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Forbes
5 days ago
- Health
- Forbes
20 Potential First-Mover Use Cases For Brain-Computer Interface Tech
Brain-computer interface technology has long belonged to the realm of science fiction, but it's quickly emerging as a real-world innovation with the potential to transform how we live, work and interact. BCIs create a direct communication link between the brain and an external device, enabling users to control technology using only their thoughts. While the possibilities are vast, some applications are better positioned than others for early, widespread adoption—thanks to existing demand, supporting infrastructure and familiar user behaviors. Below, members of Forbes Technology Council share compelling predictions about the earliest real-world use cases for this groundbreaking tech. 1. Controlling Smart Homes By Thought Synchron recently showed someone controlling their smart home by thought alone. What's exciting is the shift from spelling out commands to understanding intent. Instead of typing 'turn on the lights,' you think it, and the AI acts. This could unlock powerful use cases beyond assistive tech for people with paralysis. - David Malenoir-Evans, Bestow 2. Restoring Mobility And Communication For Individuals With Paralysis The first real-world use case will be in healthcare—specifically, restoring mobility and communication in individuals with paralysis. BCI technology is making significant progress, with users able to control prosthetic limbs, robotic exoskeletons and communication devices using only their brain signals. The most widely adopted applications are those that help patients regain independence. - Ashay Satav, eBay Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify? 3. Speeding Up Digital Communication Tasks The first real-world use case for brain-computer interfaces will likely be enhancing digital communication. Humans spend countless hours on tasks like texting and emailing. BCIs can streamline these processes, enabling users to compose messages at the speed of thought. This efficiency boost will revolutionize productivity, making it an attractive entry point for widespread adoption. - Udit Mehrotra, Amazon 4. Powering Natural Movement With Prosthetic Limbs Prosthetic limbs are likely to see the first widespread adoption of brain-computer interfaces due to their social relevance. BCIs can help people with limb loss regain natural movement, improving their confidence and inclusion in society. More than a technological advancement, it's a step toward humanity that will make people independent again. - Apeksha Jain, Arista Networks 5. Assessing Mental Acuity In Medical Settings I think brain-computer interface technology will be used in the medical field to better gauge the mental acuity of patients in a variety of scenarios. This will provide a lot more data than asking someone if they remember where they are and performing some eye-hand coordination tests! - Syed Ahmed, Act-On Software 6. Providing Personalized Mental Wellness Beyond healthcare or entertainment, the first widespread use of BCI may be for personalized mental wellness—real-time mood regulation and cognitive optimization. Imagine BCIs subtly detecting stress or focus dips and adjusting your environment or prompting mindful breaks. This seamless mental tuning could revolutionize productivity and self-care, making brain tech as essential as a smartwatch. - Haider Ali, WebFoundr 7. Improving Hearing With Smart Earbuds Smart earbuds with ear-EEG sensors can detect which voice you're focusing on in noisy settings, instantly amplifying it while suppressing background noise. This noninvasive, affordable solution helps millions with hearing challenges using existing prototype technology while avoiding the ethical concerns of implanted brain interfaces. - Mohit Menghnani, Twilio 8. Restoring Lost Sensory Function BCIs could help restore sight (bionic eyes), hearing (cochlear implants) or even sense of touch. BCI can enable real-time brainwave feedback for anxiety, PTSD and ADHD treatment. For now, medical applications are most promising for early adoption, but consumer and industrial applications will likely follow as the technology matures! - Joydeb Mandal, Accenture 9. Enabling Thought-Controlled Gaming A likely first nonclinical use case for brain-computer interfaces is hands-free control in gaming and augmented and virtual realities. Gamers are early adopters, and BCIs can enhance immersion by letting users control actions with thoughts. As headsets evolve, integrating BCIs for intuitive, thought-driven interaction is a natural next step with mass-market appeal. - Antara Dave, Microsoft Corporation 10. Boosting Performance In High-Risk Work Environments The first real-world brain-computer interface use case likely to see broad adoption will be in high-risk operational environments like defense, aviation or energy. BCIs won't just monitor fatigue or stress; they'll accelerate decision-making by tapping directly into cognitive intent, enhancing human performance in critical moments where speed and clarity are essential. - Mark Mahle, NetActuate, Inc. 11. Optimizing Sleep Sleep optimization will beat medical uses to market. People already track everything with wearables, but BCIs will finally let us program our dreams and wake up perfectly refreshed. Picture setting your brain to 'solve that coding problem' mode while you sleep. Tech workers will pay thousands for eight hours of productive unconsciousness. - Ishaan Agarwal, Square 12. Enhancing Media Engagement And Advertising Impact Media consumption and advertisement will be the first real-world use cases with broad adoption. Getting that dopamine hit from social media and uplifting ads will drive adoption and get us into the technology. - Kevin Korte, Univention 13. Improving Workplace Focus And Preventing Burnout Workplace neuroergonomics will drive early BCI adoption. Companies will use brain-computer interfaces to optimize focus, reduce burnout and enhance performance in high-stakes roles like trading or aviation. It offers measurable ROI and safety gains, making it appealing for enterprise rollout before mass consumer or