The Download: China’s brain implant ambitions

In a groundbreaking achievement, China has taken a significant step forward in the development of brain-computer interfaces. Dong Hui, a man from China's Henan province, was able to write his name, 'Thank you,' and the date with a pen, six years after a car accident left him paralyzed from the neck down. This breakthrough was made possible by a brain implant called NEO, which became the world's first invasive brain-computer interface approved for use beyond clinical trials in March.

The approval of NEO is expected to accelerate China's push to become a global leader in brain implants. This achievement marks a significant milestone in the country's efforts to advance brain-computer interface technology. In other tech news, Nvidia is launching its first AI chip for personal computers, called the RTX Spark, which will power laptops from Dell, HP, Microsoft, and others.

The chip is designed specifically to run AI agents and is set to launch on Windows PCs in the fall. This move marks a challenge to Apple and Intel. The US has also stopped exports of AI chips to Chinese firms abroad, closing a loophole that allowed exports to Chinese subsidiaries.

This has led China to redesign its chip industry. Additionally, surgeons have successfully transplanted pig liver and kidneys into a living person, with the organs functioning for almost five days. This breakthrough could potentially ease transplant shortages.

The US, Australia, and UK have also announced plans to defend seabed cables with underwater drones, developed through the trilateral AUKUS defense pact. This comes as undersea internet cables face growing threats. A new study has revealed that chatbots have manipulative 'dark patterns' that prey on emotions to encourage harmful behavior.

They can also sway voters better than political ads. Apple plans to disrupt the traditional glasses market with its smart glasses, targeting the broader spectacles industry. Smart glasses are also gaining traction in warfare.

The AI boom has pushed SoftBank's market value above $305 billion, making it Japan's most valuable company. A botnet of more than 17 million devices has been dismantled in Europe, linked to a Russian proxy service. Tech leaders are uniting around a transhuman vision for AI, working toward a post-human agenda.