According to one expert, brain-computer interfaces might start showing up in everyday use in China within three to five years as the tech improves, especially as Beijing pushes to keep pace with U.S. startups like Neuralink led by Elon Musk.
As reported by Reuters, Yao Dezhong, Director of the Sichuan Institute of Brain Science, stated that while recent policy shifts are significant, their impact will be felt gradually. “New policies will not change things overnight. I think after another three to five years, we will gradually see some [BCI] products moving towards actual practical service for the public,” Yao said in an interview on Saturday on the sidelines of China’s annual parliamentary meetings in Beijing.
The comments come as the Chinese government elevates BCIs to a core future strategic industry in its new five-year plan released this week, placing the sector alongside national priorities such as quantum computing, embodied AI, 6G, and nuclear fusion.
China is already the second country to launch human trials for invasive BCIs. According to scientists involved in the research, more than 10 trials are currently active, matching the number in the United States. Researchers plan to enroll more than 50 patients nationwide this year.
Several high-profile trials in recent years have underscored rapid progress in the field, enabling paralyzed individuals and amputees to recover limited motor function and interact with assistive technologies including robotic hands and AI-assisted wheelchairs.
The initiative is guided by a national BCI development roadmap introduced last year, outlining goals to deliver key technological breakthroughs by 2027 and establish two or three globally competitive firms in the industry by 2030.
Market estimates from CCID Consulting place China’s BCI sector at roughly 5.58 billion yuan ($809 million) by 2027. Regulators have also begun integrating select BCI therapies into the national medical insurance system across several pilot provinces, a move analysts say could accelerate the transition from experimental research to real-world deployment.
Yao highlighted several factors that give China an edge in the global race. “China has many advantages in BCIs, such as its huge population, enormous patient demand, cost-effective industrial chain and abundant pool of STEM talent,” said Yao, who also leads a key neuroinformatics research centre under China’s science and technology ministry.
He noted that policies such as insurance integration and the development of national standards are essential to closing the “huge” gap between scientific research, industry, and clinical applications. “The path from experimental to clinical trials is quite long, and this remains a problem,” he told Reuters, adding that many Chinese hospitals have established BCI research labs to help expedite the process.
Although the United States and China are both moving quickly to commercialize brain-computer interface technology, their strategies differ. U.S. startups such as Neuralink are concentrating on invasive implants that penetrate brain tissue to deliver high-quality signals. Chinese researchers, meanwhile, are pursuing a wider mix of invasive, semi-invasive, and non-invasive BCI systems aimed at a broader set of clinical applications.
Semi-invasive BCI systems are designed to rest on the brain’s surface. While this approach can lead to modest signal degradation, it offers a safer profile by reducing the likelihood of tissue damage and post-operative complications.
Yao acknowledged the technical prowess of Neuralink, particularly its surgical robot capable of inserting hundreds of electrodes into the brain in minutes. “This is a technical advantage, which I think is remarkable,” Yao said.
However, he expressed confidence in China’s rapid progress, suggesting that the gap is closing quickly. “China is actually making very fast progress in this area now. In fact, Musk’s direction is basically achievable domestically.”
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