medical use. - Anusha Nerella, State Street Corporation 14. Capturing Creative Thought With Generative AI Generative AI will likely be an early use case for BCI. There are times—for example, when we exercise, drive and rest—when our minds are often the most creative. Imagine being able to put your ideas to use right there and then. We would see a boom in productivity and disruptive technologies. Stuck in traffic? No problem. Dreaming? No problem. The world will be drastically different if this technology is correctly implemented. - WaiJe Coler, InfoTracer 15. Advancing Military Capabilities The defense sector will drive BCI adoption through enhanced soldier capabilities and remote system control. Military funding overcomes cost barriers that slow consumer adoption, and performance advantages in critical scenarios justify investment. BCIs that allow pilots to control multiple drones simultaneously or enable faster tactical decision-making represent immediate strategic advantages. - Marc Fischer, Dogtown Media LLC 16. Powering Immersive XR Applications Across Industries A key early use case for BCI is hands-free control in extended reality, boosting immersive experiences. XR is rapidly growing in gaming, enterprise training, medical and surgical training, mental health therapy, and telemedicine. With tech giants investing heavily, BCI integration could become a major differentiator in the gaming, training and medical XR markets. - Harikrishnan Muthukrishnan, Florida Blue 17. Enabling Independent Living For Older Adults The first broad BCI adoption may come via intuitive, thought-controlled interfaces tailored for elderly users struggling with traditional tech interactions. By translating intent directly into device actions—such as phone calls, home controls or medical alerts—BCI can vastly enhance daily autonomy, creating immediate, tangible benefits that justify widespread adoption among aging demographics. - Jagadish Gokavarapu, Wissen Infotech 18. Supporting Real-Time Emotional Self-Regulation Widespread BCI use may first emerge in emotional self-regulation—real-time neurofeedback for stress, anxiety and focus. As wearables evolve, BCIs will offer discreet mental tuning, like a 'mind thermostat.' It's simple, noninvasive and wellness-driven—perfect for mass adoption outside clinical or niche tech circles. - Roman Vinogradov, Improvado 19. Shortening Recovery From Stroke Or Injury A strong early brain-computer interface use case is neurorehabilitation after stroke or injury. BCIs detect motor intent and pair it with feedback (like robotics or VR) to help retrain the brain. For those recovering from stroke or injury, this boosts recovery and shortens rehab time. The technology has shown promising results in trials, making it attractive for hospitals and widely acceptable in healthcare. - Jyoti Shah, ADP 20. Enhancing Productivity In Constrained Environments Silent, thought-driven controls will redefine productivity in constrained environments. Picture a surgeon accessing digital notes or a warehouse picker triggering inventory logs hands-free, voice-free, via a neural interface. It's not sci-fi; it's the natural evolution of interface design—one that is secure, private, faster and frictionless. - Savinay Berry, OpenText
Forbes
20-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Connected Minds: Preparing For The Cognitive Gig Economy
Alex Lazovsky is a General Partner at Palo Alto Growth Capital, a VC firm based in Palo Alto, California—the heart of Silicon Valley. Imagine a future freelancer leasing out a slice of their own mind to a multinational corporation for an hour. In this speculative future, neural implants could allow human brains to plug into a shared 'neural cloud' on demand. Brainpower becomes a tradable resource—cognitive gig workers for hire. It sounds like science fiction, yet rapid advances in neurotechnology and big investments in brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) could someday bring that vision closer to reality. To understand how these advancements could affect businesses and investors, let's take a closer look at the existing technology and where it may be heading. Neurotech startups are already blurring the line between man and machine. Neuralink recently raised over $600 million in a funding round, catapulting its valuation to about $9 billion. This investor enthusiasm reflects the 'convergence of neuroscience and AI' and the belief that it could redefine how humans interact with technology. Neuralink demonstrated a human patient controlling a cursor and even browsing the internet using only their thoughts—early evidence of the transformative potential of high-bandwidth brain implants. Neuralink is not alone. Synchron, an Australian-American firm, has developed a less invasive implant that can be fed into the brain's blood vessels via the jugular vein, avoiding open brain surgery. Meanwhile, Precision Neuroscience raised over $100 million to develop an implant enabling users to control devices with thought. Venture capital is flooding into neurotech—total funding topped $2.3 billion in 2024, a more than threefold increase from just two years prior. From medical device firms to Big Tech, many investors see the brain as the next big platform. These efforts focus initially on healing—giving paralyzed patients new means to communicate or control prosthetics. But their long-term implications could reach further. Futurist Ray Kurzweil predicts that by the early 2030s, we may be able to network the human neocortex to the cloud over high-bandwidth connections. Companies like Neuralink, Paradromics and Blackrock Neurotech are already working on the technical substrate—micron-scale electrode threads and wireless interfaces—that might one day support a neural internet. Early research offers intriguing hints. In one experiment, neuroscientists connected three people's brains so they could jointly play a Tetris-like game via brain-to-brain communication. The system, dubbed BrainNet, showed that multiple minds can collaborate through a direct neural link, even across the internet. 