or 'Public Beta.' Click on the beta channel through which you want to receive updates. Note: For iOS 16.3 and older, installing a configuration profile is necessary beforehand. Open the link and sign in again with your Apple ID to download the profile. In some cases, it must be manually installed in Settings under 'Software Update' before the beta update appears. 5. You can now install the beta like any other iOS update under Software Update. Not only is the name brand new, but the interface of iOS 26 has been completely revamped to match the new Liquid Glass design language. While the transparent design looks fresh, it currently causes readability issues, which is why Apple is continuing to make adjustments. The post iOS 26 Now Available for Everyone! How to Test the New Features appeared first on TECHBOOK.
