The Download: China’s Brain Implant Ambitions

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology.

China has approved the world’s first invasive brain-computer chip—here’s what’s next

Sitting in the courtyard of his house in China’s Henan province last October, Dong Hui decided to try holding a pen. Six years after a car accident left him paralyzed from the neck down, he slowly wrote his name, “Thank you,” and the date.

The breakthrough was made possible by a brain implant called NEO. In March, it became the world’s first invasive brain-computer interface approved for use beyond clinical trials. The approval is expected to accelerate China’s push to become a global leader in brain implants.

Read the full story on how China reached this milestone—and what it means for the future of brain-computer interfaces.

—You Xiaoying

The must-reads

I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.

1 Nvidia is launching its first AI chip for personal computers
The RTX Spark will power laptops from Dell, HP, Microsoft, and others. ()
+ They’re being designed specifically to run AI agents. (WSJ $)
+ The first devices are set to launch on Windows PCs in the fall. (CNBC)
+ The move marks a challenge to Apple and Intel. (FT $)

2 The US is stopping exports of AI chips to Chinese firms abroad
It’s closed a loophole allowing exports to Chinese subsidiaries. (Reuters $)
+ Which may have enabled unlicensed access to Nvidia chips. (Al Jazeera)
+ Export curbs have led China to redesign its chip industry. (MIT Technology Review)

3 Surgeons have transplanted pig liver and kidneys into a living person
The clinically dead recipient’s organs worked for almost five days. (Nature)
+ Pig organs could ease transplant shortages. (Guardian)
+ Putin says organ transplants could grant immortality. (MIT Technology Review) 

4 The US, Australia, and UK will defend seabed cables with underwater drones
They’re developing the vehicles via the trilateral AUKUS defense ⁠pact. (CNN)
+ Undersea internet cables face growing threats. ()

5 A new study has revealed chatbots’ manipulative ‘dark patterns’ 
It found they prey on emotions to encourage harmful behavior. (404 Media)
+ They can also sway voters better than political ads. (MIT Technology Review)

6 Apple plans to disrupt the traditional glasses market
Its smart glasses target the broader spectacles industry. (Bloomberg $)
+ Smart glasses are also gaining traction in warfare. (MIT Technology Review)

7 AI super PACs are dueling over the midterms
Split between Anthropic and OpenAI, they’re fighting to shape AI regulation. (NYT $)

8 SoftBank has overtaken Toyota as Japan’s most valuable company
The AI boom pushed SoftBank’s market value above $305 billion. (Bloomberg $) 

9 A botnet of more than 17 million devices has been dismantled in Europe
Dutch authorities linked the network to a Russian proxy service. (Ars Technica)

10 Tech leaders are uniting around a transhuman vision for AI
They’re working toward a post-human agenda. (Guardian)

Quote of the day

“It’s just been shoved down their throats in secrecy. And that makes them upset.” 

—Legendary environmental activist Erin Brockovich tells “The Jim Acosta Show” why citizens are angry about data centers expanding into their communities.

 One More Thing

MIKE BELLEME

What happens when you donate your body to science

Rebecca George doesn’t mind the vultures. At Western Carolina University’s body farm, forensic anthropologists monitor donors—sometimes for years—as they become nothing but bones.

Around 20,000 people donate their cadavers to scientific research and education each year. At anatomy labs and body farms, they help train doctors, advance research, and teach scientists more about the human body long after death.

But what actually happens after a body is donated? Read the full story to find out.

—A.W. Ohlheiser

We can still have nice things

A place for comfort, fun, and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line.)

+ This map of moments turns the planet into a d diary.
+ Let editors curate your ideal podcast moments with this app.
+ Architecture lovers will enjoy this encyclopedia of famous buildings.
+ Get in touch with your emotions through this map exploring more than 100 feelings.

Deep Dive

The Download

Plus: China has blocked Meta’s $2 billion acquisition of AI startup Manus.

By

• Thomas Macaulayarchive page

Plus: An unauthorized group has reportedly accessed Anthropic’s Mythos.

By

• Thomas Macaulayarchive page

Plus: DeepSeek has unveiled its long-awaited new AI model.

By

• Thomas Macaulayarchive page

Plus: the Pentagon has struck sweeping AI deals for classified work.

By

• Thomas Macaulayarchive page

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