'Our results raise the possibility of future brain-to-brain interfaces that enable cooperative problem-solving by humans using a 'social network' of connected brains,' the team noted. If human brains become nodes on a neural network, a new marketplace may emerge around cognitive capacity on demand. Just as cloud computing turned computing power into a utility, a 'cognitive gig economy' could turn mental work into a cloud service. Individuals might rent out spare brain bandwidth in exchange for payment, performing data analysis, pattern recognition or creative brainstorming via direct neural link. A company of the future might hire 1,000 connected minds for an hour to crowdsource a tough research problem—not by convening a meeting but by literally tapping into distributed human brains through the neural cloud. Such scenarios sound surreal, yet they extrapolate from trends already in motion. Automation and AI are transforming traditional jobs, but paradoxically, human intelligence may become a commodity itself—outsourced, fractional and ubiquitous. Knowledge workers could one day freelance their neurons, akin to Uber drivers lending their cars or time. A 'Brain-as-a-Service' industry might arise, with exchanges or platforms matching those who need cognitive help with those willing to provide it via neural link. For all its promise, this cognitive gig economy raises profound ethical and societal questions. If your brain is connected to the cloud, who safeguards your mental privacy? Brain data can reveal deeply personal information—emotions, memories, even subconscious biases. Questions of cognitive liberty loom large: Would people feel pressured to get brain implants to compete in the future job market? Could employers favor workers who can literally 'multitask' with an AI coprocessor in their heads? There's also the risk of neuro-exploitation. In a world where disadvantaged individuals might rent out their mental processing to make ends meet, new forms of inequality could emerge. The cognitive gig economy might empower people to earn money with their minds, but it could also commoditize human cognition, treating thoughts as labor units. If the 'main products of the 21st-century economy' indeed become 'bodies, brains and minds,' as Yuval Noah Harari suggests, society must grapple with how to value and protect those minds in the marketplace. What steam power and electricity were to past centuries, neural interfaces might be to this one—a general-purpose technology that could transform economies and lives. For forward-looking investors and executives, I recommend keeping a close eye on your head because it may also be your next capital asset. If the next era becomes one of connected minds, those who can balance bold innovation with human-centered ethics might shape a future where brainpower for hire could truly benefit humanity. Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?
Economic Times
15-06-2025
- Science
- Economic Times
'Neuralink babies'? Scale AI's Alexandr Wang says he is waiting for Elon Musk's brain chips before having kids
Scale AI founder Alexandr Wang has revealed he's delaying parenthood until technologies like Elon Musk's Neuralink become widely available. (Screenshot: Instagram/alexanddeer) In a statement that straddles science fiction and near-future reality, Scale AI founder Alexandr Wang has revealed he's putting off parenthood—for now. But not because of career demands or personal timing. His reason? He's waiting for Elon Musk's Neuralink to become mainstream. Yes, Wang wants his future children to be among the first humans enhanced by brain-computer interfaces from birth. During a recent appearance on The Shawn Ryan Show , the 28-year-old tech prodigy shared a vision that feels pulled from the pages of a futuristic novel. 'When we get Neuralink and we get these other technologies, kids who are born with them are gonna learn how to use them in like crazy, crazy ways,' Wang said, explaining that the first seven years of life—when neuroplasticity is at its peak—present the most fertile ground for integrating superintelligence into the human experience. Neuralink, founded by Elon Musk, is currently trialing a brain-chip implant the size of a coin. Though still in early clinical stages, the device has already shown stunning potential: one patient with ALS reportedly edited a video using only his mind. But Neuralink isn't alone. Synchron, backed by heavyweights like Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, is collaborating with Apple to help patients with disabilities use iPhones through brain signals. Motif Neurotech, another contender, is developing a neurostimulator that treats severe depression and functions like a pacemaker for the brain. Wang, who is also taking on a new role at Meta to lead its superintelligence initiatives, seems to believe these brain-machine hybrids are not just medical miracles—they are the future of human learning, cognition, and possibly even evolution. His vision hinges on a well-documented trait: the astonishing neuroplasticity of young brains. A 2009 study published in Brain Dev. found that children's brains, particularly in the early years, are primed for adaptation. This plasticity not only helps kids learn languages or recover from injury but, in Wang's vision, could also help them learn how to "think" alongside or even through artificial intelligence. It's a radical idea—one that flips the conventional approach to parenting. Instead of shielding children from screen time or tech overload, Wang imagines a future where babies are born wired for the digital age, quite literally. As startling as Wang's perspective may seem, it's emblematic of a growing mindset in tech circles: that human limitations are solvable problems. But while Wang may be planning for AI-enhanced progeny, ethical concerns continue to hover over Neuralink and its competitors—from long-term brain health to consent, privacy, and the ever-blurring boundary between human and machine. Still, in a world racing toward a post-human horizon, Alexandr Wang's statement isn't just provocative—it might be prophetic. The question isn't whether Neuralink babies will happen. It's who dares to go first. And Wang, it seems, is ready to raise the world's first AI-native child—as soon as the software is ready.
