Kurzweil joins Subsense
Ray Kurzweil, the renowned AI researcher and author, announced his new role as product advisor to Subsense, a Silicon Valley company developing a brain-computer interface that would be delivered through the nose.
How the technology works
Subsense plans to introduce charged nanoparticles into the brain via a nasal spray, a method similar to inhaling allergy medication. Once the particles reach the brain, a specialised cap fitted with magnetic coils would either stimulate specific neurons or read their activity, creating a two-way link between mind and machine.
we want to merge the smartphone with the brain.
Kurzweil made the comment at the company's Palo Alto headquarters, arguing that external devices such as smartphones act as a bottleneck for human access to artificial intelligence.
Industry context
The concept sits alongside other neurotechnology projects, most notably Neuralink, founded by Elon Musk. Neuralink implants wireless chips through a surgical procedure that drills into the skull, allowing a small number of patients with spinal injuries to control computers by thought. Subsense's approach avoids surgery but remains invasive, and the company is still in pre-clinical stages, testing the technology on mice.
Future outlook
Having raised $27 million, Subsense aims first to secure medical applications before considering a consumer product. CEO Tetiana Aleksandrova said the brain-computer interface could become one of the most intimate technologies ever created.
I believe the brain-computer interface eventually may become one of the most intimate technologies that human beings ever created.
In his advisory capacity, Kurzweil will help shape the roadmap for merging artificial intelligence with neural interfaces, drawing on his decades of work that includes seminal books such as The Age of Intelligent Machines and The Singularity Is Near. His involvement signals both scientific credibility and a push towards commercial viability.
The next steps for Subsense involve completing animal studies, refining the nanoparticle delivery system, and seeking regulatory approval for human trials. If successful, the technology could redefine how people interact with digital tools, moving from handheld devices to direct brain communication.