China may begin using brain-computer interface (BCI) technology publicly within three to five years. Leading expert Yao Dezhong said this is as products mature. Beijing is accelerating efforts to match US start-ups, including Elon Musk’s Neuralink.
China has made BCIs a core strategic industry in its latest five-year plan. It ranks alongside quantum computing, 6G, nuclear fusion, and embodied AI. The national BCI strategy released last year aims for major technical breakthroughs by 2027. In addition, it seeks to develop two or three world-class domestic firms by 2030.
China has become the second country to conduct invasive human BCI trials. Currently, more than 10 active trials match those in the US. These trials have allowed paralysed patients and amputees to regain partial mobility. For example, some patients can now operate robotic hands or intelligent wheelchairs. Moreover, some BCI treatments are included in national medical insurance in pilot provinces. Analysts project the domestic market could reach 5.58 billion yuan ($809m) by 2027.
Yao highlighted China’s advantages in BCI development. These include a large population, high patient demand, cost-effective industrial chains, and an abundant STEM talent pool. Meanwhile, Chinese researchers are exploring invasive, semi-invasive, and non-invasive BCIs. Semi-invasive devices sit on the brain’s surface. They slightly reduce signal quality but lower surgical risks.
“China is progressing very quickly in this area,” Yao said. “Musk’s approach is achievable domestically, and our technical advances are remarkable.”
Many Chinese hospitals have set up BCI research labs to accelerate development and move products toward clinical use.