Business Insider
14-06-2025
- Health
- Business Insider
Scale AI founder Alexandr Wang says he's waiting for Elon Musk's Neuralink before he has kids
As Alexandr Wang, the 28-year-old founder of Scale AI, prepares to take on a new role at Meta leading its superintelligence initiatives, he's also thinking about how to integrate superintelligence into the next generation. And that means he's not having kids anytime soon. On the Shawn Ryan Show on Thursday, Wang said he wants to wait to have kids until Neuralink or other brain-computer interfaces are available. Neuralink, one of Elon Musk 's most futuristic endeavors, is developing coin-sized microchips that can be embedded into human brains. These chips will not only be able to record brain activity, but also stimulate it. Still in clinical trials, Neuralink has so far been embedded in three patients. One of those patients, Brad Smith, who has ALS, said he was able to edit a video using his Neuralink brain chip. While Neuralink has received a ton of buzz, it's not the only one developing these interfaces. Synchron, backed by Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, is already working with Apple to help those with disabilities, like ALS patients, use their iPhones. Motif Neurotech is developing a neurostimulator system that works like a pacemaker for the brain and is now used for treating severe depression. Wang also believes these devices will have profound implications for child development. "In your first like seven years of life, your brain is more neuroplastic than at any other point in your life," he said. "When we get Neuralink and we get these other technologies, kids who are born with them are gonna learn how to use them in like crazy, crazy ways." Neuroplasticity refers to the brain's ability to adapt and change — whether that means rewiring its structure, shifting how it functions, or forming new connections — in response to things happening inside us or around us. It's often enhanced in children because the "organization of networks of neuronal synapses as well as white matter pathways remain 'under construction' well into adolescence and even later," according to a 2009 article published in the journal Brain Dev. This is why children are also able to learn new skills quickly and recover from injuries faster.
Business Insider
14-06-2025
- Science
- Business Insider
Scale AI founder Alexandr Wang says he's waiting for Elon Musk's Neuralink before he has kids
It's no surprise that wunderkinds want their children to be wunderkinds, too. As Alexandr Wang, the 28-year-old founder of Scale AI, prepares to take on a new role at Meta leading its superintelligence initiatives, he's also thinking about how to integrate superintelligence into the next generation. And that means he's not having kids anytime soon. On the Shawn Ryan Show on Thursday, Wang said he wants to wait to have kids until Neuralink or other brain-computer interfaces are available. Neuralink, one of Elon Musk 's most futuristic endeavors, is developing coin-sized microchips that can be embedded into human brains. These chips will not only be able to record brain activity, but also stimulate it. Still in clinical trials, Neuralink has so far been embedded in three patients. One of those patients, Brad Smith, who has ALS, said he was able to edit a video using his Neuralink brain chip. While Neuralink has received a ton of buzz, it's not the only one developing these interfaces. Synchron, backed by Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, is already working with Apple to help those with disabilities, like ALS patients, use their iPhones. Motif Neurotech is developing a neurostimulator system that works like a pacemaker for the brain and is now used for treating severe depression. Wang also believes these devices will have profound implications for child development. "In your first like seven years of life, your brain is more neuroplastic than at any other point in your life," he said. "When we get Neuralink and we get these other technologies, kids who are born with them are gonna learn how to use them in like crazy, crazy ways." Neuroplasticity refers to the brain's ability to adapt and change — whether that means rewiring its structure, shifting how it functions, or forming new connections — in response to things happening inside us or around us. It's often enhanced in children because the "organization of networks of neuronal synapses as well as white matter pathways remain 'under construction' well into adolescence and even later," according to a 2009 article published in the journal Brain Dev. This is why children are also able to learn new skills quickly and recover from injuries faster. Wang's theory is that early adoption of brain-computer interfaces will allow children to leverage them in ways that adults can't.
